It is time to compile a list of schools who are honoring the parent’s right to opt their child out of the high stakes tests. The following schools listed are those schools who have treated the parent and the child with dignity.  There are zero problems opting out.

Definition of Friendly Opt Out Schools:

• Honor the parents letter without pressuring or trying to convince them to reconsider
• Do not make it necessary to “meet with the principal” first before the Opt Out request is honored.   This is NOT required by the law. The Opt Out letter and/or form is all that is necessary
• Treat the child with dignity and finding an educational alternative for them during the testing in which the child is not made to feel shame
• Are truthful about the testing and understand the child has shown how much they have learned in various ways
• It could be the school allows the parent to keep their child home on the testing days without marking it unexcused. However, if the parent requests an alternative be found during school, it is. (Children can help classes in lower grades emphasizing leadership, they can assist the librarian in putting away books learning a new skill, they are allowed to read a book, work on assignments, etc.)

Schools exempt from this list do the following:

• Tell the students at school they will have to repeat the grade they are in if they do not take the test
• Have parties after the testing, and exclude the children who opted out, making them feel shame (yes, this is happening to elementary age school children)
• Offer extra credit to the students taking the test
• Threaten suspension
• Make the child sit and stare at the computer screen during testing. (Many do not allow the child to read a book. They literally must sit and stare for hours on end)
• Lie to children and parents saying they can’t qualify for higher level courses if they don’t take the test
• Lie to children and parents saying they can’t qualify to graduate unless they take the test
• Bully, harass, instill guilt

Here is who has made the list so far with zero problems: 

Adams Elementary, Central Valley School District in Spokane Valley

Ballard High School, Seattle School District

Ballou Junior High, Puyallup School District

Beaverton Lake Middle School, Issaquah School District

Benton Schools, Kiona Benton School District

Broadview Thompson Elementary, Seattle School District

Central Valley High School, Central Valley School District in Spokane Valley

Challenger Elementary, Issaquah School District

Chewelah Elementary, Chewelah School District

Columbia Burbank Middle School, Columbia School District, Walla Walla County

Cougar Mountain Middle School, Bethel School District

Davis Elementary, College Place School District

Dieringer Heights Elementary, Dieringer School District

East Valley Central Middle School, East Valley School District #90, outside Yakima.

East Valley Middle School, East Valley School District in Spokane Valley

Elk Plain School of Choice, Bethel School District

Emma L. Carson Elementary, Puyallup School District

Enterprise Middle School, Richland School District

Finley Elementary, Finley School District

Finley Middle School, Finley School District

Freeman Middle School,  Freeman School District

Freeman High School, Freeman School District

Garfield High School, Seattle School District

Garry Middle School, Spokane School District

Glacier View Junior High, Puyallup School District

Hamblen Elementary, Spokane School District

Hazel Wolf K-8, Seattle School District

Indian Trail Elementary, Spokane School District

Ingraham High School, Seattle School District

Lake Spokane Elementary, Nine Mile Falls School District

Lake Tapps Elementary, Dieringer School District

Lakeside Middle School, Nine Mile Falls School District

Lakeside High School, Nine Mile Falls School District

Lawton Elementary, Seattle Public Schools

Lidgerwood Elementary, Spokane School District

Mountainside Middle School, Mead School District

Moxee Elementary, East Valley School District #90, outside Yakima

Nathan Hale High School, Seattle School District

North Tapps Middle School, Dieringer School District

Northwood Middle School, Mead School District

Nova High School, Seattle School District

Olympic View Elementary, Seattle School District

Progress Elementary, Central Valley School District in Spokane Valley

Richland High School, Richland School District

Riverside Elementary,  Riverside School District

Riverside High School, Auburn School District

Riverside Middle School,  Riverside School District

Riverview High School, Finley School District

Roosevelt High School, Seattle School District

Salmon Bay K – 8, Seattle Public Schools

Sehome High School, Bellingham School District

Sequim Middle School, Sequim School District

Shadle Park High School, Spokane School District

Shiloh Hills Elementary, Mead School District

Spokane Odyssey Program, Spokane School District

Spokane Public Montessori, Spokane School District

Stevens Elementary, Spokane School District

Trentwood Elementary, East Valley School District in the Spokane Valley

University Elementary, Central Valley School District in Spokane Valley

Washington Middle School, Olympia, WA

White Bluff Elementary, Richland School District

Willard Elementary, Spokane School District

 

There are many others… will add as received.

Email: razmathr118@yahoo.com

Passionately Submitted,

 RAZ ON FIRE