The following information comes to us from the Ohio Department of Education's communication department.

It's important for parents that their children grow and learn every year in school. This is the promise that most families expect of their public school. 

State tests are one way to check the progress of students as they work to meet the expectations set by Ohio's New Learning Standards. Ohio law requires that a school district administers the state-required assessments to all students in tested grades.

Parents may disagree with state tests, but most of their children do take them. When a parent wants to refuse their child's participation on the test, there are consequences for their child and school.

Consequences to the child:

1. A student who does not take the grade 3 reading test will not have a score on that test and may be retained.
2. A student who does not take the Ohio Test of English Language Acquisition cannot exit the English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
3. A student who does not take and pass the Ohio Graduation Tests will not receive an Ohio high school diploma.
4. Depending on the circumstances and district policy, an absence on testing dates due to an objection to testing may be considered an unexcused absence.  

Consequences to the school and district:

Student participation on state tests is included on the Ohio Report Card for districts and schools and is required to meet the federal No Child Left Behind regulations. Unsatisfactory test results and participation may result in state and federal penalties.

Districts should work with families so that all students participate in state assessments. If a parent refuses to have their child participate in an assessment, schools should give the parents a written explanation of the consequences of that decision for their child and to ask parents to document their refusal in writing.

There is NO state assessment opt-out form.