EPATA Goals

To Raise Awareness about high-stakes testing in California:

• Students in grades 2-11 take the CST and 3rd and 7th take the CAT/6 every year and must pass the CAHSEE in order to graduate.
• These tests do NOT measure a child's overall academic ability.
• They pretend to be scientific. They are not.
• These tests are filled with errors and are not standardized
• The results are not valid; multiple measures are.
• The classroom curriculum is structured to pass the tests.
• High-stakes testing is taking the genuine desire to learn and fun out of school for children.
• They lower classroom student expectations
• They make schools into test prep centers
• They emphasize rote memorization and regurgitation of disconnected bits of information.
• They reduce academic rigor and dumb down genuine learning
• They are making many children sick.

To Empower Parents and Teachers:

• All parents will know that their child can opt out of CST and CAT/6 testing.
• Parents and teachers will provide insight on deciding future educational policies.
• Teachers will not be discouraged from voicing their opinions about high stakes testing.
• Legislators will value the expertise and concerns of parents and teachers. Parents, teachers and students will show legislators the consequences of high stakes testing .