How many of you belong to a hsing outreach program?  We adore ours!  It fits our needs wonderfully and the networking is fantastic.  However, I was presented with something on Thursday that has me struggling.  See, the requirements in our state are that if you are completely hsed, you need to take a standardized test once a year.  As we are enrolled in a outreach program we don't have to do that, but now they require that all students associated with the public school system take a certain test that is being administered statewide from 3rd-10th grades and a passing score is required for receiving a diploma.

So, here's the dilemma... up until now the outreach program has not required the hsed students to take this even though the district must record scores for all students.  The administration has (until now) been willing to just "eat" the zeros that they've been recording for those that opt out.  Now, the state has changed regulations again (surprise, surprise).  Because of our poor scores on paper, the program is entering its first out of five years of probation.  If scores don't improve by the end of that time the program is dead.  It will be shut down by the state.

Now there are a lot of families that object to the test itself because it is a ridiculous test.  This is valid, as there are protests all over the state about the ridiculousness of the test questions, etc.  But, I struggle with the idea that we would allow the decade old program (and the most unique one in our area - families drive up to 1.5hrs one way to participate) to just disappear without a thought.  My inner protester wants to challenge the state that if other types of standardized tests are accepted for full-time hsed students, we should be able to use those for evaluations in place of this other test.  However, this monster test is the baby of the state education people and they won't back down without a huge fight.  Bigger groups than us have been fighting them since the test was implimented and haven't gotten anywhere.

So... dh and I talked about it and decided that if we want to stay in the program we'll be fine with using the test (but not without taking every other opportunity to protest somehow).  After all, we knew that it was technically a requirement when we signed on with the program.  If we want to protest the testing fully we'll just have to pull out of the program all together.  But I have lots of friends who feel that they should be allowed to continue participating in the program but refuse the test.  Isn't this a little like cutting off your nose to spite your face?  They signed the same contract I did, it's just been a courtesy until now that we don't have to take the test.  And get this... the sweet director is still not going to force families to take the test.  She's requesting that we participate to help the program, but will allow folks to continue to decline even if it means the program ends.  Sigh... why does the state put us in this rotten vortex of choices??

What would you do?