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The first comment is not correct. According to a 2010 survey, 73% of incoming freshman at CCRI needed at least one remedial course. Currently, I believe the percentage is 66% which is similar to MA and other states. This is not the case at either URI or RIC. The 2010 study also cited social promotion as a likely cause as districts were not providing needed supports to struggling students. Incidentally, this is exactly what many opponents of high stakes testing have been pointing out. Individual students are being held accountable yet there is no mechanism to hold districts accountable when they do not provide individual supports for struggling students.

Some parents of students who struggle academically feel the PARCC is the only way to show that the district has failed to support their child. For other parents of struggling students, taking the test only subjects their child to being labeled a failure when it's the district that has failed to support them. This is especially true for parents of students with disabilities, ELLs and many of our students in poverty who are not reading at grade level. For many of these kids it's a lose-lose situation. From the districts' perspective, it's extremely expensive to provide the individual supports needed to help the lowest performing students pass these tests. So, they provide global supports (although by law they are suppose to provide individual supports - hint - doesn't always happen). Until this changes, parents will protect their children in any way possible, including not subjecting them to a test on content that districts can't even guarantee they've had an opportunity to learn.

For parents of high performing students, they are frustrated that their children's education has been reduced to a one size fits all curriculum and endless test prep. Parents and teachers of younger students have found that the curriculum is developmentally inappropriate. Others believe that the over reliance on testing is harmful to their child's overall education. This is not a classroom test, end of course exam or diagnostic test that informs instruction. PARCC is a test that is suppose to measure how a school or district is performing that will be used for major decisions involving individuals.

Many in this state may belittle and criticize parents for opting their students out of the test. Many others will support them. Parents are not stupid. They will always do what is in the best interest of their children.