Groups want 'high stakes testing' gone

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A dozen advocacy groups gathered on Wednesday morning to support an end to an educational piece of legislature.

Organizations that met were in favor of stopping the use of High Stakes Testing on students in Rhode Island.

The term "refers to the use of state assessments to determine whether or not a student may graduate" and is scheduled to be put in effect in 2014; the legislation was introduced by R.I. Rep. Eileen Naughton and R.I. State Senator Harold Metts.

Under the bill, state assessments are used, and ultimately determine, if students are eligible for graduation at the end of the school year.

The advocacy groups are petitioning to prevent such legislation to be used as some kind of educational barrier for students, citing that the testing practices have long been an ineffective tool in schools.

Groups that met expressing support to halt the legislation were the Urban League of RI, Mental Health Association of RI, RI Disability Law Center, Parent Support Network of RI, Young Voices, RI ACLU, RI Legal Services, RI Teachers of English Language Learners, Children's Policy Coalition, LEP/ELL Advisory Council, Autism Project of RI, and Tides Family Services.

These groups work closely with a wide array of children and families who have difficulty when it comes to learning whether they have disabilities, are minorities, or even speak languages other than English.