A DuPage County school district could be the first in Illinois -- and perhaps the nation -- to refuse to administer mandatory state exams to students who haven't yet mastered English.
The boycott by Carol Stream Elementary District 93 would be an act of civil disobedience against the state's decision to force English learners to take the same tests as their fluent peers.
Nearly 10 percent of the district's 4,300 students were categorized as having limited English skills in 2007.
The federal No Child Left Behind law requires that all public schools annually test all students in select grades.
District 93 officials say they're willing to break the law this spring to shield students from the frustration and humiliation of taking an exam not designed for them.
"The board believes it's appropriate to do that," District 93 Superintendent Henry Gmitro said. "While there may be consequences for the adults in the organization, we shouldn't ask kids to be tested on things they haven't been taught." ...
This from the Daily Herald.
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