More Than a Score

"Jesse Hagopian brought a rare moment of truth to the corporate-dominated Education Nation show when he spoke on behalf of his colleagues at Garfield High in Seattle. He instantly became the voice and face of the movement to stop pointless and punitive high-stakes testing."—Diane Ravitch, author of Reign of Terror

In cities across the country, students are walking out, parents are opting their children out, and teachers are rallying against the abuses of high-stakes standardized testing.

These are the stories—in their own words—of some of those who are defying the corporate education reformers and fueling a national movement to reclaim public education.

Alongside the voices of students, parents, teachers, and grassroots education activists, the book features renowned education researchers and advocates, including Nancy Carrlson-Paige, Karen Lewis, and Monty Neill.

Jesse Hagopian teaches history and is the Black Student Union adviser at Garfield High School, the site of the historic boycott of the MAP test in 2013. He is an associate editor of Rethinking Schools, and winner of the 2013 "Secondary School Teacher of Year" award from the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. He is a contributing author to Education and Capitalism: Struggles for Learning and Liberation and 101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History, and writes regularly for Truthout, Black Agenda Report, and the Seattle Times Op-Ed page.

Forward: Diane Ravitch
Overview what’s wrong with standardized testing

Preface: Alfie Kohn
Overview of the importance of the “education spring” uprising and the chapters in the book

Introduction: Jesse Hagopian
Overview of how neoliberalism has been applied to the public schools in an effort to destroy teachers unions, critical thinking, and one of the last public institutions guaranteed by the government. Also, I will touch how strategies for this movement against standardized testing and assess the progress we have made so far.

Section one: Teachers
This section will tell the stories of teachers who organized actions against standardized tests.
1.Jesse Hagopian
2.Mallory Clarke, Garfield HS boycott leader
3.Rachael Eells, Garfield HS boycott leader
4.Brian Jones, on race and testing
5.Barbara Madeloni, was fired for helping students refuse tests. Barbara worked on the teachers ed test
6.Mark Naison, founded Bad Ass Teachers association
7.Nancy Carrlson-Paige, Early Childhood expert
8.Karen Lewis, CTU president


Section Two: Students
This section will tell the stories of students who organized actions against standardized tests.
1.Alexia, Portland Sutdent union walkout leader
2.Malcolm London, Poet from Chicago, walkout leader
3.Amber Kudla, NY state, valedictorian speech against testing
4.Aaron Regunberg, RI Students union—Zombie march
5.Nikhil Goyal, Woodbury, New York, refused college because of testing
6.Falmatta Sied, Garfield HS poem on MAP boycott
7.Stephanie Rivera, Rutegers University

Section Three: Parents
This section will tell the stories of parents who organized actions against standardized tests.

1.Janette, Long Is opt-out movement leader Facebook
2.Kirstin, Chicago, Play-in
3.Dao Tran, mass opt-out in NYC
4.Peggy, United Opt-Out Executive Director


Section Four: Administrators and Advocates
This section will tell the stories of teachers who organized actions against standardized tests.

1.John Kuhn, Superintendent in a Texas school district
2.Carol Burris, principal in New York
3.Monty Neill—Executive Director of Fair Test.

Afterward: Wayne Au