tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27254630103976008412024-03-13T12:09:37.852-07:00Re-Thinking Testing: Mid-HudsonReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-13339850258178701422017-03-03T20:50:00.001-08:002017-03-03T20:50:43.454-08:00Event: March 9th, Resist and Rebuild: Reclaiming Education Now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPoTlQZtRDHQUB1L7XKDP9mKRg6sT50wGx0mkE8wglTH9e_xd85tktJQK0HngMP0iHqwTp4mlS6qjyk4IbrsW5ZQ6kLOclLDjWBjElR6bO7kq5Lmt4dVvWH1rXMrT082wW1SHB7esOns/s1600/Reclaiming+Education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPoTlQZtRDHQUB1L7XKDP9mKRg6sT50wGx0mkE8wglTH9e_xd85tktJQK0HngMP0iHqwTp4mlS6qjyk4IbrsW5ZQ6kLOclLDjWBjElR6bO7kq5Lmt4dVvWH1rXMrT082wW1SHB7esOns/s1600/Reclaiming+Education.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-27551257561394732362016-03-18T08:17:00.000-07:002016-03-18T08:17:00.443-07:00the link for the video of March 11, 2016 Here is the long awaited link for the video made of the panel w/Zephry Teachout and other great speakers on Education Matters (see flyer below).<br />
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The sound quality is great!! Yay! <br />
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http://newpaltz.mediasite.suny.edu/Mediasite/Play/ebe09c6d83ab4624b2b66c867e030d9f1dReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-39117579359217282712016-02-26T03:35:00.003-08:002016-02-28T13:00:02.755-08:00Event: March 11, Education Matters Panel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2725463010397600841" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2725463010397600841" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-6063901745581762272016-01-18T15:45:00.001-08:002016-02-29T03:43:17.427-08:00<div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b> </b>Check out this informative press release by NYSAPE, New York State Allies for Public Education:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Strong, Collaborative Leadership A Must for the Board of Regents to Steer NY Education on the Right Path</b></div>
NYS Allies for Public Education and organizations across the state stand firmly behind <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2238_com_zimbra_url"><a data-mce-href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h1/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ4JiaeQR61kN4lKXXbw4RpyW3I-2Fs4YIhSKl8eMNNh-2FhGEyYjivuVbHvzUbSs-2BfeDJWSbmY4g5AwCv5KvI9jTAAVqKsJpZZxtytghPfoS2qN1Nw8-2Fa2-2BRpyTsPtaRkCMIDAsMXkoP39D3m47-2FaXqSbjF2uI-2FX7pK5pK4MdsZuXHIka1lTKiwFECC1rm-2Fzr-2FzsnpypCCq-2FyHGQanOgMtUCGHgJoJikgRk45pQLHSPvVBU-2Fw95B8iNgm1Zk8y8uejyaqIZCQDN6airyNAvQFIjFDOa2BrDQYEzq-2BM5BbXpu2F-2FeM5g4U-2FLdxCjIXxuK1yO8BWxUofnShaIsXxN-2FcbDMEX2YIo02J-2BjuKuykd57pvhI6WRJpnZ8pqZ7qnn0-2BrHvoB5japiz2G-2BBIycdH0o2Z2BFn7i6JHfSSDsPXoM0nPIQ69CpVf5vqYXGz8nQY2UYtGD6k6vbas73lxr1EROvJyfUzi1ZH5wQiD83XXUeGkWpsqStudClccCI9uB-2BQvnbiQQAiD4ZyLRO1Hec-2BZBDGmRmXpOpL8aBzmJ2gNOlXZYnJdZ9VObXY8vZ5HHrEfOkOMY6CfKEy7pkSTyBrSIO7-2BVCuvMW9HLzjvJ3zJwMJDSe55-2Fq6oGhsN9zA6HFvlw5TwI-3D" href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h1/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ4JiaeQR61kN4lKXXbw4RpyW3I-2Fs4YIhSKl8eMNNh-2FhGEyYjivuVbHvzUbSs-2BfeDJWSbmY4g5AwCv5KvI9jTAAVqKsJpZZxtytghPfoS2qN1Nw8-2Fa2-2BRpyTsPtaRkCMIDAsMXkoP39D3m47-2FaXqSbjF2uI-2FX7pK5pK4MdsZuXHIka1lTKiwFECC1rm-2Fzr-2FzsnpypCCq-2FyHGQanOgMtUCGHgJoJikgRk45pQLHSPvVBU-2Fw95B8iNgm1Zk8y8uejyaqIZCQDN6airyNAvQFIjFDOa2BrDQYEzq-2BM5BbXpu2F-2FeM5g4U-2FLdxCjIXxuK1yO8BWxUofnShaIsXxN-2FcbDMEX2YIo02J-2BjuKuykd57pvhI6WRJpnZ8pqZ7qnn0-2BrHvoB5japiz2G-2BBIycdH0o2Z2BFn7i6JHfSSDsPXoM0nPIQ69CpVf5vqYXGz8nQY2UYtGD6k6vbas73lxr1EROvJyfUzi1ZH5wQiD83XXUeGkWpsqStudClccCI9uB-2BQvnbiQQAiD4ZyLRO1Hec-2BZBDGmRmXpOpL8aBzmJ2gNOlXZYnJdZ9VObXY8vZ5HHrEfOkOMY6CfKEy7pkSTyBrSIO7-2BVCuvMW9HLzjvJ3zJwMJDSe55-2Fq6oGhsN9zA6HFvlw5TwI-3D" target="_blank">Dr. Betty Rosa</a></span> for Chancellor of the NYS Board of Regents and Regent <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2239_com_zimbra_url"><a data-mce-href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h2/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ589bV2kBzzvPRz5Xa-2F6PQSU-2FjtAltfILHXn3PS83Kspa5EryeYYjvSWzsRiki7Iza-2FbxRC60Xgriq-2Bm0u-2BVFLQjK1TbpR-2BSzhh4nUxNpiGBjTx1ZiS8Ta6oJBLW6QHiAHBDOd6qE-2FkdYDsH6s0redUpHiid0KOEQlvY4uRVKHOO-2FDhQSSylmHXDsZ3g-2BRkcsP1TOLiMe4Jog-2ByPWGgJPbaWWMPPcQFy5OUt04qufFJcTEjvPo3rmGenAWFZwVJfK9bVyS5858i9tngeegA-2BbBCIEr6p8vjkh2Taw-2FNI7YZry0pCrYCaxI-2Fqc95UH9-2BzVctf13yfjB2X3KhgCp8NOlcJMkOpDC6lEUoqAR3N4UnEDasdTPRLAMPoVYywEV57fECsOHCxofntTIVTU0uVIK6SQsxuFHz-2BE6vfANj9xzr7bR-2BapQIljndlI9O0-2FruH6jANW90iZm4VBHaEJGRCsPy2bP4KKy3H7j11hVIDXBjC7d8NzdQ96KwYbfmLK-2BcofgQTvDP1npl0xeXDbrYcwTW5RRDvEGn4sDuBvLU5cA8qGwomYPnA-2FMPmQ-2BlNovWE-2BMtWwDKrjBnd-2FyFcfruNACvTJN5dldBgm7E9dsGv96kAX7qJA1ipzCMgSSJe32ST4bJhhQRMmdO789N6XSf0Eih" href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h2/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ589bV2kBzzvPRz5Xa-2F6PQSU-2FjtAltfILHXn3PS83Kspa5EryeYYjvSWzsRiki7Iza-2FbxRC60Xgriq-2Bm0u-2BVFLQjK1TbpR-2BSzhh4nUxNpiGBjTx1ZiS8Ta6oJBLW6QHiAHBDOd6qE-2FkdYDsH6s0redUpHiid0KOEQlvY4uRVKHOO-2FDhQSSylmHXDsZ3g-2BRkcsP1TOLiMe4Jog-2ByPWGgJPbaWWMPPcQFy5OUt04qufFJcTEjvPo3rmGenAWFZwVJfK9bVyS5858i9tngeegA-2BbBCIEr6p8vjkh2Taw-2FNI7YZry0pCrYCaxI-2Fqc95UH9-2BzVctf13yfjB2X3KhgCp8NOlcJMkOpDC6lEUoqAR3N4UnEDasdTPRLAMPoVYywEV57fECsOHCxofntTIVTU0uVIK6SQsxuFHz-2BE6vfANj9xzr7bR-2BapQIljndlI9O0-2FruH6jANW90iZm4VBHaEJGRCsPy2bP4KKy3H7j11hVIDXBjC7d8NzdQ96KwYbfmLK-2BcofgQTvDP1npl0xeXDbrYcwTW5RRDvEGn4sDuBvLU5cA8qGwomYPnA-2FMPmQ-2BlNovWE-2BMtWwDKrjBnd-2FyFcfruNACvTJN5dldBgm7E9dsGv96kAX7qJA1ipzCMgSSJe32ST4bJhhQRMmdO789N6XSf0Eih" target="_blank">Beverly Ouderkirk</a></span> for Vice Chancellor. (See list of organizations below)<br />
New
York State must embrace more child-centered and educationally sound
policies. We must move away from a system that is punitive and
dysfunctional, often catering to political influence. The Board of
Regents needs new leadership that is committed to collaborative,
inclusive, and research-based policy making. Only in this way can we
begin to put students first and restore the public's trust in the New
York State education system.<br />
We believe that Betty Rosa and
Beverly Ouderkirk can do just that as Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of
the New York State Board of Regents. We place our support
unconditionally behind these two career educators, both of whom are
exceptional leaders.<br />
Although this vote takes place within the
ranks of the Regents themselves, advocacy efforts from parents and
community members to their local and state legislators and Regent
representatives can have a significant impact on this vote.<br />
Regent
Betty Rosa has extensive experience as a teacher, principal,
superintendent, and college professor with a strong background in
special education and ELL education. Please <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2240_com_zimbra_url"><a data-mce-href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h3/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ4JiaeQR61kN4lKXXbw4RpyW3I-2Fs4YIhSKl8eMNNh-2FhGEyYjivuVbHvzUbSs-2BfeDJWSbmY4g5AwCv5KvI9jTAAVqKsJpZZxtytghPfoS2qN1Nw8-2Fa2-2BRpyTsPtaRkCMIDAsMXkoP39D3m47-2FaXqSbjF2uI-2FX7pK5pK4MdsZuXHIka1lTKiwFECC1rm-2Fzr-2FzsnpypCCq-2FyHGQanOgMtUCGHgJoJikgRk45pQLHSPvVBU-2Fw95B8iNgm1Zk8y8uejyaqIZCQDN6airyNAvQFIjFDOa2BrDQYEzq-2BM5BbXpu2F-2FeM5g4U-2FLdxCjIXxuK1yO8BWxUofnShaIsXxN-2FcbDMEX2YIo02J-2BjuKuykd57pvhI6WRJpnZ8pqZ7qnn0-2BrHvoB5japiz2G-2BBIycdH0o2Z2BFn7i6JHfSSDsPXoM0nPIQ69CpVf5vqYXGz8nQY2UYtGD6k6vbas73lxr1EROvJyfUzi1ZH5wQiD83XXUeGkWpsqStudClccCI9uB-2BQvnbiQQAiD4ZyLRO1Hec-2BZBDGmRmXpOpL8aBzmJ2gNOlXZYnJdZ9VObXY8vZ5HHrEfOkOMY6CfKEy7pkSTyBrSIO7-2BVCuvMW9HLzjvJ3zJwMJDSe5yyZ9aGM8r-2FoZXuPwfdM5vc-3D" href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h3/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ4JiaeQR61kN4lKXXbw4RpyW3I-2Fs4YIhSKl8eMNNh-2FhGEyYjivuVbHvzUbSs-2BfeDJWSbmY4g5AwCv5KvI9jTAAVqKsJpZZxtytghPfoS2qN1Nw8-2Fa2-2BRpyTsPtaRkCMIDAsMXkoP39D3m47-2FaXqSbjF2uI-2FX7pK5pK4MdsZuXHIka1lTKiwFECC1rm-2Fzr-2FzsnpypCCq-2FyHGQanOgMtUCGHgJoJikgRk45pQLHSPvVBU-2Fw95B8iNgm1Zk8y8uejyaqIZCQDN6airyNAvQFIjFDOa2BrDQYEzq-2BM5BbXpu2F-2FeM5g4U-2FLdxCjIXxuK1yO8BWxUofnShaIsXxN-2FcbDMEX2YIo02J-2BjuKuykd57pvhI6WRJpnZ8pqZ7qnn0-2BrHvoB5japiz2G-2BBIycdH0o2Z2BFn7i6JHfSSDsPXoM0nPIQ69CpVf5vqYXGz8nQY2UYtGD6k6vbas73lxr1EROvJyfUzi1ZH5wQiD83XXUeGkWpsqStudClccCI9uB-2BQvnbiQQAiD4ZyLRO1Hec-2BZBDGmRmXpOpL8aBzmJ2gNOlXZYnJdZ9VObXY8vZ5HHrEfOkOMY6CfKEy7pkSTyBrSIO7-2BVCuvMW9HLzjvJ3zJwMJDSe5yyZ9aGM8r-2FoZXuPwfdM5vc-3D" target="_blank">see here</a></span>
for Regent Rosa’s detailed background. Regent Beverly Ouderkirk also
has an extensive background as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and
has held several special education leadership positions. Please <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2241_com_zimbra_url"><a data-mce-href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h4/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ589bV2kBzzvPRz5Xa-2F6PQSU-2FjtAltfILHXn3PS83Kspa5EryeYYjvSWzsRiki7Iza-2FbxRC60Xgriq-2Bm0u-2BVFLQjK1TbpR-2BSzhh4nUxNpiGBjTx1ZiS8Ta6oJBLW6QHiAHBDOd6qE-2FkdYDsH6s0redUpHiid0KOEQlvY4uRVKHOO-2FDhQSSylmHXDsZ3g-2BRkcsP1TOLiMe4Jog-2ByPWGgJPbaWWMPPcQFy5OUt04qufFJcTEjvPo3rmGenAWFZwVJfK9bVyS5858i9tngeegA-2BbBCIEr6p8vjkh2Taw-2FNI7YZry0pCrYCaxI-2Fqc95UH9-2BzVctf13yfjB2X3KhgCp8NOlcJMkOpDC6lEUoqAR3N4UnEDasdTPRLAMPoVYywEV57fECsOHCxofntTIVTU0uVIK6SQsxuFHz-2BE6vfANj9xzr7bR-2BapQIljndlI9O0-2FruH6jANW90iZm4VBHaEJGRCsPy2bP4KKy3H7j11hVIDXBjC7d8NzdQ96KwYbfmLK-2BcofgQTvDP1npl0xeXDbrYcwTW5RRDvEGn4sDuBvLU5cA8qGwomYPnA-2FMPmQ-2BlNovWE-2BMtWwDKrjBnd-2FyFcfruNACvTJN5dldBgm7E9dsGv96kAX7qJA1ipzCMgSSJe32ST4a8D6ds8mfMAF9EnopLBU7T" href="http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/2wA/ni0YAA/t.1tu/-8Og-4NUSXuIxSHor2odTQ/h4/XKEoq3mFTfn8g7VeMwU4JgCqOeHIV12iKhWL6dwvgZ589bV2kBzzvPRz5Xa-2F6PQSU-2FjtAltfILHXn3PS83Kspa5EryeYYjvSWzsRiki7Iza-2FbxRC60Xgriq-2Bm0u-2BVFLQjK1TbpR-2BSzhh4nUxNpiGBjTx1ZiS8Ta6oJBLW6QHiAHBDOd6qE-2FkdYDsH6s0redUpHiid0KOEQlvY4uRVKHOO-2FDhQSSylmHXDsZ3g-2BRkcsP1TOLiMe4Jog-2ByPWGgJPbaWWMPPcQFy5OUt04qufFJcTEjvPo3rmGenAWFZwVJfK9bVyS5858i9tngeegA-2BbBCIEr6p8vjkh2Taw-2FNI7YZry0pCrYCaxI-2Fqc95UH9-2BzVctf13yfjB2X3KhgCp8NOlcJMkOpDC6lEUoqAR3N4UnEDasdTPRLAMPoVYywEV57fECsOHCxofntTIVTU0uVIK6SQsxuFHz-2BE6vfANj9xzr7bR-2BapQIljndlI9O0-2FruH6jANW90iZm4VBHaEJGRCsPy2bP4KKy3H7j11hVIDXBjC7d8NzdQ96KwYbfmLK-2BcofgQTvDP1npl0xeXDbrYcwTW5RRDvEGn4sDuBvLU5cA8qGwomYPnA-2FMPmQ-2BlNovWE-2BMtWwDKrjBnd-2FyFcfruNACvTJN5dldBgm7E9dsGv96kAX7qJA1ipzCMgSSJe32ST4a8D6ds8mfMAF9EnopLBU7T" target="_blank">see here</a></span>
for Regent Ouderkirk’s detailed background. Both have traveled the
state to talk to stakeholders to collaborate and gather important
feedback on education policy.<br />
We are calling on the Board of
Regents to postpone the elections for the offices of Chancellor and Vice
Chancellor vote until April, when the two open seats are filled with
new Regents. The current plan calls for a vote in March (as per the
Board’s bylaws), but we believe that it makes very little sense for two
outgoing Regents to vote for the next leaders of the Board they will no
longer be serving on.<br />
Jeanette Deutermann, Long Island parent and
leader of Long Island Opt Out states, "As the legislature, SED, and the
Governor claim to be moving away from the harmful and failed reforms of
the previous five years, we must have leadership on the Board of Regents
that reflects these changes. While Regent members such as Merryl Tisch
and Lester Young attempt to anchor the Board of Regents to the failed
policies of the past, Regent Betty Rosa's vision for the future will
launch us into a new era of child-centered, parent collaborative, and
educator-driven educational excellence."<br />
"We need a Chancellor
like Regent Betty Rosa, a leader who has a strong background in
education and understands how the current reform movement has negatively
impacted the children of New York State. Furthermore, Beverly Ouderkirk
as Vice Chancellor with her vast experience as an educator and
background in special education would be an important change," says
Chris Cerrone, Buffalo area parent, educator, and school board member.<br />
"The
Rochester-based Coalition for Justice in Education strongly endorses
the candidacies of Regent Betty Rosa and Beverly Ouderkirk for the
positions of Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the New York State Board
of Regents. We believe that Regents Rosa and Ouderkirk have the
necessary educational experience, knowledge of education research, and
organizational skills needed for this change, and will lead New York
State in a direction that will meet the needs of all of our students,
particularly those who suffer the negative impact of concentrated
poverty," said Dan Drmacich, Chairman.<br />
The New York branch of the
Badass Teachers Association, an education activist group of over 70,000
nationwide, supports policy makers who have proven they stand for the
best interest of students. “Betty Rosa has a proven track record of
standing for children and not for Wall Street. Betty is also a former
educator and understands all that goes into educating our children and
providing them with what they need to succeed,” said Marla Kilfoyle,
General Manager of the BATs.<br />
“Regents Rosa and Ouderkirk have
shown from the beginning their commitment to listen to parents and do
the best for kids. Their experience and love for education is clear
through their words and actions. They truly represent the interests of
children,” said Margarita Garcia-Notario, PhD, North Country Alliance
for Public Education founding member.<br />
Jamie McNair, a parent of
two children who attend public schools, educator and co-founder of Opt
Out CNY, notes that it is past time for new leadership on the Board of
Regents. "Opt Out CNY celebrates the departure of Regent Bottar from the
Board and Vice Chancellor role, as it provides an opportunity for
meaningful change in children's best interest. However, that change will
come about more quickly, meaningfully, and with public support if there
is a responsive, experienced and level-headed Chancellor at the helm.
Regent Betty Rosa can provide the leadership that will allow the new
Regent of Judicial District 5 to best serve the Central New York
public."<br />
Jamaal Bowman, father, and principal of CASA Middle
School in the Bronx, stated, "The children, families, and educators of
New York urgently need Dr. Betty Rosa as the next Chancellor of the
Board of Regents. Not only is Dr. Rosa, representative of the
communities most in need, her distinguished and impeccable resume speaks
for itself. Most importantly, Dr. Rosa is passionate about a student
centered, whole child, and community schools approach to education,
which is desperately needed throughout the state. All children are
brilliant and Dr. Rosa will help to create policy that cultivates the
brilliance of every child, and is the perfect person to facilitate the
recommendations of the common core task force. I strongly endorse Dr.
Betty Rosa as the next Chancellor of the Board of Regents."<br />
“Throughout
her career, Ms. Ouderkirk has acted on her most central beliefs about
education: assuring that the welfare and learning of all students is
primary above all other concerns, and strengthening educational practice
in all facets of the school,” said James C. Shuman, Ed. D. Associate
Professor of Education Emeritus, St. Lawrence University.<br />
The
Hudson Valley Alliance for Public Education has also endorsed Regents
Rosa and Ouderkirk for these leadership positions. Suzanne Coyle,
Rockland County public school parent said, “Regents Rosa and Ouderkirk
have consistently rejected the status quo, casting their vote against
shoddy policies that hurt both students and educators. While many other
members of the Board of Regents failed to take action to protect our
children from damaging regulations this past June, Regents Rosa and
Ouderkirk authored with four other Regents a dissenting position paper
and advocated for students with disabilities and English language
learners. Under their leadership, we will reclaim public education.”<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>Growing List of Supporting organizations (alpha order):</b></div>
<div>
Change the Stakes</div>
<div>
Class Size Matters</div>
<div>
Espanol Opt Out National (NY based)</div>
<div>
Hudson Valley Alliance for Education</div>
<div>
Long Island Opt Out and its numerous LI affiliate organizations</div>
<div>
MORE</div>
<div>
New York BATs</div>
<div>
North Country Alliance for Public Education</div>
<div>
NYC-Opt Out</div>
<div>
NYS Allies for Public Education</div>
<div>
Opt Out Central New York</div>
<div>
Parent Coalition for Student Privacy</div>
<div>
Pencils DOWN Rockland County</div>
<div>
Port Jefferson Station Teachers’ Association</div>
<div>
ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudson</div>
<div>
Save Our Schools</div>
<div>
Spackenkill Community Alliance for Public Education</div>
<div>
ST Caucus</div>
<div>
The Rochester-based Coalition for Justice in Education</div>
<div>
Westchester Opt Out</div>
<div>
Western New Yorkers for Public Education</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>NYSAPE is a grassroots coalition with over 50 parent and educator groups across the state.</i></b></div>
<i></i>ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-77782263521229924332015-11-13T14:53:00.001-08:002015-11-13T14:53:39.149-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VA8dRYzsa_BwK3AhZxr9ppS9ft6ATKMjySvTHqjWtzt2W5oE4vxQ_Llv8a6ZXv6ORJu4m6GCQ81f8VkQFoZv0qrdwWL5FVRaLS4a_7t9271Z_JrmPM07hKpdQiyebcjQ_CfiI4DuH_M/s1600/SUNY+NP+December+2015+Forum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VA8dRYzsa_BwK3AhZxr9ppS9ft6ATKMjySvTHqjWtzt2W5oE4vxQ_Llv8a6ZXv6ORJu4m6GCQ81f8VkQFoZv0qrdwWL5FVRaLS4a_7t9271Z_JrmPM07hKpdQiyebcjQ_CfiI4DuH_M/s640/SUNY+NP+December+2015+Forum.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-57423957212147673302015-04-01T20:02:00.002-07:002015-04-01T20:02:16.809-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmkPvg4jMOm6JkiwjJX2U-eHFwwAhNxRWPzS_UjK1m1d7HqYVB0c5xOd7WqUap_kjspkNhBZktFV20qHIrZmixt4O7Hwcu9yHbN0M8Ch_TyX3D80efvTmVaXenkuBggO9KN5WePstvVM/s1600/New+Paltz+Rally+Update.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmkPvg4jMOm6JkiwjJX2U-eHFwwAhNxRWPzS_UjK1m1d7HqYVB0c5xOd7WqUap_kjspkNhBZktFV20qHIrZmixt4O7Hwcu9yHbN0M8Ch_TyX3D80efvTmVaXenkuBggO9KN5WePstvVM/s1600/New+Paltz+Rally+Update.jpg" height="640" width="494" /></a></div>
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-77743124215152952552015-04-01T20:01:00.002-07:002015-04-01T20:01:43.437-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqILDNHjjwBsoP6O-vKpJTZ8ytdLp96MWu_KeNAS10b5SNoxEExkBG-25WioDTaqLzasS3AHwLtSP2HwzHt0Aq78i1IHVrvKFNZ1jP3ZF3rhWGCc5k7H3gKZTIphDmE2SiAJ_zo3NlACA/s1600/NYSAPE+Quick+Fact+Sheet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqILDNHjjwBsoP6O-vKpJTZ8ytdLp96MWu_KeNAS10b5SNoxEExkBG-25WioDTaqLzasS3AHwLtSP2HwzHt0Aq78i1IHVrvKFNZ1jP3ZF3rhWGCc5k7H3gKZTIphDmE2SiAJ_zo3NlACA/s1600/NYSAPE+Quick+Fact+Sheet.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-75066405532968948852015-03-03T07:05:00.000-08:002015-03-03T07:05:06.312-08:00Challenging the Attack on Public Education Rescheduled Due to Inclement WeatherDue to the weather advisory for this evening, Challenging the Attack on Public Education has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 4th at 7pm in the Coykendall Science Building auditorium at SUNY New Paltz. Please join us for this incredible panel.<br />
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-79880891705073619762015-02-18T08:03:00.002-08:002015-02-18T08:03:27.493-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3cwrN6gpw5o9huH61GaLIFlQZQPmCg2wNjDmwNEGgMxnXvnHOWJnMQssnCEi4fb1EaVqLtsq7xUC0So_Y4V0cvA-tQ0rurCOgfaXqupF1h9uO-WeS1xxzqKUlOtl0wHbpMbzEp7J76M/s1600/SUNY+March+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3cwrN6gpw5o9huH61GaLIFlQZQPmCg2wNjDmwNEGgMxnXvnHOWJnMQssnCEi4fb1EaVqLtsq7xUC0So_Y4V0cvA-tQ0rurCOgfaXqupF1h9uO-WeS1xxzqKUlOtl0wHbpMbzEp7J76M/s1600/SUNY+March+2015.jpg" height="640" width="494" /></a></div>
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-45177722249388718022015-02-06T02:45:00.002-08:002015-02-06T02:45:32.846-08:00Bennett PTA Plans to Boycott State Education TestsIn a letter to the editors of The Daily Freeman, the Bennett PTA (Onteora School District) wrote the following:<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Dear Editor:</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
There is growing frustration with the amount of testing our young children are subjected to. I have noticed a significant loss of instruction time, an increased level of stress in the classroom and a poor message to our children about the importance of tests.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
The average fourth-grade student is 9 years old and is required by the state Department of Education to prepare for three state exams in the spring: English Language Arts, math and science. These tests total eight days of administration, as well as three to six weeks of test preparation. In total, our children are losing four to six weeks of in-class instruction time per test.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Our children also take ELA and math tests three times a year to monitor their progress. They also take pre- and post-assessment tests in art, music, library, physical education and social studies, totaling 21 standardized tests annually. The numbers are the same for grades three to six, with the exception of the state science test.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
It is no wonder we are seeing a loss of hands-on, inquiry-based learning in our classrooms. With the emphasis on math and ELA testing, we are witnessing the erosion of science and social studies from the curriculum.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Excessive testing teaches our children that there is only one right answer in academics and in life. It takes the joy out of learning and minimizes the value and importance of taking a test when it really counts. And it is ruining public education.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
As an immediate solution, members of the Bennett School PTA are encouraging our parent body in grades three to six to refuse the state tests in ELA, math and science this spring. These tests are inappropriate for our children, are unfair to our teachers, take away valuable classroom time and are not part of our child’s overall grade or individual assessment.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
We intend to send a message to the state.</div>
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</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Heather Roberts, Vice President </div>
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</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Bennett School PTA</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Shandaken, N.Y.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/20150128/letter-pta-plans-to-boycott-state-education-tests</div>
ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-51075210967603587112015-02-06T02:03:00.002-08:002015-02-06T02:03:39.376-08:00Principal: What I’ve learned about annual standardized testing<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32.400001525878906px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32.400001525878906px;">No Child Left Behind requires that students take an annual standardized test for purposes of holding schools “accountable” from Grades 3-8 and once in high school. Whether such annual testing is now being hotly debated as congress begins deliberations over the reauthorization of the bill. Here’s an article from the Washington Post looking at this issue, by Principal Carol Burris of South Side High School in New York.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; line-height: 32.400001525878906px;">"Because of NCLB and now Common Core testing, I have witnessed schools move from progressive practices such as inclusion, to the grouping of special education students with ELLs and other struggling learners into “double period” classes where they are drilled to pass the test. We are seeing a resurgence in elementary school of “ability grouping,” which predictably results in classes that are segregated by race and wealth. Worse of all, a plethora of bad policies have emerged that use yearly testing results as their basis."</span></blockquote>
Read more at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/02/01/principal-what-ive-learned-about-annual-standardized-testing/ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-6164556806870169212015-02-03T02:10:00.000-08:002015-02-06T02:11:19.194-08:00The Network for Public Education Issues Statement on the Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind.<span style="color: #516064; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Among their recommendations:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">We support option 1 to eliminate mandated annual testing, and we urge the Senate to remove high stakes attached to standardized tests, encourage flexibility in designing assessments, and provide the right of parents to opt their children out of standardized testing.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Restore reducing class size as option that states and districts can use with their Title II funds, which is a research-based reform that also works to lower teacher attrition.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Eliminate the use of federal funds for merit pay, which has consistently failed to improve student outcomes.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Add to the reporting requirements of districts, states and the federal government so they must report trends in average class size data, as well as the disparity in class size between high and low poverty schools.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Strengthen the language around student data privacy and limit federally mandated data collection of individual students.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Oppose the diversion of resources to private and charter schools through portability of Title I funds and expansion of federal funding to charters.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<em style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Read the entire statement at http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/2015/01/npe-statement-on-esea-reauthorization-and-annual-standardized-testing/</em><br />
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-39972917301864855962015-02-01T02:29:00.000-08:002015-02-06T02:29:50.222-08:00Public Education Forum to Take Place on February 11th in Boiceville, NY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDqWkCdamsyShxs6kgZaLussD6psDdiTFMsC-Sw4XC1988nklMPpaOcDujPHHM7vc8iKoKuFsV7MQiJQRAy2VtNB3vOYsH9aT26WWkR4SVCsiWnBBz3hifbKVUxitmNXVZVpX5x1Bbdc/s1600/Bennett+Forum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDqWkCdamsyShxs6kgZaLussD6psDdiTFMsC-Sw4XC1988nklMPpaOcDujPHHM7vc8iKoKuFsV7MQiJQRAy2VtNB3vOYsH9aT26WWkR4SVCsiWnBBz3hifbKVUxitmNXVZVpX5x1Bbdc/s1600/Bennett+Forum.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></a></div>
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-73101743052741489272015-01-29T02:27:00.000-08:002015-02-06T02:27:54.650-08:00Fairport Superintendent's letter: Governor Cuomo's proposals are an 'assault on public education'<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
William Cala, superintendent of schools in Fairport, New York, wrote a scathing critique of Governor Cuomo’s plan to increase charter schools, fund “tax credits” for private and religious schools (vouchers), and increase the importance of test scores in teacher evaluations.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Here is his letter:</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This week’s State of the State address by Governor Cuomo was what most of us expected. It was an all-out assault on public education, teachers, children, families and local control. It appears that breaking teachers is his solution to poverty, income inequality and inadequate school funding.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">As we have experienced on a first-hand basis over the past few years, the APPR system is indeed a fatally flawed proxy for genuine evaluation done at the local level. The governor’s solution is to up the ante by increasing the tenure period to 5 years and making state test scores 50% of a teacher’s evaluation. Given the already bogus cut score setting process for the state exams, we are assured of a whole new wave of unreliable ratings designed to crush teachers, close schools and open the door to his other “reforms,” such as lifting the cap on charter schools and creating a tax credit for private schools and charters and increasing the amount the state gives charters per pupil. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">This last item of increasing charter aid is especially interesting as there are no strings attached. The regular public schools will only get an increase in aid if the legislature approves all of his draconian measures mentioned above. Two major studies have demonstrated with great clarity that charters perform worse than public schools and only 17% of charters perform equal or better to publics (CREDO 2013). Apparently, that’s fine….they get increases in spite of their failing performance.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s be clear that the governor’s agenda has nothing to do with what is good for kids. Far from it. It is what is good for his financial supporters: the corporations who are making billions of dollars on the tests, the texts, the technology, the corporate professional development and the data collection, retrieval and distribution. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">As this country gets poorer and poorer and the few get richer and richer the pride of our nation, its public schools, are being disassembled while Bill Gates, The Walton’s, The Koch Brothers, Eli Broad and other scavengers are feasting at the table of greed.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">While the situation may seem hopeless, I believe parents are able to bring this tyranny to a screeching halt. Assessments should be used only for the benefit of students…..nothing else. Last year over 60,000 parents in New York refused the 3-8 tests. This year it is expect that number will triple. The refusal movement will indeed collapse the evaluation system and the governor’s plan to dismantle public education. </span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br />
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Parents will play a critical role. What role will we play? How will we speak out? This is our profession. These are our children. This is our responsibility. </span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Action and activism takes courage. Last week I spoke of my hero Rosa Parks. Let her courage and actions inspire us. I will close with the wisdom and inspiration of Frederick Douglass.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br />
<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Where justice is denied; where poverty is enforced; where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress,; rob and degrade them; neither persons nor property will be safe.</strong><br />
<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.</strong><br />
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Time to start plowing.</span><br />
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #516064; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Peace,</span><br />
<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bill</span></div>
ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-72919527780592233852015-01-21T02:36:00.000-08:002015-02-06T02:37:10.055-08:00Yohuru Williams: What Would Dr.King Say About the Corporate Assault on Public Education?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;">Dr.Yohuru Williams, </span><a href="http://www.fairfield.edu/lassochannel/academic/profile/index.lasso?id=239" style="border: 0px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">professor of history</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;"> at Fairfield University, has written </span><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/01/18/public-schools-under-attack-what-would-martin-say" style="border: 0px; line-height: 21.006000518798828px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a brilliant and powerful piece</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.006000518798828px;"> about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the current effort to privatize large sectors of public education, especially in urban districts.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"King saw the goal of education as more than performance on high-stakes tests or the acquisition of job skills or career competencies. He saw it as the cornerstone of free thought and the use of knowledge in the public interest. For King, the lofty goal of education was not just to make a living but also to make the world a better place by using that production of knowledge for good. “To save man from the morass of propaganda,” King opined, “is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.” The notion that privatization can foster equality is fiction." </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">"What we are seeing in the name of “reform” today is </span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">the same plan with slight modifications: brand schools </span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">as low-performing factories of failure, encourage privatization, and leave the vast majority of students in underfunded, highly stigmatized public schools.</span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">This effort will create an America that looks more </span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">like the 1967 Kerner Commission’s forecast, two societies separate and unequal, than Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community."</span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Real triumph over educational inequalities can only come from a deeper investment in our schools and communities and a true commitment to tackling poverty, segregation, and issues affecting students with special needs and bilingual education. The Beloved Community is to be found not in the segregated citadels of private schools but in a well-funded system of public education, free and open to all—affirming our commitment to democracy and justice and our commitment to the dignity and worth of our greatest resource, our youth."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Read the entire article at<span style="color: #666666;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/01/18/public-schools-under-attack-what-would-martin-say</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-22735031883378122142015-01-21T02:17:00.000-08:002015-02-06T02:17:39.281-08:00Courageous Educator Announces that She Will Refuse to Administer Common Core State Tests<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beth Dimino, an eighth-grade science teacher in the <a href="http://teacherpages.comsewogue.org/sitemap.cfm" style="background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d96b9; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Comsewogue School District</a> and president of the <a href="http://thepjsta.org/" style="background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d96b9; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association</a>, will be the first Long Island teacher to “opt-out” of administering mandated state standardized tests this April. </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“These tests are meaningless,” Dimino blasts. “They do not show us anything that a test is supposed to show us. Tests are supposed to show us how children are doing, how proficient children are in the work we’re teaching them. So now we can either modify our pedagogy and review it and do it again because the children didn’t get it, or understand that the children got it and move on to the next piece of the puzzle, which is teaching that particular piece of curriculum. These tests do not inform on that level at all.”</span></span></blockquote>
Read more at http://www.longislandpress.com/2015/01/20/l-i-teacher-refuses-to-administer-common-core-tests-urges-others-to-join-her/ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-26033546285027280752014-10-30T10:22:00.002-07:002014-10-30T10:22:15.012-07:00Article from Times Herald Record: Movement to Opt Out of State Tests Growing <br />
Article from Times Herald Record: Movement to Opt Out of State Tests Growing <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385">http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385</a><br />
<br />
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<b>By Pauline Liu <br />
Times Herald-Record </b><br />
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New
York.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Parents groups who've been "opting out" their kids
from state tests have set a new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next
round of the exams - compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the
standardized tests this year. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to
take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson.
Advocacy groups say that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to
teacher evaluations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We feel it’s important for parents to refuse the tests
because it’s a very powerful way for parents to send a message,” said Nancy
Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson
Region. “Education has been taken out of the hands of communities, school
boards and parents. It’s now in the hands of corporations, politicians and
high-level educational administrators and they should not be making these
decisions.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Schniedewind, who is also a professor of Educational Studies
at SUNY New Paltz, described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate
and unfair to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The boycott has also won the backing of some school
administrators. Most vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has
called Common Core testing “a failure.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All the parents are doing is protecting their children from
test results that are premature, false indicators of what has been learned and,
in any other world, an act that disregards student dignity and potential,”
Eastwood said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
New York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest
unions representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year
moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s important to use those two years to try to fix what’s
wrong with testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide
advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why 250,000?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That’s the number of students that we think we need in
order to put an end to high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of
NYSAPE, a mother of two from Long Island.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NYSAPE is calling on the state to stop using student test
scores for teacher evaluation, because the group claims that too much of classroom
time is spent teaching to the tests in an effort to improve results.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The exams were given over six days. The actual time
scheduled for students in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while
those in grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The State Education Department reduced the overall lengths
of the 2014 tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to
three hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but
they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year
with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused
the tests on behalf of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to
be excused, the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If
that wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nearly 70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked
them. State Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests.
King said those who took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the
results from the previous year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Math scores inched up slightly so that nearly 36 percent
passed, while reading scores remained flat with only about 31 percent passing
the exams.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal
law and the federal Race to the Top program.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“State assessments offer an opportunity for educators and
parents to gauge the progress a child is making toward the standards,” said
Jonathan Burman, spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how
well his or her child is doing?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NYSED also has its share of supporters, including a new
statewide business and community coalition called High Achievement New York.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Preventing children from measuring their problem solving
and critical thinking skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the
coalition’s spokesman.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- See more at:
http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385#sthash.ldLQgcVU.dpuf</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">y Pauline Liu <br />Times Herald-Record
</span><br />
<span>
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<blockquote>
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Parents
groups who've been "opting out" their kids from state tests have set a
new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next round of the exams -
compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the standardized tests this
year. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson. Advocacy groups say
that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to teacher
evaluations.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“We feel it’s important for parents
to refuse the tests because it’s a very powerful way for parents to
send a message,” said Nancy Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group
Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region. “Education has been taken out of
the hands of communities, school boards and parents. It’s now in the
hands of corporations, politicians and high-level educational
administrators and they should not be making these decisions.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Schniedewind,
who is also a professor of Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz,
described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate and unfair
to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott has also won the backing of some school administrators. Most
vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has called Common
Core testing “a failure.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“All the parents are
doing is protecting their children from test results that are premature,
false indicators of what has been learned and, in any other world, an
act that disregards student dignity and potential,” Eastwood said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
New
York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest unions
representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s
important to use those two years to try to fix what’s wrong with
testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why 250,000?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“That’s
the number of students that we think we need in order to put an end to
high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of NYSAPE, a mother of
two from Long Island.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is calling on the
state to stop using student test scores for teacher evaluation, because
the group claims that too much of classroom time is spent teaching to
the tests in an effort to improve results.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
exams were given over six days. The actual time scheduled for students
in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while those in
grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
State Education Department reduced the overall lengths of the 2014
tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to three
hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
According
to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused the tests on behalf
of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to be excused,
the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If that
wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nearly
70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked them. State
Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This
year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests. King said those who
took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the results from
the previous year.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Math scores inched up
slightly so that nearly 36 percent passed, while reading scores remained
flat with only about 31 percent passing the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal law and the federal Race to the Top program.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“State
assessments offer an opportunity for educators and parents to gauge the
progress a child is making toward the standards,” said Jonathan Burman,
spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how well his
or her child is doing?"</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED also has its share
of supporters, including a new statewide business and community
coalition called High Achievement New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Preventing
children from measuring their problem solving and critical thinking
skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the coalition’s spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></blockquote>
- See more at: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385#sthash.ldLQgcVU.dpuf</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">y Pauline Liu <br />Times Herald-Record
</span><br />
<span>
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<blockquote>
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Parents
groups who've been "opting out" their kids from state tests have set a
new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next round of the exams -
compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the standardized tests this
year. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson. Advocacy groups say
that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to teacher
evaluations.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“We feel it’s important for parents
to refuse the tests because it’s a very powerful way for parents to
send a message,” said Nancy Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group
Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region. “Education has been taken out of
the hands of communities, school boards and parents. It’s now in the
hands of corporations, politicians and high-level educational
administrators and they should not be making these decisions.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Schniedewind,
who is also a professor of Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz,
described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate and unfair
to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott has also won the backing of some school administrators. Most
vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has called Common
Core testing “a failure.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“All the parents are
doing is protecting their children from test results that are premature,
false indicators of what has been learned and, in any other world, an
act that disregards student dignity and potential,” Eastwood said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
New
York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest unions
representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s
important to use those two years to try to fix what’s wrong with
testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why 250,000?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“That’s
the number of students that we think we need in order to put an end to
high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of NYSAPE, a mother of
two from Long Island.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is calling on the
state to stop using student test scores for teacher evaluation, because
the group claims that too much of classroom time is spent teaching to
the tests in an effort to improve results.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
exams were given over six days. The actual time scheduled for students
in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while those in
grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
State Education Department reduced the overall lengths of the 2014
tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to three
hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
According
to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused the tests on behalf
of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to be excused,
the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If that
wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nearly
70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked them. State
Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This
year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests. King said those who
took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the results from
the previous year.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Math scores inched up
slightly so that nearly 36 percent passed, while reading scores remained
flat with only about 31 percent passing the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal law and the federal Race to the Top program.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“State
assessments offer an opportunity for educators and parents to gauge the
progress a child is making toward the standards,” said Jonathan Burman,
spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how well his
or her child is doing?"</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED also has its share
of supporters, including a new statewide business and community
coalition called High Achievement New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Preventing
children from measuring their problem solving and critical thinking
skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the coalition’s spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></blockquote>
- See more at: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385#sthash.ldLQgcVU.dpuf</div>
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">y Pauline Liu <br />Times Herald-Record
</span><br />
<span>
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<blockquote>
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Parents
groups who've been "opting out" their kids from state tests have set a
new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next round of the exams -
compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the standardized tests this
year. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson. Advocacy groups say
that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to teacher
evaluations.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“We feel it’s important for parents
to refuse the tests because it’s a very powerful way for parents to
send a message,” said Nancy Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group
Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region. “Education has been taken out of
the hands of communities, school boards and parents. It’s now in the
hands of corporations, politicians and high-level educational
administrators and they should not be making these decisions.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Schniedewind,
who is also a professor of Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz,
described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate and unfair
to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott has also won the backing of some school administrators. Most
vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has called Common
Core testing “a failure.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“All the parents are
doing is protecting their children from test results that are premature,
false indicators of what has been learned and, in any other world, an
act that disregards student dignity and potential,” Eastwood said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
New
York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest unions
representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s
important to use those two years to try to fix what’s wrong with
testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why 250,000?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“That’s
the number of students that we think we need in order to put an end to
high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of NYSAPE, a mother of
two from Long Island.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is calling on the
state to stop using student test scores for teacher evaluation, because
the group claims that too much of classroom time is spent teaching to
the tests in an effort to improve results.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
exams were given over six days. The actual time scheduled for students
in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while those in
grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
State Education Department reduced the overall lengths of the 2014
tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to three
hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
According
to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused the tests on behalf
of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to be excused,
the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If that
wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nearly
70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked them. State
Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This
year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests. King said those who
took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the results from
the previous year.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Math scores inched up
slightly so that nearly 36 percent passed, while reading scores remained
flat with only about 31 percent passing the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal law and the federal Race to the Top program.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“State
assessments offer an opportunity for educators and parents to gauge the
progress a child is making toward the standards,” said Jonathan Burman,
spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how well his
or her child is doing?"</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED also has its share
of supporters, including a new statewide business and community
coalition called High Achievement New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Preventing
children from measuring their problem solving and critical thinking
skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the coalition’s spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></blockquote>
- See more at: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385#sthash.ldLQgcVU.dpuf</div>
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">y Pauline Liu <br />Times Herald-Record
</span><br />
<span>
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<blockquote>
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Parents
groups who've been "opting out" their kids from state tests have set a
new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next round of the exams -
compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the standardized tests this
year. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson. Advocacy groups say
that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to teacher
evaluations.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“We feel it’s important for parents
to refuse the tests because it’s a very powerful way for parents to
send a message,” said Nancy Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group
Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region. “Education has been taken out of
the hands of communities, school boards and parents. It’s now in the
hands of corporations, politicians and high-level educational
administrators and they should not be making these decisions.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Schniedewind,
who is also a professor of Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz,
described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate and unfair
to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott has also won the backing of some school administrators. Most
vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has called Common
Core testing “a failure.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“All the parents are
doing is protecting their children from test results that are premature,
false indicators of what has been learned and, in any other world, an
act that disregards student dignity and potential,” Eastwood said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
New
York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest unions
representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s
important to use those two years to try to fix what’s wrong with
testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why 250,000?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“That’s
the number of students that we think we need in order to put an end to
high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of NYSAPE, a mother of
two from Long Island.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is calling on the
state to stop using student test scores for teacher evaluation, because
the group claims that too much of classroom time is spent teaching to
the tests in an effort to improve results.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
exams were given over six days. The actual time scheduled for students
in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while those in
grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
State Education Department reduced the overall lengths of the 2014
tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to three
hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
According
to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused the tests on behalf
of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to be excused,
the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If that
wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nearly
70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked them. State
Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This
year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests. King said those who
took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the results from
the previous year.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Math scores inched up
slightly so that nearly 36 percent passed, while reading scores remained
flat with only about 31 percent passing the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal law and the federal Race to the Top program.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“State
assessments offer an opportunity for educators and parents to gauge the
progress a child is making toward the standards,” said Jonathan Burman,
spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how well his
or her child is doing?"</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED also has its share
of supporters, including a new statewide business and community
coalition called High Achievement New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Preventing
children from measuring their problem solving and critical thinking
skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the coalition’s spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></blockquote>
- See more at: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/NEWS/141019385#sthash.ldLQgcVU.dpuf</div>
<br />
<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">By Pauline Liu <br />Times Herald-Record
</span><br />
<span>
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<blockquote>
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Parents
groups who've been "opting out" their kids from state tests have set a
new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next round of the exams -
compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the standardized tests this
year. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson. Advocacy groups say
that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to teacher
evaluations.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“We feel it’s important for parents
to refuse the tests because it’s a very powerful way for parents to
send a message,” said Nancy Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group
Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region. “Education has been taken out of
the hands of communities, school boards and parents. It’s now in the
hands of corporations, politicians and high-level educational
administrators and they should not be making these decisions.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Schniedewind,
who is also a professor of Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz,
described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate and unfair
to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott has also won the backing of some school administrators. Most
vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has called Common
Core testing “a failure.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“All the parents are
doing is protecting their children from test results that are premature,
false indicators of what has been learned and, in any other world, an
act that disregards student dignity and potential,” Eastwood said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
New
York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest unions
representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s
important to use those two years to try to fix what’s wrong with
testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why 250,000?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“That’s
the number of students that we think we need in order to put an end to
high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of NYSAPE, a mother of
two from Long Island.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is calling on the
state to stop using student test scores for teacher evaluation, because
the group claims that too much of classroom time is spent teaching to
the tests in an effort to improve results.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
exams were given over six days. The actual time scheduled for students
in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while those in
grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
State Education Department reduced the overall lengths of the 2014
tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to three
hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
According
to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused the tests on behalf
of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to be excused,
the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If that
wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nearly
70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked them. State
Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This
year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests. King said those who
took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the results from
the previous year.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Math scores inched up
slightly so that nearly 36 percent passed, while reading scores remained
flat with only about 31 percent passing the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal law and the federal Race to the Top program.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“State
assessments offer an opportunity for educators and parents to gauge the
progress a child is making toward the standards,” said Jonathan Burman,
spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how well his
or her child is doing?"</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED also has its share
of supporters, including a new statewide business and community
coalition called High Achievement New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Preventing
children from measuring their problem solving and critical thinking
skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the coalition’s spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></blockquote>
- See more at: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/News/141019385#sthash.LcsR178M.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">By Pauline Liu <br />Times Herald-Record
</span><br />
<span>
Posted Oct. 19, 2014 @ 7:39 pm<br />
Updated Oct 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<blockquote>
A revolt over excessive testing is heating up in New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Parents
groups who've been "opting out" their kids from state tests have set a
new goal to have 250,000 students boycott the next round of the exams -
compared to 55,000 students who didn't take the standardized tests this
year. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 1 million students in grades 3-8 are scheduled to take the math and English tests when they’re offered next spring.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott is gaining ground here in the mid-Hudson. Advocacy groups say
that the tests are too long and shouldn't be tied to teacher
evaluations.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“We feel it’s important for parents
to refuse the tests because it’s a very powerful way for parents to
send a message,” said Nancy Schniedewind of the New Paltz-based group
Re-thinking Testing Mid-Hudson Region. “Education has been taken out of
the hands of communities, school boards and parents. It’s now in the
hands of corporations, politicians and high-level educational
administrators and they should not be making these decisions.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Schniedewind,
who is also a professor of Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz,
described the state tests as “developmentally inappropriate and unfair
to all students, especially those in elementary school.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
boycott has also won the backing of some school administrators. Most
vocal is Middletown Superintendent Ken Eastwood, who has called Common
Core testing “a failure.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“All the parents are
doing is protecting their children from test results that are premature,
false indicators of what has been learned and, in any other world, an
act that disregards student dignity and potential,” Eastwood said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
New
York State United Teachers, one of the state’s largest unions
representing more than 600,000 teachers, is supporting the boycott.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Legislation passed over the summer has placed a two-year moratorium on the use of state test scores to evaluate teachers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s
important to use those two years to try to fix what’s wrong with
testing and evaluations,” said Carl Korn, NYSUT spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leading the charge to boycott state testing is the statewide advocacy group New York Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE).</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why 250,000?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“That’s
the number of students that we think we need in order to put an end to
high-stakes testing,” said Jeanette Deutermann of NYSAPE, a mother of
two from Long Island.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is calling on the
state to stop using student test scores for teacher evaluation, because
the group claims that too much of classroom time is spent teaching to
the tests in an effort to improve results.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSAPE is also demanding shorter tests. A lot shorter. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
exams were given over six days. The actual time scheduled for students
in grades 5-8 to take the tests was nearly 9 hours, while those in
grades 3-4 were given nearly 7 hours to complete the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
State Education Department reduced the overall lengths of the 2014
tests by 20 minutes, but the group wants the tests cut down to three
hours, claiming that the longer tests only serve to drive up profits for
tech and data storage companies.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Parents have tried in so many ways to ask for change, but they haven’t been heard,” Deutermann said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What's become known as the opt out movement began last year with the introduction of the new Common Core-based state exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
According
to the state, about 6,000 parents in 2013 refused the tests on behalf
of their kids in grades 3-8. In order for their children to be excused,
the refusals had to be submitted to school officials in writing. If that
wasn't done, the student would be asked to make up the test. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nearly
70 percent of students who did take the tests flunked them. State
Education Commissioner John King, Jr. responded by saying that the
results would be used to set a “new baseline for testing.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This
year, about 55,000 students opted out of the tests. King said those who
took the exams in 2014 made “incremental” gains over the results from
the previous year.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Math scores inched up
slightly so that nearly 36 percent passed, while reading scores remained
flat with only about 31 percent passing the exams.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED pointed out that the tests are required under federal law and the federal Race to the Top program.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“State
assessments offer an opportunity for educators and parents to gauge the
progress a child is making toward the standards,” said Jonathan Burman,
spokesman for NYSED. “Why wouldn’t a parent want to know how well his
or her child is doing?"</blockquote>
<blockquote>
NYSED also has its share
of supporters, including a new statewide business and community
coalition called High Achievement New York.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“Preventing
children from measuring their problem solving and critical thinking
skills is the wrong path,” said John Collins, the coalition’s spokesman.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<a href="mailto:pliu@th-record.com" target="_blank">pliu@th-record.com</a></blockquote>
- See more at: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20141019/News/141019385#sthash.LcsR178M.dpuf</div>
ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-2305420160407171372014-10-30T09:58:00.003-07:002014-10-30T09:59:25.981-07:00Washington Post Post: How to Start Cleaning Up the Common CoreThis article is at the following link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/10/06/how-to-start-cleaning-up-the-common-core/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/10/06/how-to-start-cleaning-up-the-common-core/</a><br />
<br />
Even the strongest supporters of the Common Core State
Standards would likely admit if asked that the initiative has not so far
turned out as well as hoped. Implementation of the standards has been
severely troubled, the testing regime that is supposed to be aligned
with the Core is falling apart and increasingly people from different
parts of the political spectrum have distanced themselves from the
enterprise.<br />
So now what? Where does the Core go from here? In the
following post, award-winning New York Principal Carol Burris offers
three first steps toward cleaning up the Core mess. Burris has been
writing about problems with the controversial school reform efforts and
the Core for some time on this blog. (You can read some of her work <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/11/a-teacher-evaluation-session-out-of-star-wars/">here</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/the-dangers-of-building-a-plane-in-the-air/2011/09/30/gIQAojqWAL_blog.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/some-scary-training-for-teachers/2012/07/25/gJQAzXyJAX_blog.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/new-teacher-evaluations-start-to-hurt-students/2012/09/29/f6d1b038-0aa6-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_blog.html">here</a>, and<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/12/principal-time-to-hold-ny-education-leaders-accountable-for-core-mess/"> here.)</a> Last month she participated in a debate about the Common Core, which <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/14/common-core-yes-or-no-a-debate/">you can read about here</a>. She <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/12/nys-2013-high-school-principal-of-year-is-fighting-state-over-reform/">was named</a>
New York’s 2013 High School Principal of the Year by the School
Administrators Association of New York and the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, and in 2010, tapped as the 2010 New York
State Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of
New York State.<br />
<br />
By Carol Burris<br />
Joey Garrison <a href="http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2014/09/24/common-core-losing-support-tennessee-teachers-survey-finds/16171421/">of The Tennessean</a>
recently reported that after three years of implementation, support for
the Common Core among Tennessee teachers has dramatically dropped. If
Common Core familiarity breeds contempt, the proof can be found in the
Volunteer State.<br />
Garrison reported on a Vanderbilt University
Peabody College of Education and Human Development survey which found
that only 35 percent of the teachers “believe that teaching to the
standards will improve student learning — compared with 60 percent who
said the same last year.”<br />
What was even more surprising was that
this was not a case of “we need more assistance with implementation”—56
percent of the 27,000 who responded wanted the state to walk away from
the Common Core. An additional 13 percent wanted implementation slowed.<br />
The Tennessee survey mirrors a national trend. An Education Next poll found a drop of 30 points among teachers in one year. Even<a href="http://hechingerreport.org/content/teachers-souring-common-core-finds-one-survey_17581/"> a Scholastic/Gates Foundation sponsored poll</a>, the only one that finds a majority of teachers still support the Common Core, shows that support has declined.<br />
Those
who dismiss this trend as political pushback are wrong. Many teachers
are not only the deliverers of the Core, they are the indirect
recipients of Common Core instruction as well. They see its effects on
their own children, and their frustration with the Common Core is real.<br />
Here
is an email I received from one of my teachers whose young children
attend a neighboring school district that heavily relies on the Engage
NY modules. Commenting on<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/17/four-common-core-flimflams/"> my Answer Sheet post, </a>she wrote:<br />
<blockquote class="citation">
“Carol,<br />
This
is excellent. Thank you for hitting the nail on the head. I went to my
daughter’s back-to-school last night. On the board was the day’s
schedule. Other than going to music and lunch, the entire day was some
form of either reading or math instruction. When science and social
studies were discussed as other curricular items in third grade, the
parents were told that they would be covered essentially through reading
passages as part of the ELA prep. Ugh.”</blockquote>
This email
captures one of the many consequences of the Common Core—teachers narrow
curriculum as they push students to reach unreasonable “proficiency “
cut scores, which, in New York, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/29/the-scary-way-common-core-test-cut-scores-are-selected/">were benchmarked to SAT scores</a> that total 1630.<br />
And
yet we are told we must forge ahead. The most recent argument given by
Common Core supporters, such as the Fordham Institute’s Mike Petrilli,
is that “the chaos in the classrooms will be great.” And therefore we
must “<a href="http://intelligencesquaredus.org/images/debates/past/transcripts/090914%20Common%20Core.pdf">follow through on what we started</a>.”<br />
I
remember hearing the same rationale when parents and teachers
challenged Whole Language. Luckily, Whole Language was a reading program
that districts could modify or abandon. Even so, damage was done. Two
of my assistant principals whose children experienced purist Whole
Language, still lament the difficulties their now adult children had
learning to read. And yes, even as with the Common Core, there were
staunch Whole Language defenders. We were told that all teachers needed
was the right professional development.<br />
No matter what
investments in time or materials have been made, here is the bottom
line. The Common Core is a lemon and no amount of professional
development will make it run right. As Mike Schmoker recently wrote<a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/09/24/05schmoker.h34.html"> in an Education Week commentary</a>,<br />
<blockquote class="citation">
“Nothing
could be more futile than doubling down on training, testing, and
lesson planning based on the still-bloated, misconceived lists of
standards.”</blockquote>
The question that states face, then, is
what should they put in place of the Common Core. The logical option of
going back to former standards and gradually revising them will earn
the wrath and punishment of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, as Oklahoma
found out after it <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/06/05/two-more-states-pull-out-of-common-core/">pulled out of Common Core</a>
this past summer and the Education Department decided that the state
would lose its waiver from No Child Left Behind. Ohio lawmakers <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/08/22/Ohio-Lawmakers-Urged-To-Repeal-Common-Core-Standards">have put forth a bill</a>
to adopt the former Massachusetts standards; whether Duncan will
approve what were considered the most challenging standards in the
United States is anyone’s guess. Logic has not distinguished the Duncan
Department of Education.<br />
That does not negate the moral and
ethical obligation of state lawmakers and Chief School Officers from
doing what is right by students and taxpayers. If I were charged with
the task of cleaning up the Common Core (and thankfully I am not), this
is how I would begin. While there would be more work to be done,
especially in mathematics, these are three relatively simple first
steps.<br />
<b>Step 1: <i>Insist that the State Education Department translate each standard into clear language that the public can understand</i>. <i>If the standard can’t be written so that the average parent can understand it, throw it out.</i></b><br />
To see what clarity looks like, read the mathematics standards of Finland. You can<a href="http://www.oph.fi/download/47672_core_curricula_basic_education_3.pdf"> find them here</a>
beginning on page 158. They are clear, concise and jargon free. They
explain what students should know, while refraining from directing
instruction. These standards are a fine model that has produced
outstanding results.<br />
English Language Arts standards also need review. Consider this Grade 8 standard <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/8/6/">CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.6</a>, which Schmoker points out in his commentary:<br />
<blockquote class="citation">
Analyze
how the points of view of the characters and audience or reader (e.g.
created through the use of dramatic irony) create effects like suspense
or humor.</blockquote>
What does it mean and why does it matter?<br />
<br />
<b>Step 2<i>: Ask experts on childhood development to review the Pre-K to 3<sup>rd</sup> grade standards. Standards should be rewritten based on their consensus.</i></b><br />
The
Common Core has pushed down topics traditionally taught in later grades
because of its backwards design approach. States should recruit early
childhood learning researchers, psychologists who specialize in early
cognitive development, and pediatricians to review the standards and
recommend any needed revisions. Children deserve standards that respect
their cognitive growth.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Step 3: Reduce the emphasis on informational text, close reading and Lexile levels.</i></b><br />
There
is no evidence that reading informational text in the early grades will
improve reading. Informational text in primary school should be read as
a one means of delivering content or included based on student
interest. Ratios of 50/50 (informational text/literature) in elementary
schools and 70/30 in high school are based on nothing more than
breakdowns of text type on National Assessment of Educational Progress
tests, not on reading research. The force-feeding of informational texts
in the primary years is resulting in the decline of hands on learning
in science and projects in social studies, as my teacher’s email
attests. At the high school level, literature is being pushed out of
English Language Arts to make room for informational text. For example,
take a <a href="https://www.engageny.org/resource/grade-9-english-language-arts">look at the readings</a> of Common Core Engage NY curriculum modules for 9<sup>th</sup>
grade. Literature is minimal, replaced by texts such as “Wizard of
Lies,” a biography of Bernie Madoff, and articles that include “Sugar
Changed the World,” “Animals in Translation” and “Bangladesh Factory
Collapse.”<br />
And then there is the overemphasis on close reading in the standards. As Professor Daniel Katz <a href="http://danielskatz.net/2014/09/19/dear-common-core-english-standards-can-we-talk/">in his carefully developed critique </a>of the Common Core English Language Arts standards notes, “in Common Core, all literary roads lead to close textual analysis.”<br />
According to Professor Katz,<br />
<blockquote class="citation">
“What
Common Core does is take reading literature and purpose it entirely to
close textual reading, which is a tool of literary criticism, especially
for the New Criticism school of analysis. In New Criticism, the text
is treated as self-contained, and it is the job of the reader to
investigate it as an object to be understood via the structure of the
text and without reference to external resources such as history,
culture, psychology or the experiences of the reader.”</blockquote>
There
should be a variety of strategies in the readers’ toolbox and students
should have varied experiences with text—including (horrors!) reading
for pleasure.<br />
Finally, let’s put Lexile levels in perspective.
Lexiles are measures of sentence length and word frequency, as
determined by a computer program. They do <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/11/01/common-core-how-are-books-judged/">not measure the literary quality and depth of a text.</a> The Common Core obsession with grade level reading is unwarranted. According to lexile level, <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i> and <i>The Sun Also Rises</i> should be read in third or fourth grade. But please wait until 5<sup>th</sup> grade to read <i>Bubble Homes and Fish Farts</i>.<br />
Enough said.<br />
<br />
<i>Correction: Earlier version had incorrect first name of Professor Katz. It is Daniel.</i><br />
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/people/valerie-strauss"><img class="post-body-headshot-left" src="http://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/files/2014/03/valerie-strauss.jpg&h=90&w=90" /></a>Valerie Strauss covers education and runs The Answer Sheet blog.ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-42853014116727723392014-09-05T08:15:00.003-07:002014-09-05T08:17:00.662-07:00New Possibilities for Public Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-46601671480296453512014-09-04T12:57:00.002-07:002014-09-04T12:57:36.401-07:00Event coming up in New Paltz!<img alt="Displaying Rally for Kids 8 27 14 letter size.jpg" class="aLF-aPX-J1-J3" height="320" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=14ae61ab99&view=fimg&th=14841a2d692fc537&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ9cdliJXi-4CJzIHzTfuI_X5j46BqCmT26MiwcDUv75rFGsjU7LQb9a7iKPJ6eFwIikc_J3yPLw_KlRet4ifPqRRazbgTRpGx-wVCLAVGY5kqsAdpu4hGPst7U&ats=1409859643888&rm=14841a2d692fc537&zw&sz=w1250-h516" width="320" /><br />
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ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-8341352026115071192014-08-24T13:52:00.002-07:002014-08-24T13:52:26.060-07:00What big drop in new standardized test scores really means<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
From:<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/07/what-big-drop-in-new-standardized-test-scores-really-means/"> http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/07/what-big-drop-in-new-standardized-test-scores-really-means/</a><br />
<br />
New standardized test scores are out today in New York, and here’s a
post that tells you what to make of the results. This was written by
award-winning Principal Carol Burris of South Side High School in New
York, who has for more than a year chronicled on the test-driven reform
in her state (<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/11/a-teacher-evaluation-session-out-of-star-wars/">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/the-dangers-of-building-a-plane-in-the-air/2011/09/30/gIQAojqWAL_blog.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/some-scary-training-for-teachers/2012/07/25/gJQAzXyJAX_blog.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/new-teacher-evaluations-start-to-hurt-students/2012/09/29/f6d1b038-0aa6-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_blog.html">here</a>, for example). <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/12/nys-2013-high-school-principal-of-year-is-fighting-state-over-reform/">Burris was named</a>
New York’s 2013 High School Principal of the Year by the School
Administrators Association of New York and the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, and in 2010, tapped as the 2010 New York
State Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of
New York State. She is the co-author of the New York Principals letter
of concern regarding the evaluation of teachers by student test scores.
It has been signed by more than 1,535 New York principals and more than
6,500 teachers, parents, professors, administrators and citizens. You
can <a data-xslt="_http" href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxuZXd5b3JrcHJpbmNpcGFsc3xneDo3MjA2ODgwZmMwMjYxYWUx" target="_blank">read the letter by clicking here. </a><br />
<br />
By Carol Burris<br />
<br />
The<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=3285494&pageno=2"> release of New York Common Core tests scores</a> brings to mind the opening of Charles Dickens’s “Hard Times”:<br />
<blockquote class="citation">
With
a rule and a pair of scales, and the multiplication table always in his
pocket, ready to weigh and measure any parcel of human nature and tell
you what it comes to…</blockquote>
This is setting the stage for
Chapter 2, entitled “Murdering the Innocents.” School Master Gradgrind,
obsessed with data and facts, humiliates “Girl number 20” who cannot
“define a horse.” The humiliated young girl is quickly measured and
done, deemed to be “possessed of no facts.” In Gradgrind’s class, each
child is a numbered vessel into which knowledge must be poured — faster
and more efficiently from the pitcher of fear.<br />
The chapter is a
chilling and uncanny allegory for the data-driven, test-obsessed reforms
that are now overwhelming our schools. This week, New York’s “hard
times” measures were made public. There was no surprise when the new
definition of “proficiency” was about 30 points below the old one.
That’s what the system was designed to do. Yet the new, imperious
Gradgrinds will predictably use the results as the rationale to propel
their reforms. They have built their careers, reputations and, in some
cases, their fortunes, coming up with inventive ways to show public
school teachers as inept and to present the vast majority of public
school students as below par.<br />
While the fingers point and the
blame is assigned, “The Innocents” are forgotten. New York’s students
labored through days of testing so that the ignorance of the “number
20s” could be exposed for all to see. The question is: To what end?<br />
Their failure, of course, was preordained. This drop<a href="http://www.prismdecision.com/new-york-state-education-department-predicts-lower-pass-rates"> was predicted</a> by Deputy Commissioner Ken Slentz in March before any bubble was filled and by Commissioner John King <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Test-anxiety-grips-students-teachers-4439906.php#ixzz2RiOHOL3c">who declared that scores </a>would
“likely drop by 30 points” before the last test was sealed in its
packet. If a teacher in my school told me that he designed a test that
was so hard that the passing rate would drop by 30 points and the
majority of his students would fail, I would walk him to the door.<br />
The
rationale here is muddled at best, but the detriments are obvious. For
instance, young students in New York State who are developing as they
should will be placed in remedial services, forgoing enrichment in the
arts because they are a “2” and thus below the new proficiency level.
That is where the vast majority of students fall on the new scales —
below proficiency and off the “road to college readiness.” Students,
who in reality may not need support will be sorted into special
education or “response to intervention” services. Parents will worry
for their children’s future. The newspapers will bash the public schools
and their teachers at a time when<a href="https://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/foundation/MetLife-Teacher-Survey-2012.pdf"> morale is already at an extreme low</a>. The optimism teachers first felt about the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/24/is-the-common-core-standards-initiative-in-trouble/">Common Core State Standards</a> is fading as the standards and their tests roll into classrooms.<br />
Because of the Common Core, our youngest children are being asked <a href="http://www.engageny.org/sites/default/files/resource/attachments/ckla_g1_d4_anth.pdf">to meet unrealistic expectations</a>.
New York’s model curriculum for first graders includes knowing the
meaning of words that include “cuneiform,” “sarcophagus,” and
“ziggurat.” Kindergarteners are expected to meet expectations that have
led some early childhood experts to worry that the Common Core Standard<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/29/a-tough-critique-of-common-core-on-early-childhood-education/">s may cause young children harm</a>.
If we are not careful, the development of social skills, the refinement
of fine motor skills, and most importantly, the opportunity to
celebrate the talents and experiences of every child will be squeezed
out of the school day.<br />
What is equally disconcerting is that
these reforms are being pursued with little or no evidentiary grounding.
There is, for instance, zero sound research that demonstrates that if
you raise a student’s score into the new proficiency range, the chances
of the student successfully completing college increases. New York’s new
cut scores are an attempt to benchmark state scores to the proficiency
rates attached to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or,
NAEP. Yet the connections between NAEP scores and college performance
are so spurious that researchers have yet to claim that <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/09/12/03nagb.h32.html">NAEP scores have any predictive value</a>
at all when it comes to college and career readiness. In addition,
the NAEP proficient level is very high, not at grade level at all. In
fact, most analysts consider the NAEP Basic level to be at grade level.
You can read about the problems with using NAEP <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/naep-a-flawed-benchmark-producing-the-same-old-story/2011/11/03/gIQAbnonmM_blog.html">as a benchmark here</a>.<br />
In
light of all of the above, my advice to parents is this. Remember that
these tests are hardly a measure of your child’s value or promise as a
student. Be outraged if she is now labeled “below proficient” based on
tests that were designed to have scores drop like a stone. Your
conversations with your child’s teacher or principal can give you far
better insights into her academic and (just as importantly) social and
emotional growth.<br />
In fact, in the upcoming months, there will be
far more important issues to worry about than our children’s test
scores. As schools and their teachers are hammered due to the score
drop, there will be tremendous pressure to further narrow the curriculum
and cut out all of the enrichment that can make young children smile
with anticipation on Monday mornings. Don’t allow your schools to become
the Dickensian places that are “in all things regulated and governed by
fact” and where teachers are obliged to “discard the word Fancy
altogether” as the government officer in “Hard Times” directed Gradgrind
and his students to do.<br />
If you think I am exaggerating, I suggest you read the Metrics and Expectations<a href="http://www.engageny.org/resource/new-york-state-metrics-expectations-2013-2014"> found here</a>
and ask, “Is this the way I want my neighborhood school to be run?” See
how infrequently the words “parent” and “student” are mentioned. If
you think that parents and students matter, you will be disappointed.
Local control has no place in “metrics and expectations.”<br />
The
bottom line is that there are tremendous financial interests driving the
agenda about our schools — from test makers, to publishers, to data
management corporations — all making tremendous profits from the chaotic
change. When the scores drop, they prosper. When the tests change, they
prosper. When schools scramble to buy materials to raise scores, they
prosper. There are curriculum developers earning millions to created
scripted lessons to turn teachers into deliverers of modules in
alignment with the Common Core (or to replace teachers with computer
software carefully designed for such alignment). This is all to be
enforced by their principals, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/11/a-teacher-evaluation-session-out-of-star-wars/">who must attend “calibration events”</a> run by “network teams.”<br />
We
who are inside schools have been sounding the alarm, although perhaps
not as loudly as we should. But in the end, it will be parents, speaking
with each other and with their local school boards and legislators, who
will insist that sanity prevail and local control and reason be
restored. It will be parents who insist that school not be a place of
the continual measurement of deficits, instead standing as places that
allow students to show what they know beyond a standardized test.
Parents<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/07/principal-to-parents-dont-buy-the-bunk-about-new-common-core-tests/"> won’t “buy the bunk”</a> and they will tire of data driven, rather than student driven, instruction. Then the “Hard Times for These Times” will end.<br />
<br />
Valerie Strauss covers education and runs The Answer Sheet blog for the Washington Post.ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-3801102013438099792014-03-31T19:07:00.001-07:002014-03-31T19:07:23.544-07:00Hear about why parents are refusing the tests in this incredible video from Change the Stakes:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2ayYajsQjg8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-36138894593638453562014-03-31T19:02:00.000-07:002014-03-31T19:02:31.724-07:00How Do I Refuse the NYS Tests?Refusing the tests is as simple as writing a letter to your principal and superintendent. You should also cc your refusal letter to your child's teachers. Your child's test will be scored as a "999" which is essentially a non-score. Again, your child will NOT receive a score. If your child is refusing the tests, instruct him or her to refrain from making any marks on the exam.<br />
<br />
Below you can find a sample letter:<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear School Administrator,<br />
<br />
I am writing to inform you that my child, _______________, will be refusing the 2014 NYS ELA and Math Tests. My understanding is that this letter will be sufficient for my child to refuse and that he will not be required to verbally refuse these tests. I request that my child be allowed to read or engage in an alternate activity during the testing period. Please confirm receipt of this letter.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
<br />ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-30992478065717437302014-03-31T18:54:00.000-07:002014-03-31T18:54:29.782-07:00Frequently Asked Questions About Refusing the NYS Tests<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "American Typewriter"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Commonly
Asked Questions <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">If my child is
likely to do well on the NYS test and he or she refuses to take the test, will
their teacher’s APPR score be negatively impacted?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Refusing the
tests would not affect a teacher’s APPR Score as long as enough there are
enough students tested to obtain a valid score. Interestingly, </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">high achieving students could actually hurt a teacher’s
growth score because in many cases they are consistently high achieving and
therefore do not show growth beyond what is expected. If enough students refuse
the test, there will not be sufficient data to generate a score based on the
state tests. Considering that only 30% of students scored proficiently on last
year’s exams, that would not necessarily be a bad thing. In this case, the
teacher would design their own local assessment in order to gauge student
growth and progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Will my child lose access to accelerated programs,
Academic Intervention Services (AIS) or Special Education Supports if they
refuse the test?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In a nutshell, no. State test scores are not sole factor
for determining if a student qualifies for AIS. In the absence of state test
scores, a district will simply rely more on other measures such a local
assessments, reading benchmarks and progress monitoring. State test scores are
in no way considered when determining the supports that a special education
student will receive. Further more, districts like NPCSD rely on multiple
measures when determining access to accelerated programs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Will our school lose funding if less than 95% of
students take the tests?</span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">It is true that NCLB dictates that all districts/schools must
have at least 95% participation on state tests in order to meet Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP). According to NCLB, any district/school that does
not reach the 95% participation is considered a district/school that “failed to
make AYP”. They must bear this label. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">As part of the ESEA Flexibility Waiver that NYS received from
President Obama, no new districts/schools will be identified as “Focus
Districts/Schools” until after the end of the 2014-2015 school
year. What this means is that if a district was in good standing in
2011-2012 (and NPCSD was), they would have to fail to meet AYP for the
2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-15 school years in order to have their
designation changed to a “Focus” or “Priority” School. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">What would happen if down the road, a school district, like NPCSD,
became a “Focus” school?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">For schools that do not receive Title I money, there are zero
financial consequences at this point. However, if a district receives Title 1
money, there is a minor consequence. Many of our local districts do receive
Title I money. For example, for the 2013-2014, New Paltz CSD will receive
$181,311. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a district that is
currently “In Good Standing,” like NPCSD, were deemed a “Focus” school for the
2015-2016 school year, the school district would be required to set-aside 5-15%
of Title money that they have received into a separate “set-aside account.”
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The money is NOT taken away from them</span>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">What happens to the Title I money that is set-aside? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">This money stays in the district, and the state requires that it
be used for state-approved programs and services which might include
tutoring for students, parental involvement, etc. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">THIS MONEY IS <u style="text-underline: #352723;">NOT</u> LOST.</span>
And any of this money that is not spent on the state-approved programs and
services is returned to the district’s general fund.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">If the only reason that a district/school was given “Focus”
status in 2015-2016 was because more than 5% of the district/school’s parents
decided not to allow their children to participate in harmful tests, then the
lawyers of the school district would certainly take notice. It seems
unlikely that a court would allow funding to be impacted in any way due to the
actions of informed parents, especially since the district/school has no
control over this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">What about the schools with large numbers of student refusals
last year?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">To date there has been NO indication
of any district/school anywhere in the state being impacted financially for
failure to meet the 95% participation rate. Ichabod Crane Middle School near
Albany and Linden Avenue Middle School in Red Hook had over 20% of its students
refuse the tests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">BOTTOM LINE: <u style="text-underline: #352723;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A school district does NOT lose funding if
there is less than 95% participation on state tests.</span></u><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">But what if?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Let’s say that a district/school happens to be Title I.
Let’s assume that they fail the 95% participation rate. Let’s assume that
the ESEA Waiver is imaginary (like Peter Pan). Let’s assume that the
district/school is not listed as “Focus” for any other reason other than the
95% participation rate. Let’s assume that the NYSED forces the district
to set aside 15% of their Title I money solely because responsible
well-informed parents refuse tests (even though NYSED has never done this to date).
Let’s assume the school district does not stand-up for the children and does
not file a lawsuit. Let’s assume that a court does not intervene to
prevent funding loss to school children. Let’s assume that all of
the set-aside money happens to be spent on state approved programs (that are
somehow supposed to magically fix the participation rate caused by responsible
well-informed parents standing up for their children). Let’s assume that
none of the set-aside money goes back into the general fund. We know that
NPCSD receives $</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">181,311 in Title I funding and has to set-aside
(15% which amounts to approx. $19,500) and is forced to spend all of it on
state approved programs (that won’t fix the participation rate). Let’s assume
that this district has 4,500 taxpaying households. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #352723; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Let’s assume that ALL of that above happens (which seem
ridiculous). Then each taxpaying household would have to come up with an
extra $4.50 per year to replace the money spent on senseless programs.
Wow! $4.50 per year??? Still worried about funding???<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Chalkduster; font-size: 16.0pt;">Why should I consider having
my child refuse the NYS state tests?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is NO evidence to support
the premise that tying teacher and school evaluations to test scores will
result in increased academic achievement. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">No child should ever be
compelled to participate in a demoralizing and developmentally inappropriate
learning experience against the wishes of parents or caregivers. </span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">Parents must give permission for
students to participate in sports and sex education, but State Education does
not believe that parents should have a say in their child’s test participation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">These tests do NOT benefit the
individual child in any way</span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">. Scores are not given until the following school year and even then
provide next to NO information regarding the student’s individual performance.
The tests yield NO data can be used to help the individual student.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">Excessive testing </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">takes away approximately 25% of our
children's academic school year. </span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The amount of time that a 3<sup>rd</sup>
grader will spend on NYS tests exceeds the time spent taking Medical Boards and
the Bar Exam, voluntary examinations undertaken by adults. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Excessive testing forces teachers to "teach to the test.” </span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Schools
may say that they do not “teach to the test” but despite the best intentions,
this is not true. When 20-40% percent of a teacher’s evaluation is based on
state test scores, this creates a siutation whereby a teacher must choose
between delivering instruction that they know to be sound and delivering instruction
that will focus on test taking strategies and what is “on the test” in order to
safeguard their employment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Attaching teacher evaluations to state scores destroys teacher autonomy.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> -
Teachers can no longer choose the pace of instruction that they feel is most
appropriate for their students.They must adhere to the strict and relentless
pace set by the tests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Excessive focus on test scores narrows the curriculum.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
The arts and music are short changed as there is no state measure in these
areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Excessive testing teaches children that there is only one right answer in
academics and in life.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Students are encouraged to learn
formulaic methods of reading and writing in order to score maximum credit on
the tests.Outside of the box thinking is not encouraged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Excessive testing costs millions of dollars of taxpayer money to produce
and thousands of dollars of our school district's money to implement.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">School
districts will incure expenses in the tens of millions of dollars to implement
the unfunded mandates set forth by Race to the Top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">Refusing the test is the ONLY
POWER that parents have to take back public education from corporate interests.
</span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt;">Refusing the
tests is the ONLY POWER that parents have to ensure the quality of their
child’s education. Despite listening to the concerns and outrage of thousands
of parents and educators for months, Commissioner of Education John King and
the NYS Board of Regents insist that they will continue to carry out their
reform agenda without delay.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725463010397600841.post-18735889042929456302014-03-31T18:52:00.000-07:002014-03-31T18:52:02.331-07:00What’s wrong with the Common Core and Education Reform in NYS? In a nutshell…<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The Accountability Mandates in Race to the
Top:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Discourage
emphasis on “un-tested” subjects like art and music, which are often areas of
significant strength for students for students who struggle in other academic
areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Eliminate
teacher autonomy over pacing in the classroom. The pace is dictated by “the
test,” not the students. This hurts both struggling learners and “gifted”
students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Require
schools to share sensitive, personally identifiable student information that
can be shared with 3<sup>rd</sup> party vendors without parental consent. For
students with disabilities, this often includes information that in a medical
setting would be protected under HIPAA law. However, their educational records
(including IEPs) are afforded no such protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Discourage
teacher responsiveness to student interests –if content is not on the test,
there is NO time to pursue student directed avenues of inquiry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Ignore
research indicating that standardization is decreasing student creativity, a
quality that is needed in the fields of engineering, medicine, music and art. (Kim
2011) Read more about that <a href="http://www.livescience.com/15535-children-creative.html">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">NYS proficiency
levels are based on cut scores and levels of proficiency that are not based in
research or evidence, but rather on an illogical and faulty premise. Read more
about that here, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/12/how-come-officials-could-predict-results-on-new-test-scores/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/12/how-come-officials-could-predict-results-on-new-test-scores/</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The Common Core Learning Standards:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Pre-Supposes
that students will demonstrate greater academic gain by arbitrarily making
standards more difficult to achieve. There is NO evidence to support this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">I </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Ignores
the basic pedagogical tenant that student engagement is the largest influence
on student learning. By teaching to developmentally inappropriate standards, we
risk losing student engagement and actually risk a decline in student
achievement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; line-height: 115%;">Are
based on flawed research. One of the premises of the Common Core Standards is
that text complexity has declined since the early 20<sup>th</sup> century and
that we have “dumbed down” the curriculum. Researchers from Penn State
published a report in October of 2013 that indicates text complexity has in
fact increased. (Gamson, Lu, and Eckert, 2013) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That study can be found here:</i> </span><u style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #103cc0; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://edr.sagepub.com/content/42/7/381.full.pdf+html?ijkey=JV4K0MyCHPsyE&keyty%09pe=ref&s%09iteid=s%09pedr">http://edr.sagepub.com/content/42/7/381.full.pdf+html?ijkey=JV4K0MyCHPsyE&keyty<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>pe=ref&s<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>iteid=s<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></a></span></u><span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><u>peer</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<u style="text-underline: #103CC0;"><br /></u></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Due
the erroneous assumption that text complexity has decreased, the Common Core
arbitrarily increased grade level reading benchmarks by 2 to 3 years. In doing
so, the achievement gap widened overnight and many students have been turned
off to reading. Read more about this here, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/26/common-core-tests-widen-achievement-gap-in-new-york/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/26/common-core-tests-widen-achievement-gap-in-new-york/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Encourage
instructional methods that are not aligned with evidenced based best practice.
The Common Core promotes a reading strategy called “Close Reading.” Close
Reading encourages students to rely ONLY on the information on the next rather
than accessing their own background knowledge and personal experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Read more about that here, </i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/LA/0891-sep2011/LA0891Research.pdf">http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/LA/0891-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>sep2011/LA0891Research.pdf</a>,</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and
here</i>, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/28_02/28_02_ferguson.shtml">http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/28_02/28_02_ferguson.shtml</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Compel
the use of mental math strategies and multiple methods to solve a single
problem. Research shows that direct and explicit instruction in one strategy is
the most effective way to learn a new concept. The Common Core encourages a
type of learning that will result in a student who is “a jack of all trades,
master of none.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Were
created without the input of elementary school teachers, pre-school teachers
and child development experts. You can read about the CCLS work groups here,</span>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><a href="http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/2010COMMONCOREK12TEAM.PDF">http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/2010COMMONCOREK12TEAM.PDF</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Carry
a liability waiver which you can read here, <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/public-license">http://www.corestandards.org/public-license</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Do
nothing to address the real problems facing students – poverty, insufficient
funding of public schools, lack of appropriate support and access to assistive
technology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The rushed implementation of the Common
Core Learning Standards:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Ignored
the fact that students are sensitive to change and improper scaffolding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Resulted
in students receiving instruction without being taught the necessary pre-requisite
skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Widened
the achievement gap by raising standards “overnight.” Students who were
struggling prior to implementation suddenly found themselves significantly
further behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Resulted
in 25 million dollars being spent on curriculum materials rife with errors and
inappropriate content, many of which have not yet been released even though
students are already being tested on the standards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Could
have been predicted and prevented. Public feedback in 2010 revealed significant
concern regarding a possible rushed implementation. You can read about that
here, <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/assets/k-12-feedback-summary.pdf">http://www.corestandards.org/assets/k-12-feedback-summary.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The Common Core Raises the Questions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Will
the teaching of developmentally inappropriate learning standards result in more
students being erroneously identified as learning disabled?<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Will
the lack of teacher autonomy and the inappropriate use of test scores to
evaluate teachers cause more experienced teachers to shy away from teaching students
with the highest level of need?<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Why
would New York State adopt copyrighted, unproven learning standards that they
have no control over and no ability to revise?<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">What
are the long term effects of using learning standards that have no basis in</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">evidence or scholarly research? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">What
was wrong with the previous standards held in NYS? You can read the 2005 NYS
Math standards here, <a href="http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/math/standards/core.html">http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/math/standards/core.html</a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Why
did many members of the Common Core Validation Committee refuse to sign off on
them?<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo7; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Why
did the Board Of Regents and The NYS Education Department award millions of
dollars to curriculum companies and subcontractors outside of New York rather
than keeping these dollars in the NYS economy?<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Resources/Citations<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Bomer, R.,
Maloch, B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2011).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relating Policy to Research and Practice: The
Common Core Standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Language Arts,
89, 38-43<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Burris, C. (2013, August 12. How come officials could predict new test
score results? The Washington Post. Retrieved from </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/12/how-come-officials-could-predict-results-on-new-%09test-scores/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/12/how-come-officials-could-predict-results-on-new-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>test-scores/</a>.<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Ferguson, D.,
(2013/2014).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Martin Luther King Jr. and
the Common Core, A critical reading of “close reading”. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ReThinking Schools, Volume
28, No.2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Retrieved from <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/28_02/28_02_ferguson.shtml<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Gamson,
D.A., Lu. X., & Eckert, S.A. (2013).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Challenging the Research Base of the Common Core State Standards: A
Historical <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Reanalysis of Text
Complexity. </span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCHER, </span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">42, 381 <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">New York State Education Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mathematics Core Curriculum, Revised
2005.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2005). Retrieved from </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/math/standards/core.html</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #2d2d2c; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #2d2d2c; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">National
Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School
Officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2010).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Common Core State <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Standards
Public License.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retrieved from </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.corestandards.org/public-license">http://www.corestandards.org/public-license</a>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #2d2d2c; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #2d2d2c; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">National
Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School
Officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2010).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reactions to the March <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2010 Draft Common Core State
Standards: Highlights and Themes from the Public Feedback.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retrieved from <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><a href="http://www.corestandards.org/assets/k-12-feedback-summary.pdf">http://www.corestandards.org/assets/k-12-feedback-summary.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Kyung H.K.
(2011). The Creativity Crisis: The Decrease in Creative Thinking Scores on the
Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Creativity Research Journal, 23:4, 285-295. </i>Retrieved
from <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2011.627805">http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2011.627805</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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ReThinking Testing Mid-Hudsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16150294140615439841noreply@blogger.com0