21 students opted out of Common Core tests in St. Landry Parish

Twenty-one St. Landry Parish students opted out of taking the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test, Superintendent Edward Brown said. 
But 6,391 third- through eighth-grade students in the parish took the test, he said. 
In Louisiana, about 320,000 students — 99 percent participation rate, completed the test at 1,200 school sites, the state Department of Education reported. 
In a preliminary count, there were 4,987 non-participants, the department reported.
The education department’s udpated parish test counts include:
—Acadia, 37 non-participants, 99 percent participation rate. 
—Beauregard, 84 non participants, 97 percent particiaption rate. 
—Iberia, 15 non-participants; 100 percent participation rate. 
—St. Mary, 17 non-participants, 100 percent participation rate. 
—Calcasieu, 2,031 non-participants, 85 percent participation rate. 
Self-reported testing participation rates reported by the department include:
—Acadia, 15 non-participants and 4,515 tested. 
—Cameron, 20 non-participants and 552 participants. 
—Evangeline, 8 non-particpants and 2,716 participants. 
—Iberia, 15 non-participants; 100 percent participation rate. 
—Lafayette, 150 non-participants  and 13,199 particpants. 
—St. Martin, 13 non-participants and 3,492 participants. 
—Vermilion, 94 non-participants and 4,197 participants. 
—Allen, 25 non-participants and 1,819 particpants.
—Jefferson Davis, 16 non-participants and 2,498 participants. 
“Overall, testing went well,” Brown said. “I was happy to see that Gov. Jindal even had his three children take the test.”
Brown said, “I think we did exceptionally well,” citing the number of students who opted out of the test last week in Calcasieu Parish. 
“I commend the staff, the students, the parents, the whole gamut that made sure they wanted to see where their kids stood in terms of that test.”
Brown said the non-participants would count against schools and the district in the results, but the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is being asked to not count the non-participants against districts. 
The test is part of Common Core, a plan for national  standards, which has been opposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. 
At one time Jindal supported the national standard. 
Jindal sees Common Core as a interference by the federal government and third parties in the state’s schools. 
The governor proposed new state-developed standards and until those are available using standards in place about 10 years ago.
The Common Core standards, adopted in more than 40 states, are intended as a way to prepare students for colleges and careers. 
The political controversy didn’t stop an overwhelming majority of students from taking the test. 
A second round of testing is scheduled in May.