Thanks to conversations with Dr. Gary Thompson, a noted Utah child psychologist who has spoken out against the Common Core, we have learned that new federal regulations go into effect on September 21, 2015, barring states from using alternative assessments for special education students, with the exception of a very restricted number of students they label “severely cognitively impaired.” Dr. Thompson has shared his concerns about this change, which he says is based on “fraudulent and unethical use of psychology … →

(You can download a pdf version of this fax here.) PAA just sent the following via fax to every member of Congress: Parents call for an ESEA with less focus on testing and charter schools – more focus on poverty and parents’ priorities for our children Thank you, Congress, for moving on needed ESEA reforms!  PAA is pleased that Congress has recognized and moved to address some of the damage done by the No Child Left Behind Act. We thank … →

Parents Across America stands in solidarity with Chicago’s Dyett High School hunger strikers, parents fighting for high quality community schools for their children. Today is the 11th day of this courageous protest against the district’s plan to close their high school. For years, Dyett parents and community have been calling on the district and the city to pay better attention to their high school and its students, but instead Dyett suffered increasing disinvestment and marginalization, with faculty and programs cut … →

PAA Week Day 6: Test Stress and our Children (7-24-15) PAA’s Laura Bowman and Julie Woestehoff talk about PAA’s extensive research into the negative effects of the misuse and overuse of standardized tests on our children, and how PAA thinks we should do instead. . PAA Week Day 5: Local Heroes, Walking the Walk (7-23-15) Campaign and public service stories from PAA founding members Natalie Beyer, Sue Peters, and Helen Gym. PAA Week Day 4: Lobbying Congress (7-22-15) PAA’s Pamela … →

 PAA Position Paper Parents Stand Up against Test Stress Updated January 2016 Across our nation, children of all ages are showing a jump in test anxiety. As high-stakes standardized tests have multiplied, growing percentages of students have begun to report test-related stress. More are seeking test-stress counseling. Media reports of psychological and physiological symptoms tied to testing have increased. Please see our fact sheet, Test Stress and our Children, and our documentation paper. Some students are able to manage the … →

PAA leaders Laura Bowman (PAA-Roanoke Valley) and Julie Woestehoff (PAA interim executive director) have been collecting research and other information about test stress and our children. They presented this material for the first time during PAA Week, on July 24, 2015, and you can access the recording of the webinar here. Laura and Julie prepared a one-page fact sheet on test stress and a background piece detailing the research we found. We included some recommendations for addressing the crisis in … →

The results are in and Khem Irby, Pamela Grundy and Julie Woestehoff have been elected to the PAA Board for 2-year terms. Pam and Julie are returning Board members but Khem is new to the Board, though not to parent advocacy. Khem Irby is a leading parent activist/advocate in her NYC hometown, and current residence of Greensboro, NC. Khem was a legal secretary working in NYC for many international corporate law firms. She is married with six children ranging in … →

  Time to get ready for PAA Week! Let’s go! All public sessions will be recorded and posted after the session ends.     Day 1 – Sunday, July 19, 8PM ET: Kick-off (internal PAA session) This session is for PAA chapter and affiliate leaders only; invitations are going out through our internal system. If you have questions about your status, or are a leader who did not receive a link for this meeting and think you should have, please … →

PAA proudly stands with Journey for Justice and nearly 200 other signatories to their letter demanding fair, equitable reforms to ESEA including an end to high-stakes testing and charter school expansion along with full funding of Title 1 and funding for community schools and restorative justice programs. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2015 CONTACT: Rachel Tardiff, Rachel@FitzGibbonMedia.com, 202.746.1507 Nearly 200 Civil Rights, Community Groups Send Letter to Senate Demanding Fair & Equitable Reforms to ESEA Reauthorization Groups Highlight Disproportionate Consequences … →