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Overcast More students opt out of state tests
Franklin Square, Sewanhaka and Elmont schools saw increase in exam refusals
More than 700 students in Sewanhaka Central High School District, the Elmont District and the Franklin Square Districts refused to take the state’s English Language Arts exam, which was administered in public schools statewide on April 14-16.
The opt out numbers varied from districts throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. The Sewanhaka School District saw 285 students, or 20 percent of eligible students opt out. The Elmont School District saw 73 students, or 3 percent of eligible students opt out. And the Franklin Square School District saw 344 students, or 32 percent of eligible students opt out of this year’s ELA exam. All three saw an increase from last year’s opt out numbers.
Patrick Manley, the Franklin Square superintendent, attributes the increase to, “the governor’s budget [which] impacted parents in a different way this year.” Giving the parents the decision whether or not their child will participate in the exams, “promotes their rights as parents to opt their children out.”
The question of whether to opt out or take the tests has been a hot topic across the Island. With Facebook groups like “Long Island Opt Out Info,” which has attracted about 22,500 followers, parents and teachers explain their reasoning behind supporting or not supporting the opt out.
One post garnered more than 1,963 “likes” and 1,709 “shares” stating, “The Common Core needs a lot of work and we are going about teaching in the wrong way. One size does NOT fit all. Children learn in different ways and have different strengths. There is no singular path to success.”
Dina Clifford, a Franklin Square resident with a daughter in the sixth grade attending Washington Street School, believed it was a good idea to opt out of the state testing. She believes that the preparation time that goes into the exams should be used for other teaching activities.
“Kids these days don’t learn how to write in script, they are taught it for a few hours in second grade and that’s it,” Clifford said. She continued, “Spelling is not considered important any more either, because the teachers say everything is done via email or texting and everybody has auto correct.”
