Oregon Passes Opt-Out Bill Over Objections From US Education Department

Key Points: The article reviews the most recent bill passed from the Oregon Department of Education for students to opt out of state testing. There is concern over how school's could risk losing federal funding if less than 95% of the students participate in testing. Local politicians disagree on this issue. Democrats don't think the opt out bill will cause many to choose not to take the test. Republicans think that the bill will send the wrong message to students not to challenge themselves to meet the Common Core Standards. To date, the Oregon bill will create the easiest opt out policy of state testing in the country.

Relevance: The article is refers to the current debate in education over state testing and the Common Core. Is it worth it? If parents opt out for their children, how will it affect them? Will this bill cause more states to follow Oregon?

Intended Audience: Politicians, Educators, Parents, Students, Lawmakers, Administrators, Oregonians

Published: June 11th, 2015, OPB

URL: http://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-passes-opt-out-bill-over-objections-from-us-education-department/

Advocates for Spec. Ed., Gifted Weigh In on ESEA Rewrite - Education Week

Advocates for Spec. Ed., Gifted Weigh In on ESEA Rewrite - Education Week

May 5, 2015

Audience: Policy Makers, Educators, TAG & SPED Teachers and Families

Key Points: The United States Senate Education Committee on April 16 approved an amended and bolstered revision to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The next step is the Senate Floor. There would be an increased push for talented and gifted education funding and higher/better provisions for teacher support in TAG through federal funding of teacher training. It hopes to reduce the "excellence gap"

Snapshot on SBAC

Smarter Balanced test gets a thumbs-up from these Beaverton students
Oregonian
Article by Wendy Owen
Audience: Public, Parents and Educators
Link: http://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.ssf/2015/04/beaverton_students_like_smarte.html#comments
I know that there are many more stories and perspectives out in the schools, but I have to think this is a heavily biased report. This seems like a snapshot, but by no-means a mosaic. It will be interesting to see after the SBAC
is administered what the new realities will be versus the pre-test anxieties of parents,

Is Common Core Tougher on Special Education Students?

Is Common Core Tougher on Special Education Students?
CBS News
April, 16, 2015

   This video shows a mother's perspective on how inappropriate it is for her child with special needs to be held to the same standards as his peers because he gets individualized instruction all year at his level. It also shows a classroom teacher who agrees that it seems like the standards are set too high for most children right now but thinks that raising the standards is "ultimately a good thing." He states that in his experience most students will rise to the occasion and often do better than you would expect them to.
 

Time Spent on Testing Info graphic

ASCD: Policy Points: Testing Time.

ASCD, March 2015

http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/policypoints/Testing-Time-Mar-15.pdf

Key Points:

• A 2-sheet quick reference to current state of time spent testing in American Public Schools.
• Avg. # of mandated tests PreK-12: 113
• 11th graders get the worst of it: 27 days/year on average of standardized testing
• Urban and East Coast Schools require the most testing on average
• Common Core aligned tests seem to represent a cost savings/student

Intended Audience:

• Practitioner Educators, Parents, Policy makers

Relevance:

• As educators, which grade do you want to teach and where? I hope to stay away from 11th & 12th for now because of the testing burden.  I’d prefer the content, but not if I can’t teach it. How to fulfil requirements and achieve meaningful instruction.  As political participants, make voice heard.

Opting Out of State Standardize Tests

I found an article on OregonLive about the debate of standardize tests. Students are being ask to take more and more standardize tests. These test are supposed to measure for a school's report card and for individual student academic achievement. The concern for parents is whether or not these tests are really worth it. In the article, the author discusses how some parents are responding to the tests and what they're doing to opt out of them. The school districts felt differently.

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2015/02/states_start_responding_to_bac.html#incart_river

In the article, the author introduces a standardize test called PARCC that aligns itself with the Common Core Standards. Here is a link to their website if you're interested in looking around (http://parcc.pearson.com/). I noticed that the testing company is run through Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson was the same company who administered my Essential Academic Skills Test (ORELA- state requirement) for getting into our masters program. I found it interesting that Pearson was involved in both state tests, administering ORELA and PARCC. (Side note: Pearson is a British Company) Thoughts??

After investigating Pearson, I found the article below that describes how closely connected Pearson is with the our government. Everything is always about money.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/pearson-education-115026.html

Resistance to Test-Based School Reform is Growing

Valerie Strauss
"Resistance to Test-Based School Reform is Growing"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/resistance-to-test-based-school-reform-is-growing/2011/04/18/AFkb0n0D_blog.html
The Washington Post - "The Answer Sheet" Column
April 18, 2011

Ms. Strauss documents protests by teachers and students that are occurring across the nation regarding standardized testing and other school reform ideas.  The protests started locally, but are starting to go national with Facebook groups, blogs, parent groups and teachers possibly coming together in a march on Washington D.C. on July 28-31.

In North Carolina the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school districts tested 52 new standardized tests and possibly adding more tests next year.  The Los Angeles School District will be implementing value-added tests that will be used to rate teachers.  President Obama has spoken out against more testing ,but ironically his proposals have increased testing.  Opponents state these tests do not adequately measure kids' learning, do not prove how good or not good teachers are and are a waste of money and time for the school kids and teachers.  Teachers have also been motivated by Diane Ravitch's book stating at one time she favored the No Child Left Behind program, but now shows it does not work

This is another article on how the public debate can be changed in favor of teachers, kids and schools and against standardized testing, poorly planned school reform and attacks against teachers.  Anybody want to go to the Washington D.C. march in July?!

A teacher explains why she is offended

Peggy Robertson
"A teacher explains why she is offended"
Washington Post
April 4, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/corporate_ed_reform_we_wont_feed_you_but_will_test_you/2011/04/03/AFFLFNYC_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationTopic: Educational reforms

This is a teacher’s rant about the President’s ideas on reform.

Key Points: I have not seen the proposed changes to testing however, in the President’s defense, how do we measure effectiveness of the process without some form of testing?
My other question is, does the old recycled clothes a child wears or tattered books really hurt their education? My personal experience says no, and bringing up things like that only weakens her argument in my eyes as a kid who grew up with nothing but a willingness to work. Being poor doesn’t mean you will always be poor in this country .
Relevance: More on the debate about reforms.

Too many contradictions in education policy

Anthony Cody
“Too many contradictions in education policy”
Washington Post
April 6, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/the_many_contradictions_in_education_policy/2011/04/06/AFB9A1pC_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationTopic: “Testing”.

This is a discussion about the disconnect in the administration’s policies.

Key Points: The discussion on testing and whether more tests are needed is interesting. Knowing how much time is spent preparing for tests to the detriment of other curriculum, it seems unusual to call for more. Also, if you are going to test and base key decisions on the results of those tests, then the process will never be low key, or less stress.

Relevance: I suspect the Obama version of no child left behind will not be the panacea envisioned by people on either side of the debate.

Parents Opt Out of Standardized Testing

"Mother hopes others will opt out of standardized testing"
Levitt, Rose and Candiotti, Susan
Posted online on March 21, 2011
cnn.com
URL:  http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/20/pennsylvania.school.testing/index.html?iref=NS1

A mother in Pennsylvania has pulled her two sons from standardized testing.  She used a religious exemption as the reason for pulling her children because that was the only choice given.  The real reason she states is, "...the tests are not accurate measures of accomplishment, create undue anxiety for students and are used to punish schools."  She has been joined by an an associate professor of education at Penn State Altoona, Dr. Timothy Slekar, who has also pulled his son from testing.  This is an extremely rare occurrance, but both of the parents are frustrated by the quality of education their children are receiving and the constant teaching to just the tests.

This article continues the ongoing discussion about whether tests are the way to go in judging true learning and education in our public schools.  I think we all know testing and teaching to the tests is not going to work, but somehow some assessment of the schools must be made.  It is interesting to note the person who is quoted as being in favor of testing is the president of the NAACP, who I do not believe is in education.  That is a continual frustration for me as it seems many of the people involved in this discussion do not have an education background.  Maybe it truly is up to the parents as shown in this article to start a discussion about the standardized testing and not the talking heads from the top.

The Creativity Crisis

Seargeant Richardson, Laura
"The Creativity Crisis: Why American Schools Need Design"
The Atlantic
Posted online March 25, 2011
URL:  http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/03/the-creativity-crisis-why-american-schools-need-design/73038/

We have all heard of the STEM approach to education, so maybe it is time to make it STEAM with the "A" being Art.  The author makes a great point and backs it up with research to show students who want to succeed in the new growing job opportunities will not only need to be smart in the STEM areas, but also in be able to be creative.  As she points out, jobs listed in the "New Work" classifications are grouped into 5 categories with STEM appearing to only account for one-fifth of the training needed to compete in the coming decades.  She also points out, "the European Union declared 2009 as the Year of Creativity, and Chinese faculty actually laughed when they found out the U.S. education trends were in "standardized curriculum, rote memorization, and nationalized testing."

This article was written in a national magazine and is not meant for just teachers, but for the general public as well.  Ms. Seargeant Richardson argues (as we have read and discussed in classes) that to just concentrate on the STEM programs and teaching to the test is NOT the way to go.  We are going to shortchange our future students, our industries and our nation if we eliminate the other aspects of eduction such as art, music, shop and design classes.  Part of education is stimulating all parts of the brain and not just certain areas.  Or to put it another way, it is like using one of your arms with just barely using your other arm.  How stupid would that be?!

Tests are Boring

“Obama Says Too Much Testing Makes Education Boring” by Stacy Anderson
NPR, March 28, 2011 Accessed: March 28, 2011

Topic: Standardized testing is not the way to go.

Summary: Obama is pushing for a rewrite of federal education laws. He is critical of No Child Left Behind and of the overuse of standardized testing.

Intended audience: General Public

Key Points:

• Too much testing makes education boring for kids.
• “Schools should be judged on criteria other than student test performance, including attendance rate”
• Obama administration would like to change standards from No Child Left Behind to a new standard saying that by 2020 all students graduating from high school should be ready for college or a career.

Relevance: Teaching to the test is a hot topic as is No Child Left Behind. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. What does “ready for college or a career” even mean? I’ve also posted a video from during Obama’s campaign for president that shows his opinion then is in-tune with his opinion now on the issue of standardized testing.

Value-Added In Depth

Teresa Watanabe
'Value-Added' Teacher Evaluations: L.A. Unified Tackles a Tough Formula (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adv-value-add-20110328,0,3903343.story?page=1)
LA Times
March 28th, 2011

Summary: An in depth look at the ins and outs, criticisms and arguments in support, and the math behind the value-added analysis we have discussed a few times in passing. It turns out, fun fact, that the formula used is PhD level math.

Audience: Those interested in standardized testing on either side of the argument

Key Points: 1) There are issues with value-added analysis, including inconsistencies, and apparent racial biases; 2) Supporters insist that it is the most objective method of evaluating teachers.

Relevance: It was very interesting to hear some debate on the issue. It was even more interesting to look at a formula and spend 20 minutes on google trying to figure out exactly what all the variables and numbers actually mean.The fact is that we WILL have to deal with testing as a part of our evaluation as teachers. It will be good to have a more in depth understanding of the issues regarding the specifics of how we will be evaluated.

Students who suffer test anxiety may improve their exam results by writing about their worries first (11th Article)

Wendy Owen
"Students who suffer test anxiety may improve their exam results by writing about their worries first"
The Oregonian
March 10, 2011
URL: http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/03/students_who_suffer_test_anxie.html

Summary: This article is about ways to ease students' pressure from tests. There are many ways suggested, such as eating a good breakfast and getting plenty of sleep before the tests. Now there is a research shows that students can write down their worries before taking tests, which will help them improve testing scores. The study focused on ninth graders. Students who have high pressure can benefit from writing their worries. But students with low pressure can not benefit from it. The assessment coordinator Ann Zitzelsberger in Tualatin High School was good at reading students' stress. She will give students notes saying "relax" or "you can do it" to encourage them. Other ways also mentioned in this article like dancing before the test.
Intended audience: Students, teachers, parents
Key points: 1. At that moment where they want to show their best work, they often don't.
2. The researchers found that worries about tests compete for the brain's working memory, which is used for performance.
3. About 25 percent of students suffer from a high level of test anxiety and could be helped.
Relevance: It is interesting to read this article. I totally understand students who get nervous before taking tests. Things happened in China when I was a student. Many students are trained by teachers as good test takers. There are students who got too nervous to pass tests. "Luckily", I was trained as a good test taker too. Many methods used by parents to help their kids pass tests. For example, when the university entrance exam was coming, parents would wait for their children outside school gate while they were taking the tests for about 3 hours. It was such a big deal that if students failed in the first test, their following tests would be affected. There were tragedies happened when students did not do well on their scores. I really don't want to see similar things happen here in America. Test scores are truly not a big deal, but students have to have good scores to go to college. Whose fault is it to put pressure on students?

Conflict Between Budgets and Standardized Testing

Jason Song
State Education Officials Decry Funding Veto (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/state-education-officials-decry-veto-of-funding-.html)
L.A. Times
October 28, 2010

Summary: The Governator vetoed approximately $7 million that was supposed to go to a "student data tracking system" called CALPADS. Opponents of the veto claim that it could hurt California's ability to comply with federal regulations and create difficulties implementing the fan favorite value-added analysis at a state-wide level.

Intended Audience: General Public

Key Points: 1) The Governor vetoed a large sum of money intended to go toward the creation of an objective system of student assessment; 2) There is some debate over the proper way assess both students and teachers.

Relevance: Funding is a huge issue right now and so is teacher and student assessment. This article serves as an example of how the two interests can conflict with one another. Implementing systems of data tracking of student scores costs money. States must pay for servers, software engineers, test developers, etc. This all costs money--something that most states are in an extreme shortage of right now. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays itself out over the next few years. Do we go with more standardized tests, more "objective" assessment methods, and spend more money, or do we continue to cut funding for all areas of education?

Lawmakers contemplate changes in statewide testing

“Lawmakers contemplate changes in statewide testing” by Donna Gordon Blankinship
The Seattle Times
Published 2/4/2011
Retrieved 2/13/2011
Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2014135283_schooltesting05.html
Intended Audience: educators, lawmakers, and the general public

Summary: Washington lawmakers anticipate difficulty in making the transition from general math and science exams to more in-depth, end-of-course exams as prerequisite to high school graduation. It is likely that some students may be required to complete end-of-course exams for courses they took in previous years of high school. Lawmakers are concerned about preserving fairness for those caught in this transitional period

Key Points: 3 current options (in the form of bills):
1. Reduce the amount of exam requirements needed to graduate for those students in transition.
2. Make the transition more gradual by delaying some subjects and continuing with others.
3. Do away with statewide testing as a graduation requirement altogether.

Relevance: The issue here is one of fairness for those students who, say, took Calculus in their freshman year of high school and may now be required to take an end-of-course exam up to three years later – on a subject that may require a few months of extracurricular studying to return to a level of proficiency in that field. Granted, this article focuses specifically on a transitional period which does not affect many students, but once the new policies are established, these end-of-course exams may have a big effect on the rigors of graduation requirements.

The Myth of Declining U.S. Schools

"The myth of declining U.S. schools: They've long been mediocre" by Jay Mathews

The Washington Post

Published online on February 11, 2011

Complete URL:  http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2011/02/myth_of_declining_us_schools.html

Mr. Mathews' column is about a Brookings Institution study by scholar Tom Loveless that debunks the myth of U.S. schools being on the decline.  Mr. Loveless states the U.S. has never led or even been close to leading in international math and science tests - as far back as 1964.  Loveless' comments differ from those stated by Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education in the latest results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in December, where Mr. Wise stated the U.S. scores had been declining for some time.  Mr. Loveless disagrees and states, "There was no sharp decline--in either the short or long run," he says. "The U.S. performance on PISA has been flat to slightly up since the test's inception, and it has improved on TIMSS [the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, another major series of tests] since 1995."  Mr. Loveless is also quoted as saying the stories of India, China and Finland having better school systems than the U.S. are a myth also and that Finland's students were actually doing better on international tests before standardized tests were instituted in their country.

Mr. Mathews then states every country has its problems with their schools and the U.S. is no exception.  We need to stop degrading our nation's schools when for the most part they have been doing a great job.  He finds it extremely ironic that the U.S. has become the most powerful country, politically, economically and militarily even though we have been among the lowest scoring countries in international tests for the last 47 years.

As new teachers, this article and the studies it quotes assists us in going into our new positions with a realistic outlook that our nation's schools are not horrible and we need not be on the defensive regarding our job or the system that employs us.  Are there problems?  Sure there are (standardized testing maybe one of them), but as we discussed in our Educational Psych Class this past Wednesday, it always seems as if we as a culture are like someone looking back at life and saying, "Wasn't life so much better then than it is now?".

Is our current testing system achieving desired results?

Nick Anderson
"Rhee faces renewed scrutiny over depiction of students’ progress when she taught”
Washington Post
February 10, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/10/AR2011021007240.html

Topic: This is basically a piece that highlights the actions of a school system chancellor. It basically magnifies a hit piece on her which was blogged by a teacher unhappy with her actions to hold teachers accountable. Whether the information of the article is factual or whether the Post should be re-printing blog information is a topic for another day.

The interesting discussion to me is the way in which the testing results of students are used and manipulated.

On one hand, it is very hard to measure whether students are meeting some basic benchmarks without testing them. On the other, the temptation for teachers and administrators to falsify, manipulate or misuse the test results is great.

As a tax payer, I like to see my money being used wisely. Although I like the intention behind the standardized testing, my hope is that some kind of reasonable balance can be met. There is importance in a grasp of facts which can be tested, but things such as creativity and innovation are much harder to measure but I believe are just as important.

Intended audience: Voters who can be swayed in regard to the chancellor and her policies.

Relevance: The discussion on the effectiveness of the current student standardized testing is at the forefront of both teachers, administrators and government watch-dog groups.

Plan to Grade Parents Flunks Out

Article Author name(s): Lisa Ann Williamson
Title of article: Plan to Grade Parents Flunks Out
Title of journal: Teaching Tolerance
Date of publication: January 28, 2011
Volume of the journal: Spring 2011
Issue number of the journal: Thirty nine
Summary: Florida representative Kellie Stargel suggest plan that allows teachers to grade parents on how well children are rested, fed and on time to class with completed assignments. Grading scale is: “satisfactory -> unsatisfactory” -> needs improvement”.
Topic: Argues that just as teachers are graded by parents, administration and the outcomes of NCLB/ standardized testing, parents should be graded as well for the amount of effort they put in to securing their children’s education. Many educators disagree with this position saying that while the idea is highly entertaining, it will lead to nothing but great battles between parent and teachers, at the sacrifice if the student. Read the posted comments for more argument.
Introduction: Author argues that in the educational system, we have student, teacher and administration accountability and best practices/ standards, yet this is a system where parents have zero accountability for the success of their own children. Proposes additional grading system for parents.
Intended audience: Educators
Key Points: While parents have greatest effect on children’s success, it is not practical to grade parenting skills as it would result in extreme tension between educators and parents, at the expense of the students.
Relevance: At the very least this article proves the point as to how preposterous it is, then, to grade teachers on student’s success. If parents are not held responsible for their own children’s learning (or at least be encouraging of the process and goals), and they are the ones who are most influential upon students, than under what reasoning are educators expected to carry the full burden of their success?

http://www.tolerance.org/blog/plan-grade-parents-flunks-out