opting out of PARCC testing (item)

see here for memo from Commissioner
O'Connell: letter regarding requirements of participation in MCAS and PARCC
no right to opt out (on first page)
second page is more interesting, student engaged in an alternate education activity
ask that the letter from administration regarding testing contain that if the students don't take the test, they will have substative academic information provided as well
Boone: look at last two sentences in the letter (citing MGL ch 69)
"unlike the field test....was a test of the test...students participating in PARCC or MCAS will receive student reports, as well be part of the school's accountability program and the district's"
paragraph is what's in the MCAS currently for students who refuse to participate
"it is not an opt out"
"will be logged as a refusal"

Novick: echo request that any communication with parents have this information about what happens with students who refuse
urge notice (that Superintendent Boone nods at) there will be no disciplinary consequences
request that administration provide a report on how the state intends to compare the two tests
Boone notes that the state may well not have this information until next summer, but will provide a report as that information is available