Local Groups

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Our Allies

Albany Opt Out – This website has been created to unite public school advocates around the Capital District.

The Albany Parent Advocacy – The Albany Parent Advocacy Group was formed to bring together parents, educators and citizens of Albany concerned about the negative effects that high stakes testing and the Common Core Standards are having on our children.

Capital District NY Withdraw from Common Core – This advocacy group is designed to bring together parents, educators, and all citizens in the Capital District of New York State that are concerned about the effects of high-stakes testing on our children, the issues related to high-stakes testing, and the negative effect the Common Core State Standards initiative is having on our public schools.

Central and Northern NY for Education: The PUBLIC in Public Education – Public Education is supposed to be about the PUBLIC.  This group was started due to concerns about our children’s education.  It is an attempt to come together against the Common Core Curriculum AND the mania of high stakes testing that is gripping our communities, states, and nation. 

Delaware County NY Parents REFUSE THE TEST – Delaware County NY Parents REFUSE THE TEST is a group dedicated to informing families in our County about the negative impact of the current education reform and high stakes testing and the impact it is having on our children, teachers, schools, parents and taxpayers. This group will help to provide information to families refusing NYS testing, and provide families and community members information to help stop the current educational reform from hurting our children, teachers and schools. We want to help bring the joy and love for learning back to our children. This group supports all parents, students and educators in Delaware County no matter their political affiliation, religious views, etc. Please be respectful of group members’ viewpoints.

Delaware County for Public Education – This group was founded to create awareness, inform, and educate the Delaware County NY community about the negative impacts of the Race to the Top initiative, Common Core Learning Standards, Standardized Testing, APPR Teacher Evaluations, and student data collecting.

New York State Foundations of Education Association – The New York State Foundations of Education Association is dedicated to increasing and fostering the understanding of the role of social foundations in education. 

NYS Refuse the Test – This advocacy group is designed to bring together parents, educators, and all citizens that are concerned about the effects of high-stakes testing on our children and the issues related to high-stakes testing.

Oneonta Area for Public Education – A group dedicated to informing the rural communities in and around Oneonta about current issues in public education, including the negative impact of high stakes, standardized tests, education reform, the Common Core, APPR, student data-sharing, and any other education-related topics.

Opt Out CNY– A group dedicated to informing the Central New York public about the negative impact that Common Core State Standards, high stakes standardized tests, and data mining are having on children and public education.

Out Out Ithaca – A central location for Ithaca parents to discuss options for state testing. 

Oswego County For Public Education Discussion Group – This group page will be used to discuss what is going on in our Public Education system today. We are parents and educators taking a stand and fighting for our children’s education. This is not a political page, there is no red or blue here, it is all about Public Education. Parents and Educators united.

Southern Tier Against Common Core and Testing – A place for members of the communities of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Corning-Elmira-Binghamton, Steuben, Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties.

North Country Alliance for Public Education – We are a dedicated group of parents and citizens who want to bring about positive change in our schools, particularly as… it pertains to the over-abundance of high stakes testing and privatization that is taking over our schools and harming our most precious resource, OUR CHILDREN!

Opt Out Staab – Opting Out Is An Option

Saranac Lake Parent Faculty Education Alliance – The Saranac Lake Parent Faculty Educational Alliance is a group of parents, teachers, and school administrators dedicated to improving education in our district and beyond

Heads Down, Thumbs Up– A page to inform parents, kids, and community members in the Hudson Valley about the option to opt your child out of state tests. This growing movement is our best way to redirect the education policy which continues to wreak havoc on our schools.

Hudson Valley Alliance for Public Education – is a grassroots coalition dedicated to advocating for equitable and child-centered public education for ALL children in the Hudson Valley and throughout New York State. Our goal is to share information from community groups throughout the Hudson Valley and to unify parents, students, educators, and community members who seek to push back against harmful education policy and legislation.

Hudson Valley Parent Educator Initiative – HVACC is a nonpartisan advocacy organization of parents, educators, officials and community members spanning a number of school districts in the Hudson Valley. HVACC strives to advocate for all students throughout NYS by shining a light on issues with education reform, including, but not limited to APPR, high-stakes testing, graduation requirements, Regents appointments, legislative issues, student privacy concerns, GEA, charters, assessments and, of course, Common Core. The group is ever evolving to the extent that we strive to rethink education policies, are committed to working with parents and educators who are committed to public education and advance our cause. Common Core is a very important part of our advocacy but not the only priority.

Kingston Teachers’ Federation – Members of the KTF/ESP units, including teachers, Educational Support Personnel, nurses, counselors, substitute teachers and retirees.

Pencils DOWN Rockland County – This is a grassroots movement comprised of parents, educators and friends who are willing to consider taking a stand against the New York State 3 through 8 Standardized Tests. We are here to discuss, brainstorming and share parent options and course of action. Our children are not a test score.

Putnam County, Northern Westchester County and Southern Dutchess County Refuse the Tests – NY parents who want information about having their children refuse to participate in the grades 3-8 NYS Assessments.

Ossining Citizens For Schools – Ossining Citizens for Schools is a grassroots volunteer organization, made up of local citizens who believe that  a strong education system is a core value of a vibrant community. 

Parents For Change – Warwick, NY – Parents for Change, Warwick, NY is a group of parents committed to ensuring that Warwick Schools continue to provide quality education and programs for our children. Our mission is to bring together members of the community that share common interests and ideas, and work to lobby with our school district in efforts to help maintain standards, while striving to assure that our children receive an excellent education.

Re-Thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region – Re-thinking Testing seeks to: 1.) Educate parents and community members about how high-stakes testing hurts students, schools, public education, 2.) Inform community members about the fiscal impact of high-stakes testing on school budgets and on their school taxes, 3.) Examine how high-stakes testing takes away resources from other educational and after-school programs that the local community values.

Spackenkill Community Alliance for Public Education – Spackenkill Community Alliance for Public Education is a local advocacy group who strives to advance and support solid decision making and strong education policy in our district. We also focus and address community related concerns. ALL are welcome. Over the past two years, a harsh combination of new state laws and continuing cuts to state education aid have led to a loss of local community control over what our children are taught and how our school tax money is spent. These new laws are unfunded mandates that local school districts are required to implement and pay for, in the already difficult economic climate we all face. We will discuss issues relating to CCSS, HST and APPR among other things here. All community and district concerns are welcome to be addressed here.

Westchester Opt Out – This group was created to share information, facts, ideas, opinions regarding the education reforms of New York State and how they effect the residents of Westchester County. These include: standardized testing, parental rights, common core curriculum. The best decisions are made when people are well informed. Our job is to get them the information!

Change The Stakes – We are a growing group concerned with the harm high stakes-testing is doing to our children and schools.  We oppose an over-emphasis on tests and misuse of the results for purposes they were never intended to serve. We believe high-stakes testing must be replaced by valid forms of student, teacher, and school assessment.

Class Size Matters – Class Size Matters is a non-profit organization that advocates for smaller classes in NYC’s public schools and the nation as a whole.  The New York Times has called us the “city’s leading proponent of smaller classes.”

​Jackson Heights People for Public Schools – We work to educate the community about the public schools in Jackson Heights and to support parents and members of the community who wish to make our schools even better.

Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) – Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions.

NYC Opt Out – With a focus on opting out in New York City, the purpose of this group is to provide a supportive space for parents, students, educators and concerned citizens to explore, discuss, share and network around opposition to high-stakes standardized testing. We encourage you to ask questions, share information and experiences, and to publicize relevant community events. This is an open group and all are welcome, but please be respectful of different points of view and keep the dialog constructive. 

Parent Voices NY – We are public school parents determined to make our voices heard in the debates around our children’s education.

Save Our Schools – Guiding principles are: Equitable funding across all public schools and school systems,an end to high stakes testing used for the purpose of student, teacher, and school evaluation,teacher, family, and community leadership in forming public education policies,curriculum responsive to and inclusive of local school communities, professional, qualified, and committed teachers in all public schools.

Bellmore Merrick United Secondary Teachers – To provide a working environment where teachers develop professionally, reach their goals, and experience fulfilling careers.

Sangha Education Center – The Sangha Education Center’s mission is to create “A Place of Wonder” where we educate the whole-learner by inspiring an interconnected understanding of self, others, and the natural world through mentoring and stewardship programs. We ensure that ALL learners are empowered in the spirit of wonder to find and follow their bliss as members of a warm and welcoming community environment. Cultivating strengths and minimizing anxiety through heart-centered learning programs, our youth develop a sense of well-being that enables life opportunities not otherwise attained. Together, we educate, support, and celebrate young people with a range of abilities and needs in Long Island’s first community education center of its kind!

Hauppauge Parents Advocacy Group – As parents of children attending Hauppauge schools, we believe it is our right to educate our children in a manner consistent with our community’s beliefs and values.

Kings Park Advocates for Education – Advocating for a high quality and comprehensive education for our children.

Long Island Opt-out Info – This is a group page to share information about high-stakes testing, common core curriculum, and opting out.

Long Island Parents For Education – A site to share information about high-stakes testing, data mining, common core curriculum, and opting out (refusing the state tests). There is a fight by administrators, principals, and teachers to save our children’s education that has been going on around us for the past few years, many of us unaware.

No Common Sense Education – I am neutral when it comes to politics but I am not neutral when it comes to people attacking public education. 

North Shore Parent Action Committee – Our goal is to encourage and support parent/community member participation in critical issues impacting the North Shore Central School District.

Parents of Middle Country School District – The goal of this group is to provide the awareness and education for families who want to educate themselves about the Common Core State Standards 

Port Washington Advocates for Public Education –  is a newly formed community group dedicated to providing information on current education issues, including the negative impact of high-stakes standardized tests, the Common Core, student data sharing, decreased funding, and other education-related topics.

Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association – Work for the advancement of education and the improvement of educational opportunities for all. To speak as the single voice of our members before the Board of Education, Administration, legal authorities, and residents of the community.

Reclaiming Our Public Schools– Parents and teachers coming together and fighting for their children/students is what will conquer this flawed system. These are our children/Students and these are our schools and we must reclaim them!

Refuse the Tests and The Common Core Sachem!– The amount of testing and assessments forced upon our children is excessive and that excessive amount of testing is being used  by NYSED to determine if a teacher is effective or not. We can’t stay silent and do nothing while these unjustly abusive mandates and policies are setting up our children and our schools for failure.

Sachem Community Alliance for Public Education – We are a group of concerned  parents and teachers of the Sachem community who believe it is our right to educate our children in a manner consistent with our community’s beliefs and values.

South Fork Alliance for Common Sense Education – committed to bringing awareness and information to parents and the public regarding the flaws in the Common Core curriculum and what parents can do to help stop the endless testing of our children and preserve the quality of education they deserve.

Students Not Scores – Group of parents and educators advocating for student rights and recognizing students as individuals and not just as a score.

Uniting Commack for the Love of Learning – This group is dedicated to supporting parents and teachers in advocating for our children and schools regarding High Stakes Testing, Common Core Standards and Curriculum, APPR, and Student Privacy. Our children, teachers and schools are much more than a test score or a set of data points on a spreadsheet. The “One Size Fits All” agenda of Common Core does not “fit” our children. Our children are unique individuals in that “College and Career Ready” takes on a different meaning for each student. We want to prepare our children with the skills and knowledge to help them find their own path in life and inspire them to attain their dreams, not to groom them to meet the specifications of corporate and political interests. 

Black Student Leadership – Rochester based parent, educator & student education advocacy group.

Coalition for Justice in Education – Coalition for Justice in Education is a group of passionate educators, parents and students in the Rochester, NY area, who work for school reform and change based on social justice, progressive education and child-centered practices!

Concerned Teachers of Chautauqua County – Teachers who want to engage stake holders about current education issues such as: APPR, high stakes standardized testing, Opt Out info and a variety of other concerns.

East Aurora Supporters of Public Education – This group was created to help the East Aurora community learn about, discuss, and bring about change in education policies that effect our schools and children. Here are several policies that concern many parents: NYS testing, student data sharing, Race to the Top, and additional student testing (SLOs) used for teacher evaluations (APPR).

Genesee-Wyoming Parents Against High-Stakes Testing – This is a discussion group for parents in Genesee and Wyoming Counties who are concerned about NYS high-stakes exams and Common Core curriculum in our schools.  

Hamburg Parents for QUALITY Public Education – We’re a group of parents concerned about our children’s public education. We are working together to improve the opportunities made available for our kids, and we will hold our government leaders, Board of Education, administrators, and teachers accountable for the choices they make.

Ken-Ton Advocates for Student-Centered Education – This group is open to Ken-Ton parents, students, teachers, administrators, taxpayers and all residents who wish to advocate for a school learning environment that centers on the student.  

Lancaster Central School District Info on Standardized Testing – A group for parents in the Lancaster Central School District (LCSD) in NY to 
gather information and talk about the effects of Common Core and excessive testing on our children.

NYS Stop Testing – A movement to end high-stakes testing in New York State and our nation.  Parents need to start this revolution by opting out their children from state testing programs in order to take back public education from the corporate reformers who are destroying the education of our children.

O.P. Parents Against Excessive Testing

Rush Henrietta Parents Against Excessive Standardized Testing

Southern Tier Parents Against Common Core – Southern Tier Parents Against Common Core (STPACC) is a page dedicated to education, awareness, and advocay for our children’s education. We believe that the Common Core Standards are developmentally inappropriate and harmful to our children. Common Core Standards are inappropriately written, measured, implemented, and tested. Our children are NOT common…they are UNCOMMON, UNIQUE, SPECIAL, and LOVED! STPACC is about MOBILIZING our strengths and making our voices heard!  

Western New Yorkers for Public Education – Our goal is to educate parents and community members about the real education that children are receiving and to help parents understand what the options are for their children.

West Seneca Parents for Quality Public Education – We are a group of parents united by our love of children and our schools.  We are parents who believe in quality public …education for all children.  The intention of this group is to have meaningful dialogue about important topics in education today such as high stakes testing, the common core, APPR, In-Bloom private data collection, current state mandates, etc.

Williamsville Parents for Meaningful Assessment – This group is for Williamsville parents that are against excessive, unnecessary standardized testing for our children.  …What unites us is more than a commitment to quality education.  We want to see “high stakes testing” replaced with meaningful assessment.  Some parents are opting out, some are speaking out, others are here to learn more.  It is our concern with testing that unites us.

Alliance for Quality Education – is a coalition mobilizing communities across the state to keep New York true to its promise of ensuring a high-quality public school education to all students regardless of zip code. AQE is working to end the systemic racism and economic oppression in New York’s public schools that continues to shortchange generations of Black, Brown, low-income and immigrant students. Combining its legislative and policy expertise with grassroots organizing, AQE advances proven-to-work strategies that lead to student success and echoes a powerful public demand for a high-quality public school education for all of New York’s students.

Time Out From Testing – Time Out From Testing is a statewide coalition of parent, educator, business, community, and civil rights organizations in New York State committed to a “time-out” from excessive and high stakes exams.

New York Principals – As building principals, we applaud efforts aimed towards excellence for all of our students. We cannot, however, stand by while untested practices are put in place without any meaningful discussion or proven research.

NY Parents Opposed To Data Sharing Without Consent – We’re a group of parents who are opposed to our children’s information (data) being shared to 3rd parties without our consent.  

NY STOP GRAD HST – This group serves to educate, inform and change the NYSED education policy that removes the RCT option for IEP students who are able to pass the required credits, but not the Regents exams. These students will now be expected to work towards CDOS or Career Development and Occupational Studies credential which equates to a closed door in life. It also monitors and posts information regarding changes in graduation requirements that effect all high school students.

The Badass Teachers Association –  BATs was created to fight the blame and punish testing environment ushered in by corporate education reform.  Their vision is, “This is for every teacher who refuses to be blamed for the failure of our society to erase poverty and inequality, and refused to accept assessments, tests and evaluations imposed by those who have contempt for real teaching and learning.”  BATs is a national organization fighting for the return of classrooms to the teacher and students.  

The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) – FairTest works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial.

The Network for Public Education (NPE) – The goal of NPE is to connect all those who are passionate about our schools – students, parents, teachers and citizens. We share information and research on vital issues that concern the future of public education at a time when they are under attack.

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Find Your Local Advocacy Group

Search your school district to find an advocacy group in your area. Click on the group name to be taken to the group page. (There are also a few national, state, and city-level organizations that folks should know about, you can find those by searching “national,”  “state” or “city”)