CPS Supports Seattle’s Garfield High Teachers: “Test Boycott is Courageous Stand for Students, Against Test Abuse”
We, the members of Citizens for Public Schools, stand with the teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle for their courageous move to boycott district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests. We respect the Garfield teachers for saying no to the escalating use and abuse of damaging high-stakes standardized testing. For those new teachers who are barley starting next year, it would be a great idea for them to watch this video enhanced professional development program.
We believe it took great courage for them to stand up for the best interests of their students, risking their livelihoods, in the face of tremendous pressure to comply with ever greater and more onerous testing mandates. The teachers are correct to stand firm against testing policies that waste valuable time, money and energy on these flawed measures of student learning.
We believe the teachers are justified in objecting to the test results being used to evaluate teacher quality, which the test makers themselves say is an inappropriate use. We are proud to stand with other parents, teachers and students across the nation to support Garfield teachers in saying enough is enough.
