By Lauren Cullen
Managing Editor

The past few weeks, WA students have been talking about the PARCC test. Most of the talk is of the negative, because the assessment is unfair to the students taking it.

After last night’s School Committee meeting, it was brought to the attention of the selected students today that they have an option to opt out of the test. I think this is a valid option and I would opt out of the test if I was selected, especially if I was missing Honors or AP classes. Students should not have to be forced into taking a test for the state’s benefit unless it is required of all students, and in this case, it is not.

On April 9 through the 11, select students are testing out this new standardized test per request of the state. However, only three select English classes at WA are taking part in the test. These classes were selected randomly, and the 63 students taking the PARCC are missing their first three classes each day. For some students, that means missing multiple Advanced Placement or Honors level classes.

This is the source of negative attention stemming from from parents and students.  These students will miss nine classes, and although the students are being told they will not have to make up any homework, they still will have to catch up with the classwork from three missed days. I know myself how difficult it is to make up a missed class for not only the work,but also the lesson taught that day by the teacher. It is possible to make up missed work but not possible to replicate the lesson, especially when multiple days have been missed.

Principal James Antonelli offered students community service hours and a free lunch from the cafeteria to make up for their lost classes. Community service hours, which most WA students already have a plethora of, and a free lunch is not sufficient compensation for missing classes to take a test for the state.

Some students and parents are saying that the entire junior grade should be required to take the test. This would force  junior teachers to not assign work and stop classes until the PARCC testing was finished. I believe this is a much better alternative than having 63 students miss their classes. It would make much more sense to have an entire grade take the PARCC test also because it would give more data to the PARCC, and a wider range of scores.

The PARCC should require either all students participate in the test, or none. It is unfair to the 63 students taking it to be the only ones to face the repercussions of missing classes.