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Opt Out Policies by State


States vary in how they respond to parents’ requests to opt children out of standardized testing. These responses fall loosely into four categories: most states prohibit opt outs, others permit them, still others differentiate between opt outs and refusals or permit opt outs with constraints, and some let local districts devise their own policies. This Policy Update compiles information on each state’s response and links to guidance documents.


Opt Out Policies by State

Lorenzo_opt out guidance table



Related Content

  • Responding to Opt Out Requests: The Opportunity for State Boards

    As parents increasingly ask to opt their children out of standardized tests, state boards of education are sometimes unsure whether and how to respond. This Policy Update highlights successful policy strategies for addressing opt out requests and how state boards can use this opportunity to communicate the benefits of testing and improve the public’s understanding of test-based accountability.

  • Next-Generation Assessment

    The pandemic’s uncertain trajectory has raised new questions about state assessment and accountability systems. There is no better time for state policy leaders to reexamine their assessment systems to address long-standing challenges, say authors in the new issue of NASBE’s State Education Standard.



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