So some background.
I live in CA, and previously, we had our annual state-issued standardized test (the STAR test), which was entirely optional. The better the students do on the test, the better our school’s API score gets, and the more bragging rights/government funding they receive and so forth.
HOWEVER, the teachers at my school apparently have some agreement that they will all refuse to write a letter of recommendation to any student that opts out of taking the standardized test.
Now we have Common Core, and with that, SBAC testing, another standardized test for juniors. The scores don’t affect the students in any way, and only matter to the school. The teachers claim they will instill the same policy to students who opt out of the SBAC tests, and refuse to right letters of rec.
I’ve been thinking of this, and was wondering if this was even legal to begin with?
Or do you think this is morally right, that teachers would essentially threaten to devastate a student’s college career if they choose to not take this test?
I feel as though they should not make what was supposed to be a voluntary test under law, mandatory under threat.
I understand teachers have the right to deny a request for a letter of rec, but I personally feel as though this is a terrible reason to do so.
You need to ask your teachers and find out if this is true, or if it is just a rumor. Then, if it is indeed true, and you have objections to the exams, you need to find out why the teachers have decided that this exam is necessary for you to take. Perhaps you will find their logic acceptable, perhaps you won’t. If you don’t find their logic acceptable, you will need to find a work-around for your situation.
It was my English teacher and Assistant Principle who informed me of this, and I can take this as true. I realized there was a lot of controversy over the use of standardized tests, and the way I see it is just as a way to get students to take the test without dealing with legal issues, despite the fact it is voluntary. I have filed a complaint. What’s everyone’s else opinion on the issue.
I understand your frustration, but I also understand why they are doing it.
The higher the test scores = more government funding = less money they have to pay out of pocket for school supplies/activities (which teachers spent A LOT of)
I would want people to take that test too.
Why don’t you take the test? I get that it’s optional and who voluntarily takes standardized test, but I think it would just be a win(ish)-win for everyone. If you won’t, there are other people who can write letters of recommendation; counselors, administrators, EC contacts, etc.
Remember the whole process is optional: no one is forcing you to take the test, and no one is forcing them to write letters of recommendation. So I wouldn’t hold it against them (for too long anyone).
Just take the test, even if you end up choosing C for every multiple choice and answer random numbers for written parts (yes, even essays). At my school, there was a mandatory state test that everyone was in protest of, so many people did just that.
Well, sadly, writing recommendations is not a part of a teacher’s job description. Though I will say this is probably just fear mongering to get kids to take the test, because a lot of school funding & ranking comes from both kids taking standardized test and doing well on them. It also gives the school some data on what students accel/struggle with.
Just take the test and if you really have a problem with it, start//join the petition against the government using standardized testing for school funding.
Its legal. *
You WANT them to write you a letter of reccomendation. They are not legally required to write them, nor should they feel obligated. They WANT you to take an optional test. They are not forcing you to take the test. A letter of reccomendation is just a benifit to taking the test.
What exactly would be illegal about it?*
*Note: I am not a lawyer or anything close to a lawyer, so do with my statements as you please.
If you view the test as being something YOU could do FOR your teachers, I don’t get the drama, I get that parents of low performers hate tests, but if you are a smart kid aimed at a 4 yr college, look at this as something that helps the people that teach you. Why not refuse the SAT or ACT to show your rebellious independent streak? ? (no need to actually answer). The letter of rec is a side issue IMO.
Teachers are not required to write recommendations. If the tests are too challenging for you, you should rethink the idea of going to college. If you merely want to challenge authority I can’t see why a teacher would have anything nice to say about you. If you are a PITA at your high school you’ll be a PITA at college. Pick a real issue to rally.
As OspreyCV22 said, we are not required to write letters of recommendation. So, yes, it’s completely legal to deny a request.
And, even if it weren’t, there’s no law dictating what they say. A letter could easily say “This is to verify that cidicac was a student in my AP Calculus class.” and nothing more. You would have your letter, but it certainly wouldn’t help your college chances.
Please don’t kid yourself-- a well written letter takes quite some time to put together. Yes, it’s absolutely legal for me to deny a request for additional unpaid work.
Life’s full of choices, but they almost always bring consequences. You can choose whether or not to take the test, and how to portray yourself if you choose to take it. And your teachers can choose what to do about results that, in NY at least, would help decide whether or not they have a job next year.
Schools in CA should look at the SBAC tests as a baseline this year anyway. They cannot be compared to scores on the previous STAR tests. There will be glitches in the computer systems and the scripts teachers read as preparation. The scores will pretty much only be used as something to compare next year’s scores to. You’ll get a report in the mail, but everyone should take those reports with a grain of salt this year. I think they are worded more strongly than they need to be for the baseline year.
For example, here we found out in the middle of testing that a keystroke elementary kids could enter to open some tool in the test instead opened iTunes. So, we had to deinstall iTunes on all the Macs for the other grades to get the keystroke to work correctly.
I’d say just take the test and don’t worry too much about it. Perhaps you can just see it as an interesting window into how test designers are thinking about changes in education. Hopefully, you don’t have to take it the same week as AP tests.