Lee County’s School Board reversed last week’s decision opting the district out of state-mandated testing Tuesday.
Parents and activists crowded Lee County’s school board meeting again. But, this time, a large number of attendees left upset. In a 3-2 vote, the board decided not to move forward with its plan.
Board Member Mary Fischer, who previously voted in favor of opting out, asked for a re-vote late last week.
Fischer said following her latest vote that she wasn’t pressured to change her mind.
“I don’t believe that I regret the first vote because it did start a dialogue and it did open doors,” she said. “I think we stepped through that doorway and we need to keep going.”
Because the county would be breaking state law if it didn’t comply with state tests, there was worry opting out could jeopardize a host of things. This includes state funds in the county, teacher pay, and even the ability of students to get a standard high school diploma.
"Can you measure and replace what has been lost in momentum, trust, clear goals and expectations for students, teachers and administrators?"-- Beth Helm, Lee County parent.
That’s why some speakers said the board acted in haste last week.
Beth Helm, who educated her child at home for 10 years, said she sent her son to public school so he could take part in programs like Advanced Placement classes and Microsoft Certification.
“Two weeks into school we are told that this programs might be pulled and he might not even receive a standard diploma,” she said. “Can you measure and replace what has been lost in momentum, trust, clear goals and expectations for students, teachers and administrators?”
However, activists and parents say standardized tests have gotten out of control and are taking up too much class time. Lee County parent Tara Jenner asked the board to stick to its guns.
“Don’t buy into the fear-mongering,” she said. “Be the heroes that our children and our country need.”
What This Means For The Testing Fight Moving Forward
Lee County Superintendent Nancy Graham told reporters her staff now has time to responsibly make plans for a possible future opt-out.
“This is just a temporary stay of sorts,” she said. “This community is very clear, our school board is very clear that some things do need to be changed. I have said repeatedly, publicly that the high stakes part of this—we gotta get it under control.”
School Board member Mary Fischer voted in favor of opting out and then changed her mind. Now, Fischer said the board should take up the issue once again, but with more information at hand.
“We definitely need to bring this up and what we need to do is move to have a specific plan and have a timeline,” she said.
"We definitely need to bring this up and what we need to do is move to have a specific plan and have a timeline." -- Mary Fischer, Lee County School Board Member.
Graham and state officials warned the opt-out could jeopardize state funds, teacher pay and even the ability of students to get a standard high school diploma. But activists, parents and even the majority of the school board, agree standardized testing has gotten out of control.
Opt-out supporter and board member Don Armstrong said other counties have been looking to see what happens in Lee County. He said there’s momentum around the state and country to move away from he calls excessive testing. Armstrong says the board’s most recent vote didn’t kill that momentum.
“You know, it just de-railed the train a little bit,” he said. “You gotta lean back over and put it back on track and keep on moving forward. And that’s what we are going to do.”
Armstrong told the board he will be proposing another opt-out motion at the next school board meeting later this month—this time, with a plan in place.
The big question remains how the state will deal with any possible future opt-outs. Graham said in her talks with state officials in the past week, it was clear the state was not ruling out taking action aimed at getting Lee County to change its mind.
