Los Angeles, CA – Teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District spend about one month out of the school year administering tests to their students at a cost of $150 million annually for non-State and Federally mandated tests, according to United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), and at a press conference held Tuesday at Emerson Middle School, the educators have vowed beginning immediately to boycott what they called “unnecessary” periodic assessments.
In response to the decision, Superintendent of the L.A. schools Ramon C. Cortines reminded teachers that testing is part of their jobs and are required to be administered. Additionally, Cortines said these assessments are not a waste of time, nor are they futile.
UTLA said its members will only administer the state and federal mandated tests. According to a union spokesperson, depending on the subject and grade level, teachers may give up to 15 additional periodic assessments. The sense that they are over testing is not unique to LAUSD but is a nation-wide phenomenon that they are just fed up about, added the UTLA representative.
The union said teachers will take to the streets today in a fight-back march to protest budget cuts and the over testing beginning at 3:30 p.m. at school district headquarters at 333 S. Beaudry Ave.
Protestors will then march to Pershing Square at Fifth and Olive and around to the State building on Third and Spring.
