Bethany Bump reports in The Albany Times Union that state testing in grades 3-8 starts next week for the fourth year. State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia predicts there will be fewer parents keeping their children home this year. "I think that the temperature is basically calming," she said. "So here's my prediction: I think we're going to go down." The number of "opt outs" on the testing has grown every year, with an estimated 250,000 test refusals in 2016. The tests on math, reading, and writing take place at schools March 28-30. Read the full story in The Albany Times Union.