Reminder: Parents Wanting to Opt Kids Out of State Testing Need This Form

August 22, 2017 T. Arthur Mason Education, National, North Dakota

With schools beginning their 2017 – 2018 school years across the state, I wanted to take just a brief moment to remind interested parents about the new opt out forms for state testing. I’ve seen a few inquiries floating around and it’s obvious that some parents aren’t aware of the specifics.

Last legislative session, Rep. Ben Koppelman (R – District 16) introduced House Bill 1389, which became known as “The Opt Out Bill”. I’m not going to get into specifics of what changes took place as it went through the legislative process. You can see the various versions of the bill by going here.

Nor am I going to get into details about what the final requirements were from the legislation. Not only is that in the previous link, but a breakdown of them can be found in this DPI document for parental directives.

While there were certainly imperfections in the bill, at least it still provided a means by which parents can indeed opt their children out of the state’s standardized testing. One of the requirements is that parents utilize the form created by the Department of Public Instruction. If you are among those parents planning to opt out, then you can download and/or print a copy of the form by clicking here.

The number of parents opting students out of standardized testing has been on the rise in recent years. If you’re not familiar with the reasons some parents are doing so, here’s a link with a video and article explaining some of them. The video features Diane Ravitch– who worked in the Department of Education under President George H.W. Bush.

I should warn you that if you’ve never opted your kids out before, there are some districts that are not fond of the idea. But stick to your guns if you get pushback. It’s your right as a parent to make the decision and it’s literally codified in North Dakota law. They can’t deny you the option when it comes to the specific tests that are listed on the form.

Sources:

1. https://www.nd.gov/dpi/uploads/documents/1571/parentdirective.pdf

2. https://www.nd.gov/dpi/uploads/documents/0/parentaldirectiveguidance.pdf

3. http://www.valleynewslive.com/content/news/Passed-bill-allows-parents-to-opt-students-out-of-testing-419514593.html 4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/04/03/diane-ravitch-why-all-parents-should-opt-their-kids-out-of-high-stakes-standardized-tests/?utm_term=.7181109900b2

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About T. Arthur Mason 883 Articles
T. Arthur Mason is a native North Dakotan who has spent nearly all of his life in the Peace Garden State. As the third of four children in Western North Dakota, Mason grew to appreciate family and the outdoors. Some of his fondest memories are annual deer hunts with family and friends. In his early teenage years, faith became a central part of T. Arthur Mason's life. He and the majority of his family attend church together on a weekly basis and find this a fulfilling aspect of their lives. Through the influence of his father, T. Arthur Mason became intrigued with politics. As a boy, he attended political events with his father and enjoyed the friendships that resulted as a byproduct of those political associations. As Mason grew older, he became convinced that the quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson was true, "That government is best which governs least." Today, T. Arthur Mason enjoys time with his wife and children, an occasional hunt, and an increasingly active life on the political scene. This blog is the fulfillment of a dream to design a web site in the realm of politics and to advocate for the principles of Liberty and constitutionally limited government. On behalf of all those that contribute to The Minuteman, we hope you enjoy your time on the site and will share the message with others.

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