East Meadow Parents Refuse to Allow Their Children to Take State Tests

Colette Paul remembered when her son, a fourth grader in the East Meadow School District, was working on take home materials to prepare for the New York State tests in English and math.

“He was stressing out,” she said.  “He was reading a poem and had to find the answers to certain questions. I have two degrees and I had no idea how to answer the questions, so how can they expect a 9-year-old to figure it out.”

Paul and Ilene Ballato of East Meadow refused to have their children take the standardized tests, which began in East Meadow Public Schools on Tuesday. 

Ballato has two sons in the district--one in the fourth grade and the other is a special education student in the seventh grade. 

According to a letter written to parents from Superintendent Louis DeAngelo, New York State Public Schools were required to administer tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and math to students in grades three through eight. Results of the tests will be used to measure and monitor school and district accountability, as well as the progress of students in English and math and to evaluate teacher effectiveness. For the first time, the tests will be based on new Common Core Learning Standards.

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“They have made these tests so impossible that they are perpetuating a feeling of failure in our children,” Paul said. "It has been said that most children will not do well on this test." 

Ballato agreed.

“I saw the preparation materials for my seventh grade son and the questions were outrageous,” she said.  “They were extremely challenging and beyond seventh grade level. For a special education student, his esteem can be ruined and he will become frustrated."      

Paul and Ballato said that too much time is spent in the classroom preparing for tests and it takes time away from teachers to focus on other subjects that will help children become more well rounded and creative. They also said that measuring the effectiveness of teachers based on the test is unfair.

Parents all over Long Island have expressed concern about the testing. Many have joined the Facebook group Long Island Opt-out.    
                                   
Paul and Ballato submitted refusal letters to the district before the testing began. 

Children who do not take the test are not effected academically and it does not impact the district, the parents said.  

Paul and Ballato said that their children had to sit in the classroom and do nothing for more than an hour while other children were taking the test on Tuesday. Testing will take place three days this week and a few days next week.  

“Students have to sit there, they could put their heads down, but they can’t read books or do anything,” Paul said. “A majority of schools on Long Island allow students who refused to take the tests to read during the test or go to another location to take part in another activity.” 

Ballato said that seventh graders have 90 minutes to complete the test, but  special education students are given double the time to finish. She said that her son had to sit in the room for close to three hours. 

"This is an aggressive technique that is being used in a punitive matter," Ballato said. 

"Having children sit for up to seven hours of testing cannot be anything but punitive,' Ballato said.  "It is making children feel uncomfortable and is a bullying tactic for children to take the test."

Officials from the East Meadow School District could not be reached for comment.

Both said that they are not against the district.

"They have done a wonderful job with both of my sons, " Ballato said. "I am not against testing. I am against testing that has no value to my child." 

"My son's teacher has been extremely supportive and understanding about my decision to have my son refuse the tests," Paul said.

The women said that they want to send a message.

"We are sending a message to Governor Cuomo and the New York State Board of Education that these tests are detrimental to our children's well being as well as to education on a whole," Paul said.

How do you feel about the state testing? Tell us in the comments below.