It was testing day Monday and Tuesday at Mancos High School for the new state PARCC test.
But, instead of hunching over their first state-mandated online exam, most students were getting classroom instruction - business as usual.
Why? Administrators said that 82 students - about 93 percent of the parents-- at Mancos High School signed a form letter provided by the school district, opting them out of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test.
At the high school, six high school students - 7 percent - sat down at 8:10 a.m. Monday to take the 6½-hour test. It was timed to end at 3:35 p.m.
Secondary Principal Adam Priestley said that only eighth-graders tested on Monday. Of those 28 students, 21 opted out - 75 percent- after their parents signed letters opting them out of PARCC.
So what exactly are all of those students doing that aren't testing?
"They are in class working hard," Priestley said. "The rest of the class is moving on with their work."
Priestley said the majority of the parents who chose to exempt their children from PARCC testing indicated that they felt the school adequately tests students with nationally normed tests three times a year. The national tests provide results quickly, whereas PARCC results are provided about six months later.
"They prefer their kids to learn about curriculum," Priestley said.
Many of the teachers, Priestley said, were happy to skip the test and focus on teaching.
"We are not stopping curriculum to teach to the test," Priestley said. "But we also have no problem giving the test to those that wish to take it."
The nationally normed test given by the district still holds students accountable, Priestley said.
"We can get immediate results with that testing," he said.
Students agreed that the PARCC wasn't for them.
"It's pointless," said Andre Payne, a sophomore at Mancos High School.
Payne said the MAPS testing - Measures of Academic Progress - given by the school is much more helpful.
Meanwhile, at the Mancos Elementary School, Principal Cathy Epps said that 78 percent of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders were opted out of their PARCC tests by their parents, which began Tuesday, March 24. That means that only 22 of the 98 students tested Tuesday. Two fifth-graders took the test Tuesday, seven fouth-graders and 13 third-graders took the test Epps said.
The elementary students were also scheduled to take the test over one day. Other schools, such as schools in Dolores and Cortez, divided the test into sections to take it over several days.
Epps said they will continue to teach while others are testing.
"We are teaching, but we aren't teaching anything new," Epps said.
She added that it would be unfair to those testing to have to play catch-up, which is why they are not introducing new material.
