Testing refusal rates in your district

[undertheradar]

Smart kids. Because why would you take an unproven test like the PARCC when a certain score on the SAT, a proven test, suffices for graduation.

All of this craziness. The SAT was new, once. Therefore it was unproven, just like the PARCC.

 

[aprilgail]

Our Jr. High had 55% refuse the testing- they had to put the refusers in the auditorium but ran out of room so they had to use the cafeteria too! My friends class had 4 kids out of 25 in her class take the test- would have been easier to move the kids taking the test into a few rooms and leave the kids not taking it in their classrooms! Not sure if this link will work but here are some numbers from long island. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...Fx25k4-_ug/htmlview?usp=docslist_api&sle=true

 

[undertheradar]

If you are so inclined, read the following. It really explains from a 1st grade teacher's point of view how education has changed since the implementation of No Child Left Behind, then Race to the Top, then Common Core. It's heartbreaking. If you read one thing, read this.

"Today was the first day of the NYS ELA tests. I must state right from the outset that my students do not take these tests. Not yet. But in two short years, they will. And yet, these tests had an effect on my students today and will continue to do so in the days to come. You see, these tests have a ripple effect. The immediate effect is that my students who receive services such as reading and resource will not receive these services for the next TWO WEEKS since the teachers who provide these services are proctoring the state tests. They will also lose services when some of these same teachers are pulled out to score the tests in the subsequent weeks. (They will lose out again when we begin the SLO testing in May, but that is for another post). The longer term effects are more devastating. You see, their education has been hijacked by these tests. Although my "Firsties" are not taking these tests yet, they are preparing for them and will continue to do so throughout their Elementary years.

When I started teaching oh so many years ago, we focused on thematic instruction and integrating all subject areas so that our students had opportunities to make connections. We taught in ways that honored many learning styles, student's individual differences and developmental stages, along with their individual needs. We understood (and still do) that each child has different intelligences and learning styles. My walls and windows of my classroom were covered with songs and poems, student artwork and artifacts of student learning. My little ones sang and read and played. We taught using literature with rich language and focused on building background knowledge. Children were encouraged to synthesize knowledge and draw conclusions using what they knew and what they were learning. We used a tremendous amount of glitter and paper and encouraged children to express themselves in ways that played to their strengths. We did projects and had lots of hands-on learning with manipulatives. I assessed through observation and working directly with students.

Over the years, we have had to move away from what we know is right for kids to what we are told we must do in order to prepare students for the tests. At first, teachers knew that we could use those tests to help identify areas where students needed further instruction and where we could improve our teaching. We accepted that our 4th and 8th grade students would be tested and we knew how to prepare them. We focused on those areas and we saw growth. We didn't like "No Child Left Behind" but we could work within it. Fast forward to "Race To The Top" and Common Core and the use of the tests to evaluate teachers. Without going into all that is wrong with this, let me just say how it has effected my little ones: My walls are no longer covered with songs and poems and artwork. That has been replaced with "anchor charts", "I can statements" and "Learning targets". We barely use construction paper and I have not purchased glitter in 3 years. There is no time for art projects or creative expression. Children can no longer choose their learning. They write to prompts and must write different genres at certain times. Math is done on paper and manipulatives are few and far between (except when I pull out the old stuff). Reading is "close reading" and answers to questions are to be solely based on the text, without synthesis of prior knowledge. Assessment is daily and must be documented along with being scripted (because Big Brother is watching). Modules are scripted, teacher led and boring for little ones. We have to have 50% of text presented as informational text. Students have to write essays before they even have automaticity of letter formation. ALL THIS IS DONE SO THEY CAN PREP FOR THE TESTS. My students will take keyboarding in 3rd grade so they can take the tests online...BEFORE SOME OF THEM EVEN HAVE THE PHYSICAL HAND SPAN TO USE A KEYBOARD.

Our littlest learners are preparing for these tests as soon as they enter school. We know that. We know that our colleagues in grades 3-8 depend on us to lay the foundation. We know that our little ones are being used as weapons to help destroy public education. We know that they cannot possibly do well on these tests as they are written 2-3 grade levels above their current grade level and that an arbitrary "cut score" will be determined AFTER the tests are scored to manipulate the data. We know that we cannot discuss these tests and that they cannot be used to inform instruction nor to inform us of our students' progress. These tests are solely being used to create false data about our students and our schools. They are being used to make our public schools look as though they are "failing" and that our teachers are incompetent. They are creating a pressure cooker atmosphere.

Our Bully of a governor wants to turn our public schools into For-profit Charter schools (which are little more than test prep factories that do NOT have transparency of finances). He is beholden to his hedge fund donors and his big $ donors. In addition, he has publicly stated that he wants to break the teacher's union. Our children's education has been hijacked. Our teachers are being abused by an agenda that puts money over what is right for kids. Our society's future is being manipulated to create a country where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, both in terms of dollars and education and opportunities. The simple fact that the private schools where the children of the elite attend do not have to participate in these tests or this curriculum, is very telling.

Today's refusal numbers are encouraging. This is a lesson in civil rights and civil disobedience. We are teaching our children that they have a way of changing what is wrong in our government and our society through nonviolent means. We are teaching them that they have a voice. We are showing them that we can all create change. We are also showing them how to stand up to Bullies. And THAT is a great lesson that no amount of test prep can compare to."

I'm sorry, who wrote this long winded essay?

 

[WorldWacky]

I'm in East Islip

I don't think Longwood will post their opt out percentage. I would love to know what it is though.

 

[undertheradar]

Seriously? Now testing is equated to bullying?

 

[Kbee]

Just found the info for my district, 39% opted out

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Beats me. Don't care.

 

[WorldWacky]

Seriously? Now testing is equated to bullying?

The way it's being used in New York, it sure feels that way, yes.

 

[nugov2]

I call BS on that 1st grade teacher article. I stopped reading when she said her students wouldn't receive services for 2 weeks. Right then I knew it was propaganda. It is illegal to violate a child's IEP. There is no way students could be blocked those services for 2 weeks. It is crap like that article that make me question if there isn't an alternative motive behind the opt out. I get some states have taken high stakes to a whole new level and that is why only a few states are seeing this movement, but if you want to be taken seriously in your cause IMO fear mongering doesn't work and that is what these extreme scenarios do and honestly make the people who write them (I am referring to the hypothetical 1st grade teacher not the poster) look unreliable.

 

[JanaDee]

It is a very big movement in NY right now because of the way Cuomo is using them, and the fact that they are not well written. Student's performance on them now accounts for 50% of a teacher's evaluation, which many think is unfair.

I think most people agree kids should be tested. But the tests should make sense, and teachers should have some idea of what is on them. (Right now they do not, so preparing students for them has been a challenge.)

Cuomo wants 50% of a teacher's eval to be based on if their kid's scored improved. (Not passed.. improved. So if you get a 98% one year and a 96% the next it counts against the teacher.)

I believe then 30% is an outsider watching one lesson, and 20% from the school principal who actually knows the teacher. I don't think the opt-out is as much about the test as it is a support for NY teachers. Overall, poverty is what contributes to low test scores, not poor teaching. He is not focusing on that, and instead is throwing very hard working, underpaid, under-appreciated people under the bus to further his agenda of having big business run the schools.

We are in the town next to Fairport that seems to be leading the upstate revolt. My son is in 8th grade and said his class was about 1/2 full. He also said the test was very choppy. Every question said, "go back and read line __" and it was difficult to flip back and forth.

This is a famous question from my DDs 8th grade test. (I kid you not.) There have even been t-shirts designed with the moral as the tag line. Enjoy!



The Hare and the Pineapple

by Daniel Pinkwater

In olden times, the animals of the forest could speak English just like you and me. One day, a pineapple challenged a hare to a race.

(I forgot to mention, fruits and vegetables were able to speak too.)

A hare is like a rabbit, only skinnier and faster. This particular hare was known to be the fastest animal in the forest.

"You, a pineapple have the nerve to challenge me, a hare, to a race," the hare asked the pineapple. "This must be some sort of joke."

"No," said the pineapple. "I want to race you. Twenty-six miles, and may the best animal win."

"You aren't even an animal!" the hare said. "You're a tropical fruit!"

"Well, you know what I mean," the pineapple said.


The animals of the forest thought it was very strange that tropical fruit should want to race a very fast animal.

"The pineapple has some trick up its sleeve," a moose said.

Pineapples don't have sleeves, an owl said

"Well, you know what I mean," the moose said. "If a pineapple challenges a hare to a race, it must be that the pineapple knows some secret trick that will allow it to win."

"The pineapple probably expects us to root for the hare and then look like fools when it loses," said a crow. "Then the pineapple will win the race because the hare is overconfident and takes a nap, or gets lost, or something."

The animals agreed that this made sense. There was no reason a pineapple should challenge a hare unless it had a clever plan of some sort. So the animals, wanting to back a winner, all cheered for the pineapple.

When the race began, the hare sprinted forward and was out of sight in less than a minute. The pineapple just sat there, never moving an inch.

The animals crowded around watching to see how the pineapple was going to cleverly beat the hare. Two hours later when the hare cross the finish line, the pineapple was still sitting still and hadn't moved an inch.

The animals ate the pineapple.

MORAL: Pineapples don't have sleeves

And the two questions:

1. Why did the animals eat the pineapple?
a. they were annoyed
b. they were amused
c. they were hungry
d. they wanted to

2. Who was the wisest?
a. the hare
b. moose
c. crow
d. owl

WTH kind of question is that? I have a bachelors degree and can't answer those?!

 

[lauradis]

If you are so inclined, read the following. It really explains from a 1st grade teacher's point of view how education has changed since the implementation of No Child Left Behind, then Race to the Top, then Common Core. It's heartbreaking. If you read one thing, read this.

"Today was the first day of the NYS ELA tests. I must state right from the outset that my students do not take these tests. Not yet. But in two short years, they will. And yet, these tests had an effect on my students today and will continue to do so in the days to come. You see, these tests have a ripple effect. The immediate effect is that my students who receive services such as reading and resource will not receive these services for the next TWO WEEKS since the teachers who provide these services are proctoring the state tests. They will also lose services when some of these same teachers are pulled out to score the tests in the subsequent weeks. (They will lose out again when we begin the SLO testing in May, but that is for another post). The longer term effects are more devastating. You see, their education has been hijacked by these tests. Although my "Firsties" are not taking these tests yet, they are preparing for them and will continue to do so throughout their Elementary years.

When I started teaching oh so many years ago, we focused on thematic instruction and integrating all subject areas so that our students had opportunities to make connections. We taught in ways that honored many learning styles, student's individual differences and developmental stages, along with their individual needs. We understood (and still do) that each child has different intelligences and learning styles. My walls and windows of my classroom were covered with songs and poems, student artwork and artifacts of student learning. My little ones sang and read and played. We taught using literature with rich language and focused on building background knowledge. Children were encouraged to synthesize knowledge and draw conclusions using what they knew and what they were learning. We used a tremendous amount of glitter and paper and encouraged children to express themselves in ways that played to their strengths. We did projects and had lots of hands-on learning with manipulatives. I assessed through observation and working directly with students.

Over the years, we have had to move away from what we know is right for kids to what we are told we must do in order to prepare students for the tests. At first, teachers knew that we could use those tests to help identify areas where students needed further instruction and where we could improve our teaching. We accepted that our 4th and 8th grade students would be tested and we knew how to prepare them. We focused on those areas and we saw growth. We didn't like "No Child Left Behind" but we could work within it. Fast forward to "Race To The Top" and Common Core and the use of the tests to evaluate teachers. Without going into all that is wrong with this, let me just say how it has effected my little ones: My walls are no longer covered with songs and poems and artwork. That has been replaced with "anchor charts", "I can statements" and "Learning targets". We barely use construction paper and I have not purchased glitter in 3 years. There is no time for art projects or creative expression. Children can no longer choose their learning. They write to prompts and must write different genres at certain times. Math is done on paper and manipulatives are few and far between (except when I pull out the old stuff). Reading is "close reading" and answers to questions are to be solely based on the text, without synthesis of prior knowledge. Assessment is daily and must be documented along with being scripted (because Big Brother is watching). Modules are scripted, teacher led and boring for little ones. We have to have 50% of text presented as informational text. Students have to write essays before they even have automaticity of letter formation. ALL THIS IS DONE SO THEY CAN PREP FOR THE TESTS. My students will take keyboarding in 3rd grade so they can take the tests online...BEFORE SOME OF THEM EVEN HAVE THE PHYSICAL HAND SPAN TO USE A KEYBOARD.

Our littlest learners are preparing for these tests as soon as they enter school. We know that. We know that our colleagues in grades 3-8 depend on us to lay the foundation. We know that our little ones are being used as weapons to help destroy public education. We know that they cannot possibly do well on these tests as they are written 2-3 grade levels above their current grade level and that an arbitrary "cut score" will be determined AFTER the tests are scored to manipulate the data. We know that we cannot discuss these tests and that they cannot be used to inform instruction nor to inform us of our students' progress. These tests are solely being used to create false data about our students and our schools. They are being used to make our public schools look as though they are "failing" and that our teachers are incompetent. They are creating a pressure cooker atmosphere.

Our Bully of a governor wants to turn our public schools into For-profit Charter schools (which are little more than test prep factories that do NOT have transparency of finances). He is beholden to his hedge fund donors and his big $ donors. In addition, he has publicly stated that he wants to break the teacher's union. Our children's education has been hijacked. Our teachers are being abused by an agenda that puts money over what is right for kids. Our society's future is being manipulated to create a country where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, both in terms of dollars and education and opportunities. The simple fact that the private schools where the children of the elite attend do not have to participate in these tests or this curriculum, is very telling.

Today's refusal numbers are encouraging. This is a lesson in civil rights and civil disobedience. We are teaching our children that they have a way of changing what is wrong in our government and our society through nonviolent means. We are teaching them that they have a voice. We are showing them that we can all create change. We are also showing them how to stand up to Bullies. And THAT is a great lesson that no amount of test prep can compare to."

So basically what your thinking common core will do is turn public school in to for profit schools, just like they turned the jail system several years ago into a for profit system.

 

[undertheradar]

I call BS on that 1st grade teacher article. I stopped reading when she said her students wouldn't receive services for 2 weeks. Right then I knew it was propaganda. It is illegal to violate a child's IEP. There is no way students could be blocked those services for 2 weeks. It is crap like that article that make me question if there isn't an alternative motive behind the opt out. I get some states have taken high stakes to a whole new level and that is why only a few states are seeing this movement, but if you want to be taken seriously in your cause IMO fear mongering doesn't work and that is what these extreme scenarios do and honestly make the people who write them (I am referring to the hypothetical 1st grade teacher not the poster) look unreliable.

They have the solution. The educators need to design the tests. Sort of like letting a thief run a neighborhood watch. The standard complaint is that corporations are producing these tests. Guess what? The teachers unions are big corporations. This is why the entire movement is so fake. The opt outs want to use different testing, so all of this complaining is simply posturing to redirect test money to the groups pushing this grass roots campaign. FairTest.org is simply pushing to have testing it helps develop become the standard.

 

[lauradis]

I call BS on that 1st grade teacher article. I stopped reading when she said her students wouldn't receive services for 2 weeks. Right then I knew it was propaganda. It is illegal to violate a child's IEP. There is no way students could be blocked those services for 2 weeks. It is crap like that article that make me question if there isn't an alternative motive behind the opt out. I get some states have taken high stakes to a whole new level and that is why only a few states are seeing this movement, but if you want to be taken seriously in your cause IMO fear mongering doesn't work and that is what these extreme scenarios do and honestly make the people who write them (I am referring to the hypothetical 1st grade teacher not the poster) look unreliable.

Well let me tell you services can be stop for IEP, without consent, been there done that. It wasn't a pleasant meeting after either.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I call BS on that 1st grade teacher article. I stopped reading when she said her students wouldn't receive services for 2 weeks. Right then I knew it was propaganda. It is illegal to violate a child's IEP. There is no way students could be blocked those services for 2 weeks. It is crap like that article that make me question if there isn't an alternative motive behind the opt out. I get some states have taken high stakes to a whole new level and that is why only a few states are seeing this movement, but if you want to be taken seriously in your cause IMO fear mongering doesn't work and that is what these extreme scenarios do and honestly make the people who write them (I am referring to the hypothetical 1st grade teacher not the poster) look unreliable.

That wasn't an article. It was written on our opt out group on FB by a local teacher-it was a vent and many other teachers expressed similar thoughts. Several of us asked if we could share it.

You can believe what you want but absolutely at our schools all hands are on deck to be sure these tests are given. For two solid weeks. IEP's are violated constantly. In my schools. Also, Special Ed and Reading teachers are continually asked to sub in the classroom throughout the school year. (for some reason our district and many neighboring districts can't get subs?). Those children with IEP's and who need reading help are doing without their services. I don't know if the parents know. I hope they do. Anyways, kids with IEP's are required to take the same tests as kids without IEP's. Even though their IEP's say tests must be read to them (or test questions?), on the state tests, these kids are on their own. No one is allowed to help these children even though they receive support during the rest of the school year. It's ridiculous. This is not BS because I see it every day.

Recently on this FB group, a special ed teacher posted that she was very concerned for her students who would not be receiving services during the two weeks of testing. She was looking for advice on how she could handle letting the parents know without getting into trouble with her administrators. I tried to find it but it was from a few days ago.

If this all sounds like BS, I wish it was. Cuomo is killing public education in NY and we are not going down without a fight.

 

[Tinijocaro]

WTH kind of question is that? I have a bachelors degree and can't answer those?!

Today at lunch the 3rd grade teachers were discussing several of the questions and none of them could say with confidence that they knew the correct answer. This is the problem. Third grade tests that their teachers can't even come up with the answers for.

 

[nugov2]

Well let me tell you services can be stop for IEP, without consent, been there done that. It wasn't a pleasant meeting after either.

Legally they cannot even if the actually do it. I believe they do not follow IEPs from time to time without intervention, but nothing on the scale the article is implying. No way they are stopping services for all stdents and reassigning resource teachers to other tasks in a district for 2+ weeks like Mrs. First Grade is implying without a major legal battle on their hands. Don't believe it for one second a district would risk that.

 

[nugov2]

No offense but if you guys really want to fight refuse to ignore your obligation to refuse services to these children. You cannot lose your job by following the law and if it came to light resources teachers are being told to ignore the law I'd imagine the administrator would be the ones losing your jobs. Why don't you tell those teachers to take that stand. IMO that is the right thing to do.

 

[Tinijocaro]

So basically what your thinking common core will do is turn public school in to for profit schools, just like they turned the jail system several years ago into a for profit system.

No, I'm not thinking it. It is already happening. Look up Success Charter Schools. Not sure if it's Common Core but it sure is Cuomo who is beating the Charter school drum. Have you not heard about this in the news? Are you in New York?

 

[Tinijocaro]

Legally they cannot even if the actually do it. I believe they do not follow IEPs from time to time without intervention, but nothing on the scale the article is implying. No way they are stopping services for all stdents and reassigning resource teachers to other tasks in a district for 2+ weeks like Mrs. First Grade is implying without a major legal battle on their hands. Don't believe it for one second a district would risk that.

You are wrong. Plain and simple. They don't announce it, it just happens. Either parents don't know or don't care. I like to think that if parents knew, there would be a major legal battle. I don't have special needs kids but if I did and I found out they weren't getting their services, you bet there would be trouble.

 

[Tinijocaro]

No offense but if you guys really want to fight refuse to ignore your obligation to refuse services to these children. You cannot lose your job by following the law and if it came to light resources teachers are being told to ignore the law I'd imagine the administrator would be the ones losing your jobs. Why don't you tell those teachers to take that stand. IMO that is the right thing to do.

I think we actually agree here.