Critic says opt-out needs to come up with alternatives. I respond.

Comments on: Opt-Out Activists Aim to Build on Momentum in States http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/01/14/opt-out-activists-aim-to-build-on-momentum.html#comments 

mcruz: Unfortunately, the opt out movement has failed to move from its "anti" stance. Instead of just being anti high-stakes testing, its members should partner with unions, sympathetic school boards, and politicians like Governor Kate Brown, and develop specific goals. Rejecting high stakes testing is fine, but what is the alternative? They need to define their goals in a positive, productive way, or risk becoming irrelevant.

     My response, also posted: When the building is on fire, you focus on putting out the fire. Also, there have been several good proposals for doing assessment without smothering students with massive amounts of standardized tests. One of them: Make better use of the means for assessment we have now, eg the NAEP test and more reliance on teachers' evaluation of students; there is good evidence, for example, that high school grades are a better predictor of college success than the SAT. Finally, I am sure that the opt-our movement is more than ready to cooperate with unions, politicians, school boards.