EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116 
Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931
http://www.EdAction.org
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December 4, 2001
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What Can Parents Do?

Two laws were passed in the last Minnesota legislative session that parents should be using.

Public and Parental Access

The law gives:

"... public and parental access for review of the Basic Skills Tests, Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs), or any other such statewide test and assessment. Upon receiving a written request, the commissioner must make available to parents or guardians a copy of their student's actual answer sheet to the test questions." (HF2, Article 2, Section 67)

The following dates for 2002 tests may have some slight variation from one school district to the next. Generally, these are the times when the tests will be given in Minnesota public (including charter) schools:

January 29th	Basic Skills Test/MCA-Grade 10 Written Composition
February 5th	Basic Skills Test/Grade 8 Mathematics
February 7th	Basic Skills Test/Grade 8 Reading
March 5th/6th	MCA-Grade 3 & 5 Reading
March 7th	MCA-Grade 5 Writing
March 12th/13th	MCA-Grade 3 & 5 Mathematics
April 16th	MCA-Grade 10 Reading
April 17th	MCA-Grade 11 Mathematics

Notice that the Department has added MCA reading and math tests in Grades 10 and 11. State law gives the Commissioner the authority to "assess student performance in all required learning areas and selected required standards" at the high school level. Without much fanfare or notification, they have added on those additional tests.

A. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments:

Students are not required to take the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). Schools are required to administer the MCAs, but MCAs are not a graduation requirement. The MCAs are a check of how well the districts, the schools and the teachers are implementing the new education system and its new national curriculum (in Minnesota called the Profile of Learning).

The Profile of Learning and the MCAs are based primarily on two foundations, according to Minnesota's "Implementation Plan." They are the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which is the federally created and funded "National Test," and the SCANS, which are the federal requirements for job skills.

Unfortunately, both the NAEP and the SCANS are primarily measuring attitudes, habits and beliefs. They are both intended to create a kind of student more than to teach a broad liberal arts academic education that equips students for whatever they choose to be in life.

B. Basic Skills Test:

The Basic Skills Tests are required by state law for graduation from public (and charter) schools. This means that the Basic Skills Tests are "high stakes" tests. Nonpublic school students are not required by law to take the Basic Skills Tests.

C. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP):

The NAEP is administered to a random sample of students in both public and nonpublic schools in participating states. Minnesota participates in the NAEP. Students are not required to take the NAEP (See # 4 below.) The state law allowing parental access to tests does not apply to the federal NAEP.

D. Other District-required Nationally Norm Referenced Tests:

Many districts and schools require other nationally norm-referenced tests that are local requirements for students in that district. Parents may not opt their children out of these requirements. The state law allowing parental access to tests and test answer sheets does not govern these tests.

What Can Parents Do?

1. Parents should make use of the new law to review any test that their child has taken. "The Commissioner must make available to parents...")

• Request to review the test and your child's actual answer sheet. This is how one parent discovered mistakes the testing company had made on the scoring of Basic Skills Math Test.
• Review the tests for academic challenge. Can they use calculators? How advanced is the reading and vocabulary? Is all the reading test taken from newspapers? (It is.) Is 80% of the reading test taken from the Star Tribune? (It is.) What kind of worldview do you see represented? (See our article.). Note the content that is absent, such as, readings about our Constitution, unalienable rights, private property, free markets or national sovereignty, for example.
• Note particularly the question and answers to the 10^th grade writing test which critics have called invasive.
• If there is any part of the tests you find objectionable, speak out. You may contact state senator and representative, your school board members, the Department of Children, Families and Learning, your school administration, other parents and letters to the editor.

2. Nonpublic schools should not participate in the Basic Skills Test.

• The Basic Skills Tests measure "functional literacy," according to state education staff. The "academics" they test are those that should have been taught in 6^th grade. Passing scores fluctuate according to levels established by the Department of Children, Families and Learning, so the validity of the passing scores is forever questionable.
• The Basic Skills Tests also assess and record the beliefs and values of every test participant. This information becomes part of the students' permanent electronic record, a record that is available to all levels of government. The Basic Skills Reading Test is taken entirely from newspaper articles, articles that reflect the new national curriculum. (See our article, "Testing and Data Collection,")
• Is your private school giving the Basic Skills Test and telling the students they are required to take it? Explain your objections to the principal and opt your child out. Many private schools think that by participating in the Basic Skills Tests, they are demonstrating the superior education private schools provide. In fact, they are allowing state and federal government to monitor and track the beliefs and values of your child.
• The tests themselves are also teaching tools that inculcate values and beliefs. Preparing for the tests usually includes assigning articles provided to schools by the Star Tribune as test preparation. There is no reason that private schools should be using the StarTribune as its curriculum.

Minnesota statute: 120B.30 Statewide testing and reporting system. Subdivision 1. Statewide testing. (a) The commissioner, with advice from experts with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each grade level to be tested, a test, which shall be aligned with the state's graduation standards and administered annually to all students in the third, fifth, seventh, and eighth grades. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year. The key points are: "administered annually to all students in the third, fifth and eighth grade..." and "the schools shall administer the tests to students..." In other words, the law states a requirement for the school to give the test. Nothing addresses a requirement of the student to take the test. Administrators often make the case that this law is a requirement for students to take the MCAs. Under pressure, however, they will admit that nothing under the law requires it.

3. You may opt your public school child out of the MCAs.

• Government intends all students to be assessed, so you and your child may come under enormous pressure to take part. Some parents take the heat. Others are unwilling to endure the difficulties they and their child often face, sometimes from teachers and sometimes from administrators in opting out. This is a decision parents must make for themselves.
• Refusing to participate in MCAs is most effective when several families agree together to opt out.

4. You are never required to participate in the NAEP.

• Though it is promoted as an academic measurement, the NAEP primarily assesses how effectively the new education system is being implemented in each state, each district, each school. It is a primary means of imposing the new national curriculum on states and on teachers.
• Pressure will be brought to bear on parents to have their child participate, but, since not all students are chosen to participate, the pressure to comply may not be severe. If your child has been chosen as a NAEP participant, do not agree to participate.

5. Include a signed "Parental Informed Consent Notice" in your child's school records that serves notice that you require a five day prior notification of any statewide test or assessment being given to your child. It would also serve notice that you refuse permission for your child to take a statewide test or other surveys without your express knowledge and permission.

6. Include a signed "Parental Informed Consent Notice" in your child's school records that serves notice that you require prior written notification from the school concerning any intent to provide physical, mental health, or social services/counseling to your child. Similarly, the school must obtain your written consent prior to providing any of said services.

EdAction - 105 Peavey Rd, Ste 116, Chaska, MN  55318 
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