Guidance on Opting Out / Refusing the test for your child:
It is best to communicate in writing, either through email or a physical letter. This way there is record of the conversation.
A template letter is below and can be cut-and-pasted or downloaded. We have also provided a link to alternate versions of the letter.
Send the letter directly to your child's teacher. You may also choose to send a copy to the school principal, depending on your relationship.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!
REFUSAL OF M-STEP TEMPLATE (Adapted from United Opt-Out Michigan)
[Click here for a downloadable Word version of this template]
Other examples available at http://a2schoolsmuse.blogspot.com/2015/03/sample-opt-out-letters.html#.YHoNmhNKiuM
[Date]
Dear {...},
Please accept this letter as record of my decision to refuse for my child [NAME AND GRADE] to participate in M-STEP testing at [SCHOOL] during the 2020-21 school year. My refusal to participate in these tests is because I believe standardized testing during a pandemic will yield no data that will inform instruction for my child. I want more teaching and learning, not standardized testing! I am aware that there is no “opt out” clause in the state of Michigan. But the state has yet to provide any legal documentation that my child may not exercise his/her right to refuse the tests.
I understand that it is state and local policy to require all students to be evaluated for proficiency in various subject areas at each grade level. However, the federal government has waived the typical requirement for 95% of students in the school to take year-end summative assessments. Also, State Superintendent Rice and the State Board of Education have strongly opposed to the administration of standardized tests during the pandemic, particularly for students who are learning virtually.
I believe that testing is not synonymous with standardized testing and request that the school and my child’s teacher(s) evaluate his/her progress using alternative (and more meaningful) measures including: project-based assignments, teacher-made tests, portfolios, and performance-based assessments, to be determined at the discretion of the teachers and myself together.
I have a tremendous respect for my child’s teachers and our school. They do a tremendous job and I wish to continue to send my child to a school where s/he looks forward to participating every day. I hope that my child's teachers and administrators understand that this action is no way a reflection of my feelings towards them, nor is it intended as an attack toward them or the great work they do every day. My issue is with high-stakes standardized testing and the harm it does to children and our public schools, compounded by the additional risks of testing during a pandemic. I believe we can work constructively together to ensure that my child will not be negatively affected in any way, and that successful alternatives that are neither punitive, nor require further legal complications, are indeed possible.
Thank you.
Respectfully yours,
{YOUR NAME}