Florida

Southwest Florida School District Votes to Opt-Out of State-Mandated Testing

A southwest Florida county voted Wednesday night to opt-out of all state-mandated standardized testing, according to Fort Myers NBC affiliate WBBH.

The vote was more civil disobedience than a binding policy because under Florida law (Statute 1008.22 Section 3), “participation in the assessment program is mandatory for all school districts and students attending public schools.”

Still, the Lee County school board went forward with the measure by a three-to-two vote, according to the Fort Myers News-Press. It sets up a potential showdown with the Florida Department of Education and Governor Rick Scott, just months before the general election.

According to WBBH, the measure could lead to students not being allowed to graduate, move forward in grades and other issues for both students and teachers. In addition, the state Board of Education may be able to withhold the transfer of state and other funds until the school district complies with the Florida law.

The battle comes as the Common Core curriculum is being installed in schools across the Sunshine State. Common Core is a set of academic standards put together by a group selected by the National Governor’s Association and later adopted by forty-four states.

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