By Paige Lippmann
“What do you mean you aren't taking PARCC?” “You won't graduate; it's a requirement.” “Aren’t you worried about getting into college?” These are all valid, yet ignorant questions. As we all know, ignorant is a synonym for uneducated so I'm here to educate you on what you really need to know about PARCC and how “mandatory” it actually is. I’d go in depth on the history of PARCC and standardized tests in NJ in general but that’s a tad boring so you can find it all here: http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/history.shtml
To sum it up, in 2014-15 PARCC replaced the existing statewide assessments: the NJASK in grades 3-8; and HSPA in high school. According to the same article above, “New Jersey had been transitioning the NJ ASK to measure higher-level skills for over three years to provide local districts and schools the time necessary to shift practices and prepare students and educators for PARCC.” What really sticks out about this is how schools are being given time to “prepare students and educators for PARCC.”
If schools are looking to find an accurate representation of where students really are in their readiness for college, then students should not be be taught how to answer questions. In the days and weeks we waste being taught how to pass a test, we could be focused on important, relevant information that is vital to our education.
PARCC, The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, is yet another pointless standardized test whose scores are but a number. How important could a test really be if only 8 states actually administer it? Now follow along with me here; PARCC is, according to http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/history.shtml, meant “to measure student achievement of the Common Core State Standards and preparedness for college,” but so are other tests such as the PSAT, SAT and ACT tests, which are administered and accepted on a national scale and have been used and improved for an abundance of years. The college board’s website (https://research.collegeboard.org/programs/sat) even describes the PSAT as a test “ to help determine their [referring to the student’s] level of readiness for college.”
So why are we adding additional standardized tests that will tell us what existing tests already do? Maybe it’s because Pearson, the company that created PARCC, publishes educational material? This fact suggests a conflict of interest because this company created a test that solicits a need for more educational materials at schools. If a student were to fail a Pearson administered exam, have no fear because they offer a series of remedial learning products! Dropping out? Pearson also partners with the American Council of Education to offer the GED exam (for a profit, of course). The creators of PARCC don’t actually have an interest in how well we’re doing in school or if we’re ready for college or not, they want to test and see how much money we will pour into their bank accounts before we realize they're creating an artificial monopoly on an unnecessary service.
Now to answer the question you’ve all been waiting for; is PARCC mandatory? And the answer you’ve been hoping to hear; no. PARCC is NOT mandatory, I personally will not be taking it, PARCC is not a graduation requirement (more on this later), and if you do not take PARCC you will still graduate and get into college. Before you start jumping for joy and text your mom “i don't have 2 take parcc” know that there are some exceptions. If you are part of the class of 2017, 2018 and 2019 (sophomores, juniors and seniors) and chose not to take PARCC, you must complete one of the graduation requirements as there are many to chose from, which you can find both listed below and here; http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/parents/GradReq.pdf
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA); PARCC ELA Grade 9 or PARCC ELA Grade 10 or PARCC ELA Grade 11 or SAT Reading or ACT Reading or ACT PLAN Reading or Accuplacer WritePlacer or Accuplacer WritePlacer ESL or PSAT10 Reading or PSAT/NMSQT Reading or PSAT10 Reading or PSAT/NMSQT Reading or ACT Aspire Reading or ASVAB-AFQT Composite or Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal.
MATHEMATICS; PARCC Algebra I or PARCC Geometry or PARCC Algebra II or SAT Math or ACT or ACT PLAN Math or Accuplacer Elementary Algebra or PSAT10 Math or PSAT/NMSQT Math or PSAT10 Math or PSAT/NMSQT Math or ACT Aspire Math or ASVAB-AFQT Composite or Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal.
If you took the PSAT you most likely met the score requirement which means you have met the graduation requirements and do not have to take PARCC. Even if you did not take the PSAT or did not meet the score requirement I urge you to opt out of PARCC and choose one of the many other graduation requirements because you only need to meet one for math and one for english. There is no punishment for refusing to take PARCC and you gain nothing from taking it so why let yourself go through a test like that? Spend your time focusing your study time on tests such as the PSAT, SAT and ACT because those tests matter and will get you into a good college.
***Class of 2020 (current freshmen), if eligible you must take PARCC but if a passing score is not met, you have other options such as the PSAT, ACT and Accuplacer. Class of 2021 and beyond (8th graders and younger), it pains me to say this but you must take PARCC to graduate, but sophomores, juniors and seniors as long as you take the PSAT or complete any of the above requirements (one for math and one for english) PARCC is something you won't ever need to take.
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