KUHF reporter Laura Isensee witnessed CVPE delivering 1,600 signed petitions against over-testing to the HISD school board last Thursday, April 11th. Here is her article which aired on April 12, 2013 in which she interviewed CVPE members Ruth Kravetz and Consuelo Martinez.

Laura Isensee on KUHF: Copied below and link to the KUHF 88.7 article: http://bit.ly/ZyRqVi

At the HISD board meeting Thursday night, parents, students and teachers asked the district to stop relying so much on standardized tests.

The Houston school board now has sixteen hundred postcards from people who all want the district to focus less on standardized tests.

“Quality in testing, not quantity.”

That’s the chorus from Community Voices for Public Education.

Several members explained how high stakes testing affects them personally.

Consuelo Martinez says in Spanish how the tests hurt her daughter instead of help her.

“Ella tiene que llegar muy estresada a casa ... She is coming home stressed all the time.”

Her daughter was in the audience. She’s also Consuelo Martinez.  She says she’s always been proud of her mom for speaking out.

“In this case, I was proud because she was talking for me. She was out there speaking for my classmates and the future of the students.”

None of the school board members replied from the dais to Martinez or any of the other speakers.

Ruth Kravetz — a former teacher and member of the group — says it was still worth it.

“I think that a couple of board members were listening a little more carefully than they did before. After the board meeting some of the board members talked to parents and students and teachers and asked pointed questions. I don’t think they want to be left behind.”

Besides parents in Houston, testing has gotten the attention of state lawmakers in Austin.

alked to parents and students and teachers and asked pointed questions. I don’t think they want to be left behind.” Here is the link to the KUHF 88.7 article: http://bit.ly/ZyRqVi