ROCKAWAY, N.J. – Amid accusations from parents of bribery, Morris Hills Regional School District has canceled an incentive program that would have awarded students with bonus points and gift cards if they participate and perform well on the upcoming Common Core aligned PARCC assessments.

After discovering a flier posted at one of the district’s high schools, parents took to social media to denounce the initiative as an effort to bribe students into taking the test instead of opting out, a move advocated by Common Core and PARCC opponents across the country.

The district apologized this weekend for the fliers, which informed students they could earn bonus points for the next school year. The fliers also promised a lottery of $50 American Express gift cards for the grade level with the highest PARCC participation rate.

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According to NJ.com, Morris Hills Superintendent James Jencarelli has not yet responded to a request for comment. However, the news source reports that the district has posted a statement to its website calling the controversy a misunderstanding.

“Our only intention was to recognize the effort and achievement of our students, who will be spending hours taking a rigorous standardized test,” the statement says. “We understand, however, that our intent to have some consideration for our students’ time and energy has been perceived as something less than desirable, and we do not want this controversy to negatively impact our students, teachers or the reputation of our fine district.”

NJ.com reports that twenty New Jersey districts have already begun administering the tests at high schools under an early, alternative testing window. However, most students will begin taking the tests next week.

According to the Washington Post, in response to the state’s growing opt-out movement, the New Jersey Education Association recently announced its support for a parent’s right to refuse PARCC and called on districts to provide an alternate setting during test time for students refusing the tests.

In neighboring New York State, mobile billboards encouraging parents to refuse the state tests have hit the streets.  The billboards, which read “More Teaching, Less Testing — Refuse the NYS Common Core Tests”, are reportedly paid for by parents and “concerned community members.”

Similar billboards have also gone up in Colorado and Louisiana.