Commentary: Senator Howie Morales (D-28-Catron, Grant & Socorro) has called on the New Mexico Attorney General to clarify whether parents legally may opt out their children from taking the controversial state-wide PARCC exam. A growing number of parents have expressed concern about the intensity and amount of standardized testing-taking required of students in New Mexico’s public schools. Sen. Morales sent a letter to Attorney General Hector Balderas requesting a formal legal opinion on the question before the PARCC exam is administered, starting shortly.
“Parents have a fundamental right to direct the education of their children which includes the decision to opt their child out of taking the PARCC exam,” said Sen. Howie Morales. “Clarification of those rights is necessary for parents to make informed decisions about their child’s education.”
PARCC testing will start next week for some students in New Mexico school districts, and others will take the exam later in the month. There is confusion because some school districts are telling parents that they do not have the right to decide if their child must take the PARCC exam. Currently there is no impact on a child’s grade or retention if the child does not take the PARCC exam, but a school’s overall grade may be impacted if more than 5% of students fail to take the exam.
“Using a school’s grade to leverage administrators to pressure parents negatively impacts the educational outcomes of New Mexico’s schools,” said Sen. Howie Morales. “PED should not put a wedge between schools and parents who are exercising their right to direct their child’s education.”
Parents who want their child to opt out of the PARCC test should write a refusal letter to the school administrators. Most school districts will have an “opt out” form on their webpage that can be downloaded. If you cannot find the form, ask the principal or visithttp://www.nmoptout.org/ for additional information.
Read the entire letter from Sen. Morales here: http://www.nmsenate.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Morales-Opt-Out-Letter-to-AG.pdf