5-14-15 fdl superintendent concerned about so-called “opt out” bill

The Fond du Lac school superintendent says he is concerned a proposed bill would encourage parents to have their child opt out of mandated tests.  A bill being circulated by Republican state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac would require schools to notify parents every year of all the standardized tests students will be given and make clear how to opt out of taking them.   Thiesfeldt says there is confusion whether current state law explicitly allows students to not take the state’s current standardized test known as the Badger exam.  Fond du Lac school superintendent Dr. Jim Sebert says the bill appears to be encouraging opting out.  “The fewer kids you have take it (test) or if you encourage kids not to take it, this is an assessment provided for by the state, we start to get into issues with validity,”  Sebert told WFDL news. Sebert says he wonders if the results are valid if there isn’t a certain size student population taking the tests? Sebert says the district had very strong participation in the Badger exam last month.