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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 13, 2015 UPDATED 4:05 P.M.:

Superintendent of Schools said on a recording of the White Plains TV People to Be Heard program with John Bailey today that as of 3 P.M. 347 students across grades 3 through 8, representing 11% of an estimated 3,150 students in White Plains elementary and middle schools eligible to take the ELA test today, were held back by parents from taking the test.

(The program in which Mr. Connors discusses the test controversy and the school budget may be seen Thursday evening at 8 PM on WPTV Cablevision Channel 76 in White Plains or Verizon FIOS Channel 45.)

Three parents speaking during the Public Comment  session at the Board of Education meeting last night raised strong concerns that parents should opt out of the English Language Arts Assessments being given district-wide Tuesday morning in Grades 3 through 8.

One parent from George Washington cited there was confusion as to whether children should not go to school if they were opting out which she had heard, and said this was creating an inconvenience for parents.

Interim Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said that parents could keep the children home, but if they sent them to school with instructions the children were not to take the assessment test, that the respective schools would supervise the children while other students took the test.

Superintend of Schools Connors in an impassioned speech implored district parents to write letters to the State Education Department calling for change in the way assessments were administered. He said the tests were important, but felt there should be less tests, given every other year. He also sought to dispell fears that the district would lose school aid if less than 95% of students did not take the test. He said he expected that statewide less than 95% of students would take the tests, which could result in New York loss of federal aid dollars.

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