In the two-page document "Resolution to Petition the Colorado State Board of Education and Colorado Legislature for Waiver from PARCC and CMAS Testing Requirements," the Mancos School Board states that the Colorado Department of Education is "ill-prepared" for the new computer-based testing, that 17 years of reform resulted in no measurable increase in student achievement, and that the tests take away substantial instructional time.
The petition, which was released in last month's Mancos School Board agenda, but not yet acted upon, states: "The Colorado Department of Education is ill-prepared for such a massive change in assessments as evidenced by their clear lack of planning and ability to provide technical and administrative support for schools and districts, and CDE readily admits they are not ready for PARC."
The Mancos School Board is expected to consider the waiver petition during its Dec. 15 meeting.
The petition for a waiver goes on to say, "The legislated reform and high frequency, high stakes standardized tests, though well meaning, are ill conceived and create an environment of regulation rather than achievement and take a 'one size fits all' approach which fails to consider the entire system and circumstances of the Mancos School District RE-6."
Mancos recently made headlines when 100 percent of its seniors opted out of the CMAS testing a few weeks ago, either with parental consent, or if they were over 18, were able to opt themselves out of the test.
But that doesn't mean the school district is against testing.
"The Mancos School District RE-6 Board of Education believes the professional staff employed by our school district is in the best position to design authentic assessments that will provide valuable feedback to students and aid educators in determining student progress in all educational competencies," the waiver states.
The school district plans to continue using national tests, which can rank students with others nationwide, and produce results that teachers may review the day that students take the test, rather that the three to four months teachers have to wait to get results for the current CDE standardized testing results.
"The Mancos School District RE-6, Board of Education requests the State Board of Education and the Colorado Legislature act to limit unwarranted intrusion by state and federal agencies, which encroaches upon the community's constitutional authority to set educational standards and priorities for our students and which creates unintended consequences that degrade our ability to serve our students."
The waiver hasn't been approved by school board members, but Mancos School District Superintendent Brian Hanson urged parents at the Nov. 17 board meeting to brush up on the consequences of the testing and commended a class at the Mancos High School that launched a social media campaign against the testing.
Mancos is not alone in applying for waivers. The Dolores County School District in Dove Creek has submitted a waiver from testing to the Colorado Department of Education, as well as Colorado Springs School District 11, Montrose School District and Montrose County School District.