The number of students whose parents opted them out of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test, which was administered to students in grades 3-8 this past week, mounted in Calcasieu Parish.

Numbers provided by the school system Friday showed that out of 13,456 students who were eligible to take the test, 2,032, or 15.1 percent, were opted out. Of that number, 1,299, or 64 percent, were concentrated at four schools: Moss Bluff Middle, 526; Gillis Elementary, 242; Moss Bluff Elementary, 202; and W.W. Lewis Middle, 329.

Karl Bruchhaus, school superintendent, said in an emailed statement that he was concerned about the high number of opt-outs. He said the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education confirmed several times last week that 99 percent of Louisiana students were taking the test.

“Calcasieu stands alone in the volume of opt-outs,” Bruchhaus said. “I am deeply concerned that the scores we get this fall will not reflect the hard work that our teachers and students put into preparation for the exam.”

Bruchhaus said state policy still dictates that each school will receive a score of zero for each student who didn’t take the test — which will adversely affect annual performance scores.

Unless BESE changes its policy, he said, local schools will be negatively affected by the number of opt-outs when test results are released.

Bruchhaus said students who did take the test, along with teachers, have given positive feedback and said they felt well-prepared.

“While it was intended to be challenging, our people felt equipped with the necessary skills for success for the exam,” he said.

Bruchhaus said students who didn’t take the test last week can make it up March 23-24.

(MGNonline)