Citizens for Public Schools invites you to join us and the members of other education, labor and community groups across the Commonwealth for a Week of Action for Less Testing, More Learning!
Beginning Monday, June 8, 2015, we are raising our voices and send a clear, strong message: It’s time to reclaim our public schools from testing overkill, stop enriching testing companies at the expense of our real educational needs, and make sure our education resources go to giving every student a whole child education.
The Week of Action is organized by a newly formed statewide coalition called the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance. CPS is a member, along with Jobs with Justice, the Greater Boston Labor Council, Mass Alliance, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, the Boston Teachers Union, and other labor and community groups.
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The week’s focal point comes on Thursday, June 11, at 10 a.m. with the state Legislature’s Education Committee hearing at the State House on a series of testing bills, including several that CPS is supporting. For bill summaries and more information, click here.
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If you can testify, let us know (at lesstestingmorelearning@
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The week offers a number of ways to participate and add your voice to what we hope will be a crescendo that will reach and influence state legislators and education officials to understand that enough is enough. We need less testing, more learning! (Click here for some reasons why.)
- Monday, June 8, is “Less Testing, More Learning” sticker day. Teachers, students and parents will be wearing “Less Testing, More Learning” stickers. If you have one, be sure to put your Less Testing, More Learning bumper sticker on by then, make a “Less Testing, More Learning” lapel pin for the day or email us to learn where to pick up a “Less Testing, More Learning” lapel sticker.
- Tuesday, June 9: Contact Your Legislator Day. Visit, call, email and explain why, including from you and your students’ or children’s personal experiences, we need less testing, more learning and no high stakes. The personal experiences of parents, students and educators provide crucial information. (If you don’t know the name and contact information for your legislators, click here.)
- Wednesday, June 10: Social Media Day and PARCC hearing day: Use Facebook, Twitter and other social media to get out the word. If you can, attend the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education hearing on PARCC testing at Bridgewater State University and speak in public comment about how high-stakes testing harms children and schools.
- Thursday, June 11: Public Speak-Out Day. Attend the Education Committee hearing at the State House if possible. Later that same day, come to the Boston Education Justice Alliance “Schools Our Communities Deserve” campaign launch at Madison Park High School, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Click here for more information. (Stay tuned for more information about regional events that day and evening.)
- Friday, June 12: Union Solidarity Day. Union members will be wearing union colors to work as a show of union pride and solidarity.
Thanks for all of your support!
