Some parents choose to opt out of state’s Common Core testing

Students across California are in the process of taking the new state test for Common Core, but some parents have decided to withdraw their children from the testing.

News Channel 5 met with a mother of two who said that after doing some research about the new Common Core test, she chose not to put her child through it.

Jennifer Schmidt said schools might be required to administer the test, but parents should know that students are not required to take it.

“I found that the tests that are being done (by) the SBAC do not have an effect on my son’s grades, (or) whether he goes to the next grade or not,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt has a fifth-grader at Robert Down Elementary School. News Channel 5 was in the classroom last month as students took the new Common Core practice test and teachers prepared to administer the new exams mandated by the federal government. That mandate raised red flags for Schmidt.

“I still don’t see the reasoning why the government has to make us all take one test when children learn at different rates,” Schmidt said.

The test focuses on students’ learning levels in English and math. Schmidt said her problem is with the cookie-cutter way in which the test is designed.

Schmidt found a long list of people online from all over California who are also against the Common Core testing.

“One of the parents mentioned that they opted out, and I said, ‘ I didn’t know you could do that,” Schmidt said.

California law allows any parent to make that choice for their child. But News Channel 5 found out that it’s not something that districts advertise. In fact, it was hard to get much information at all. We are still waiting to hear back from Pajaro Valley Unified and Santa Cruz city schools. The Monterey County Office of Education said it didn’t know how many students chose to opt out of the tests.

Schmidt’s son is still doing the practice tests as a learning experience, but on test day, he will be working on other schoolwork.

“This won’t be forever but it could go either way for me. I could continue to keep my child out of testing or put him back in once I learn more, I just don’t think there is enough information,” Schmidt said.

NewsChannel 5 was able to find out from the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District that parents can submit a letter stating their student will be opting out.
That has to be done each year.

The Monterey County Office of Education said that if 95 percent of students don’t take the test, school districts could lose federal funding.