Five things that you can do to make a difference...

1. Support the NYS Principals’ letter Click Support the Letter. You will join over 5000 New Yorkers who believe that test scores are only one measure of learning, and that teacher and principal evaluations based on student scores will have harmful effects on our students. Share the above link to family and friends, and ask them to support the letter and become informed.

2. Write to your elected officials
Tell them that you do not want your tax dollars wasted on evaluation systems that have not been tested. Our precious tax dollars should go to classrooms, not testing companies. Let them know that the last thing our students need is less instruction and more testing just so their test scores can be used to evaluate their teachers.   

3. Contact the Governor
Tell him that you support local control, not Albany control of your public schools. The best lobbyists for students are those who understand their academic and socio-emotional needs—their parents and the educators who teach them!

4. Email the members of the Board of Regents
Tell them to stop imposing expensive testing and unproven scoring practices on schools and allow districts to determine their evaluation policies. Help us shift from a system of fear and narrowed education. They need to stand up to the politicians in Washington and Albany and protect education in New York State.

5. Talk to your school’s parent organization
Share what you have learned. The changes coming from Albany are happening so quickly the time to say “slow down” is now! Because of APPR, the number of tests students take, the length of these tests and when these tests are given are driving our students’ education.