PARCC opt-out rule: Petition filed with state board

By Adam Clark, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers are already considering legislation that would guarantee students have the right to “opt out” of PARCC testing, but a group of state residents are pursuing a more direct route.

Five residents filed a request with the state Board of Education for new rules that would establish a uniform process for parents to opt their children out of taking and preparing for standardized assessments, including the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams.

The “petition for rule making” is a rare procedure that skips the legislative process and appeals directly to the board responsible for rules and regulations. The petition for an opt-out rule appeared in the State Register this week, and the Board of Education is already aware of it, board President Mark Biedron said.

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