ES Email Template for Communicating with Parent Requesting a STAR Waiver

for Both SSCS & OGCS 2011 School Year

Dear Parent (who told you at a meeting that they were submitting a Waiver, and you only told them that you then would be sending out info ):

I understand that you plan to submit a waiver this year for the STAR assessment. We understand, respect, and support your right according to California Ed Code to waive the California State Mandated test (STAR) for your student.

Please remember that our school has required student assessments according to our charter that are not waivable, but required for all enrolled students. Beginning this year, in order to collect data that will be required in our WASC 3 year review process, all students must take a spring assessment as well as a Fall Scantron/WRAT assessment. For most of our students this will be the STAR assessment, as we wish this to be as painless as possible for our students/parents.

Because you have waived/will waive the STAR test, you will need to take the Spring school required test instead. This test will be a 2nd Scantron test, but it will be a hard copy version instead of the electronic version you do in the Fall with your ES. It will be administered at the same STAR locations that you are scheduled to attend if your student was taking the STAR test, during the same days and time periods and will be held during the regular STAR testing window. Do plan now and set aside those same dates/times to take this Spring school assessment. Your dates are(list)

For your information, CA Ed Code allows for parental waivers for the state mandated assessments, but it does not allow for waivers of our school-wide tests listed in our charter. Our charter becomes our “law”, and we are judged by how we keep our law. In our charter, we state clearly that we will be assessing our students regularly through various methods and Scantron is one of our school chosen methods.

Just an additional reminder: According to our school truancy policy, attendance at a required school assessment is a scheduled school “appointment”. If a student misses a scheduled school appointment, it is considered a truancy.

Sincerely,

(Your ES)

School Name