Some states, such as Utah and California, very clearly allow students to opt out of annual testing for any reason, according to a research brief published by the Education Commission of the States. Others, such as Oregon and Pennsylvania, allow students to be excused from testing to accommodate religious beliefs. However, widespread protests against the Common Core-aligned standards began last month when states began administering exams created by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) consortium. Thousands of students walked out on Common Core related testing. Peggy Robertson, an administrator of the national United Opt Out group explains, “Opt-Out is an act of civil disobedience. The one way we have to vote for saving public schools is by refusing these tests. The truth is it doesn’t matter [what the state policy is]. It’s an act stating we reclaim our public schools. Opt-out allows us to vote in that way.”
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