Testing refusal rates in your district

[kimmar067]

We have 900 students and manage. It can work with proper planning.

....not in OUR school....you call 'over a period of 3 whole weeks' proper planning?

 

[Colleen27]

I know that you are against these tests. Did you ever think that instead of all of these tiny samples, you might want to wait for the actual test results?

How meaningful will that be? Three superintendents from our area were in the paper expressing their skepticism about the testing, and one of the common threads to their concerns was that cut scores won't be determined until the tests are scored. There is no "answer 70% correct and you pass" standard for these tests; it is more of a "we know that 30% of kids aren't performing at grade level by other measures, so we'll set the cutoff so 30% of kids fail this exam." That doesn't impart any new information to schools, teachers, or parents, especially when paired with the fact that the results will be presented as a number in each subject area (ie 4 in reading) without breakdown by learning objectives to identify where each student did well or struggled.

 

[kimmar067]

The 17 days are needed because the tests are computerized. So instead of whole school sitting down with pencil and paper on certain days, they testing has to be rolled out over weeks and use all the computer labs for the testing. It creates a lot of logistical issues. My son has been shifted out of several classes he has with 8th graders because they are testing; so he watched Cloudy With Meatballs 2 today instead of going to Science.

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Estimated-Testing-Times.pdf

Here's a link to the hours of testing. For 3rd grade, it's supposed to be 7 hours for the reading and math. In several grades, they also will test for science or social studies. A third grade section that was supposed to take 90 minutes took most students 3 to 4 hours, it was reported today.

....I concur. The room where I teach 33-34 students [yes, at one time] during two periods, had been converted into a 'computer lab'. So I was ousted out of my room for 3 entire weeks plus one day into a class that <legally> should only house 25-27 students....

 

[Colleen27]

17 days of testing for students K-12. 17 days equates to 3 weeks and 2 days. Based on what you quoted I'm trying to figure out how 17 days equals 8 weeks, and are the kids sitting in the computer lab every day for 17 days, or for 8 weeks of testing?

Grades 3-8 test, not all of K-12. The testing window in Michigan is 8 weeks and during that time, at least in our schools, the computer labs are entirely reserved for testing. Some of that time is allocated for make-ups that might not be needed, but it still interrupts the regular use of the labs because while testing is going on normal class activities cannot. No child is in the lab for every day of the window, but all students are missing their normal use of the labs for projects and for the computers "special" for that time.

 

[kimmar067]

Grades 3-8 test, not all of K-12. The testing window in Michigan is 8 weeks and during that time, at least in our schools, the computer labs are entirely reserved for testing. Some of that time is allocated for make-ups that might not be needed, but it still interrupts the regular use of the labs because while testing is going on normal class activities cannot. No child is in the lab for every day of the window, but all students are missing their normal use of the labs for projects and for the computers "special" for that time.

....at our middle school, the first week was allotted for the 6th graders, the 2nd for the 7th graders, and the last week for the 8th grade classes....this did not include make-ups.....of course, we've suffered some pretty bad weather, so we had to have make-up days for the make-up days!

 

[Colleen27]

Here's a link to the hours of testing. For 3rd grade, it's supposed to be 7 hours for the reading and math. In several grades, they also will test for science or social studies. A third grade section that was supposed to take 90 minutes took most students 3 to 4 hours, it was reported today.

That's what I've heard too. I talked to one mother of a 5th grader who said their first day of testing took 5 hours, between the test itself and the technical difficulties.

Even for those who support the idea of testing, surely you have to acknowledge that the level of technical problems with the online testing indicate that this was pushed out to the public before adequate operational support and testing had been done?

 

[Ceila]

What seems to keep getting lost in the shuffle is that most people opposed to THIS testing are not opposed to ALL testing in general. Personally, I have two major issues with PARCC and its use by states:

1 - Based on my experience in the classroom with the test itself, I can see that it is poorly designed. Many questions' directions are poorly written and confusing. Also, there are questions that are based on standards that are taught at a higher grade level (verified to me by several different teachers, mostly math).

2 - This concern relates to how the results will be used. At present, our state is planning to use the scores as part of some teachers' evaluations (Language Arts and Math teachers). Every child in a grade takes the exact same test. A class of all regular-ed students will likely score fairly well. A special-ed class will not. However, the teachers of those two classes will both be evaluated based on those scores with no allowance made for the level of the students in the class. Guess who will get the better ranking?

What I, and many of my colleagues, would like to see is a well-designed test, correctly aligned to the standards, that levels to the individual child and tracks growth. Measures of Academic Progress is one example of this type of test. THAT would be a fair assessment for both the students as well as their teachers.

 

[undertheradar]

To be honest, since the very loud objections in New York state are being pushed by the unions, that makes me support the tests.

 

[Tinijocaro]

What seems to keep getting lost in the shuffle is that most people opposed to THIS testing are not opposed to ALL testing in general. Personally, I have two major issues with PARCC and its use by states:

1 - Based on my experience in the classroom with the test itself, I can see that it is poorly designed. Many questions' directions are poorly written and confusing. Also, there are questions that are based on standards that are taught at a higher grade level (verified to me by several different teachers, mostly math).

2 - This concern relates to how the results will be used. At present, our state is planning to use the scores as part of some teachers' evaluations (Language Arts and Math teachers). Every child in a grade takes the exact same test. A class of all regular-ed students will likely score fairly well. A special-ed class will not. However, the teachers of those two classes will both be evaluated based on those scores with no allowance made for the level of the students in the class. Guess who will get the better ranking?

What I, and many of my colleagues, would like to see is a well-designed test, correctly aligned to the standards, that levels to the individual child and tracks growth. Measures of Academic Progress is one example of this type of test. THAT would be a fair assessment for both the students as well as their teachers.

Exactly. Seems many are fine with a poorly designed test that doesn't accurately measure student's growth or teacher performance. They are ok with districts spending millions on this. Fine by me. I choose to not be ok with that.

 

[Tinijocaro]

http://dianeravitch.net/2015/03/09/is-it-fair-to-test-3rd-graders-with-8th-grade-material/

Kevin Glynn, elementary teacher in Long Island, Néw York, analyzed the questions for third grade on the Common Core test using readability and found, to his surprise, that the language was far above the level they could understand.

“In English Language Arts tests, the grade level appropriateness of text used is a gray area. Some would argue that it is perfectly fine for third graders to be assessed using texts with readability levels of 5th and 6th graders. But even the champions of rigor must adhere to the golden rule of testing- the questions MUST be written on the grade level you are attempting to assess. It only makes sense. Students can’t answer questions that they do not understand. These tests are constructed for ALL students in a given grade level and therefore it is imperative that the questions are grade appropriate.

“As a former test developer for Pearson, PARCC, CTB, and NYSED we were never permitted to use words or vocabulary in questions that were too far above the grade level being tested (i.e. – 3rd grade questions were all constructed on grade 3 or 4). Again, the concept was simple- students cannot answer questions that they do not understand. After all, how much comprehension support is there in a test question?

“It is clear the Common Core state tests have no regard for the most widely understood testing principle- write questions that are on grade level. Look at these questions [open link to see them] from the Common Core NY state third grade ELA tests. They have questions that place 3,4, and 5 grade levels above the year being tested. Imagine giving 3rd graders 6th, 7th, and 8th grade level questions and thinking this is somehow the proper measure of their growth or their teacher’s instruction.”

Open the link to see questions that are far over the heads of third graders.

 

[nugov2]

That's what I've heard too. I talked to one mother of a 5th grader who said their first day of testing took 5 hours, between the test itself and the technical difficulties.

Even for those who support the idea of testing, surely you have to acknowledge that the level of technical problems with the online testing indicate that this was pushed out to the public before adequate operational support and testing had been done?

They could have done the paper and pencil test if technology wise they were not ready. I agree that the push to roll out all of this is way to fast and we do need a stop and reassess period for schools struggling. It still doesn't justify some of the behavior by the schools. Classes being stuffed full with higher than the legal limits is not a tests fault. It also doesn't mean the test is academically inappropriate, but technology wise it is for some districts. It also doesn't explain why the test isn't a big deal in many states. If it was inappropriate all states and districts would be in an uproar. It seems like the people who are making the most noise are in states where the stakes are high so they are trying to post all these questions out of context to make it look like it is the test when it really what the test means in some areas. I agree the high stakes is crazy in some areas, but again protest the right thing.

I met a friend last night for drinks that works at our district office. We had 2 students opt out out of close to 4,000 students. I don't think people who live outside of these high stakes areas understand how little of a deal it is in many areas. I hope that those high stakes issues get changed In those areas. I do agree they are too extreme.

 

[nugov2]

http://dianeravitch.net/2015/03/09/is-it-fair-to-test-3rd-graders-with-8th-grade-material/

Kevin Glynn, elementary teacher in Long Island, Néw York, analyzed the questions for third grade on the Common Core test using readability and found, to his surprise, that the language was far above the level they could understand.

“In English Language Arts tests, the grade level appropriateness of text used is a gray area. Some would argue that it is perfectly fine for third graders to be assessed using texts with readability levels of 5th and 6th graders. But even the champions of rigor must adhere to the golden rule of testing- the questions MUST be written on the grade level you are attempting to assess. It only makes sense. Students can’t answer questions that they do not understand. These tests are constructed for ALL students in a given grade level and therefore it is imperative that the questions are grade appropriate.

“As a former test developer for Pearson, PARCC, CTB, and NYSED we were never permitted to use words or vocabulary in questions that were too far above the grade level being tested (i.e. – 3rd grade questions were all constructed on grade 3 or 4). Again, the concept was simple- students cannot answer questions that they do not understand. After all, how much comprehension support is there in a test question?

“It is clear the Common Core state tests have no regard for the most widely understood testing principle- write questions that are on grade level. Look at these questions [open link to see them] from the Common Core NY state third grade ELA tests. They have questions that place 3,4, and 5 grade levels above the year being tested. Imagine giving 3rd graders 6th, 7th, and 8th grade level questions and thinking this is somehow the proper measure of their growth or their teacher’s instruction.”

Open the link to see questions that are far over the heads of third graders.

I just did for the 3rd grade samples. Not sure what is wrong with the syrup story and I read the math problems up to the seashell one. I honestly see nothing wrong with them. Can you point out what the issue is? Maybe I didn't read far enough through it.

 

[Ceila]

To be honest, since the very loud objections in New York state are being pushed by the unions, that makes me support the tests.

That's as stupid as the people who rally against it simply because the union tells them to.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Please feel free to skip over this article if it is too long for you. I find it very interesting.

https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpre...-the-veil-of-silence-on-standardized-testing/
This Article May Be Illegal – Lifting the Veil of Silence on Standardized Testing
April 18, 2015 stevenmsinger Corporate Education "Reform", ESEA, No Child Left Behind, Opt Out, Pennsylvania, Standardized Testingannual testing, corporate, Pennsylvania, PSSA,standardization, standardized testing




Warning!

What you are about to read may be a criminal act.

I may have broken the law by putting this information out there.

Edward Snowden leaked data about civilian surveillance. Chelsea Manning released top secret military documents.

And me? I’m leaking legal threats and intimidation students and teachers are subject to during standardized testing.

Not exactly a federal crime is it?

No. I’m asking. Is it?

Because teachers are being fired and jailed. Students are being threatened with litigation.

All because they talked about standardized tests.

The US government mandates public school children be subjected to standardized assessments in reading and math in grades 3-8 and once in high school. Most schools test much more than that – even as early as kindergarten.

And since all of these assessments are purchased from private corporations, the testing material is ideological property. The students taking these exams – regardless of age – are no longer treated as children. They are clients entering into a contract.

At the start of these tests, students are warned of the legal consequences of violating the terms of this agreement.

In particular, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests require students to read the following warning on the first day of the assessment:

DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH, COPY OR REPPRODUCE MATERIALS FROM THIS ASSESSMENT IN ANY MANNER. All material contained in this assessment is secure and copyrighted material owned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Copying of material in any manner, including the taking of a photograph, is a violation of the federal Copyright Act. Penalties for violations of the Copyright Act may include the cost of replacing the compromised test item(s) or a fine of no less than $750 up to $30,000 for a single violation. 17 U.S.C. $ 101 et seq

So the first act of testing is a threat of legal consequences and possible fines.

There are no such warnings on my own teacher-created tests. Sure I don’t want students to cheat, but I don’t threaten to take them to court if they do.

The school has a plagiarism policy in place – as just almost every public school does – which was created and approved by the local school board and administration. The first infraction merits a warning. The second one results in a zero on the assignment, and so on.

Moreover, this is something we go over once at the beginning of the year. We do not reiterate it with every test. It would be counterproductive to remind students of the dire consequences of misbehavior right before you’re asking them to perform at their peak ability.


Okay, Brady! Go out there and win us a football game! By the way, if you deflate that football, you will spend the rest of your life in jail. Go get ‘em!

But that’s not all.

In Pennsylvania, we also force kids to abide by a specific code of conduct for test takers. They must enter a quasi-legal relationship before they are even permitted to begin the tests we’re forcing them to take.

Much of this code is common sense. Get a good night’s sleep. Fill in bubbles completely using a number two pencil.

But some of it is deeply disturbing.

For example, students are told to “report any suspected cheating to your teacher or principal.”

They have to agree to be an informer or snitch to a government agency. My students aren’t old enough to vote or even drive a car, but they are directed to collaborate with the government against their classmates.

In addition, they are told NOT to:

-talk with others about questions on the test during or after the test.

-take notes about the test to share with others.

Sure kids shouldn’t talk about the test with classmates DURING the testing session. Obviously! But why can’t they discuss it after the test is over!?

Kids aren’t allowed to say to their friends, “Hey! Did you get the essay question about ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’?”

They aren’t allowed to discuss how difficult it was or compare how each of them answered the questions?

These are children. If you think they aren’t talking, then you just don’t know kids. You don’t know people!

And why shouldn’t they talk about it? They just shared a stressful, common experience. Who wouldn’t want to compare it to what others went through so as to decide how your experience rates? Did you answer the questions well or not? Did you get a more difficult question than others? Did the thing that struck you as odd also hit others the same way?

Personally, I do not consider talking like this to be cheating. It’s just human nature.

But we force kids into a legalistic vow they won’t do it. On the test, we make them fill in a bubble next to the following statement:

By marking this bubble I verify that I understand the “Code of Conduct for Test Takers” that my Test Administrator went over with me.

As a test administrator, I am not allowed to move on until all students have filled in that bubble. I wonder what would happen if one of them refused.

Technically, we aren’t making them promise TO ABIDE by the code of test takers. Perhaps we lack that legal authority. We are, however, making them swear they understand it. Thus we remove ignorance as an excuse for not following it.

But there is a veiled threat here. We imply that not following this code will have harsh legal consequences.

And I’m not sure it should.

Kids certainly ignore it. They almost definitely discuss the exam with their peers after the testing session. But we’ve given them a sense of guilt, fear and anxiety just for being normal human beings.

That’s wrong.

Teachers are forced to do it, too.

Just as there is a code for test takers, there is a code for test proctors.

I have to sign that I understand the “Ethical Standards of Test Administration.” Again, much of this is common sense, but it includes such statements as:

DO NOT:

-Discuss, disseminate or otherwise reveal contents of the test to anyone.

-Assist in, direct, aid, counsel, encourage, or fail to report any of the actions prohibited in this section.

So even teachers technically are not allowed to discuss the test and should report students or colleagues seen doing so.

If I walk into the faculty room, and one of my co-workers describes a question on the test and asks my opinion, I’m supposed to report this person to the authorities.

What kind of Orwellian nightmare are we living in?

If we see a question that is badly worded, misleading, has no correct answer, contains misspelled words – anything out of the ordinary – we’re supposed to remain silent. In fact, we’re not supposed to read anything on the test other than the instructions.

I can’t talk about it to my colleagues, my principal, my spouse, my priest – ANYONE.

What are the consequences of breaking this code?

Ask those teachers in Atlanta who were convicted of cheating. Obviously they did more than just talk about the test and they deserve to be punished. But there is a specific threat to teachers if they violate this code.

According to the “Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Directions for Administration Manuel”:

Those individuals who divulge test questions, falsify student scores, or compromise the integrity of the state assessment system in any mannerwill be subject to professional disciplinary action under the Professional Educator Discipline Act, 24 P.S. $ 2070. 1a et seq, including a private reprimand, a public reprimand, a suspension of their teaching certificate(s), a revocation of their teaching certificate(s), and/or a suspension or prohibition from being employed by a charter school. [emphasis added]

So teachers may lose our certifications, livelihoods, etc. Heck! We could be charged with racketeering like the Gambino Family and face up to 20 years in jail!

And all just for talking!

I thought speech was protected by law. Doesn’t the First Amendment protect me from prosecution for speaking except under extreme and unusual circumstances?

If my colleagues and I were to discuss the appropriateness of certain test questions, would that really be such a bad thing? If we compared the questions being asked with how we prepared our students for the test, wouldn’t that – in fact – be the responsible thing to do?

I never give my students one of my own teacher-created tests without knowing exactly what’s on it. I’ve read the test from top to bottom. Heck! I made it!

One shouldn’t feel like a whistle-blower for talking about a standardized test. Discussing the appropriateness of specific test questions does not make me Julian Assange.

Therefore, I must ask an important question of you, dear reader: Did I violate these rules by writing this very article? Is the piece you are reading right now illegal?

I contend that it isn’t. The code of conduct for both test takers and test administrators is freely available on-line from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The legal threat at the beginning of the test is reproduced almost word-for-word in a sample letter the state Department of Education suggests schools send to parents before testing begins.

I haven’t included anything here that is not freely available on the Internet or elsewhere.

But the need I feel to stop and answer this question is kind of scary.

There is a veil of secrecy over these tests and the way they are administered. And it’s no accident. The testing companies don’t want all of this to become public knowledge. They don’t want the quality or inferiority of the actual exams to be known.

And our state and federal governments are protecting them. From whom? Our teachers, parents, and students.

Shouldn’t our legislators be looking out for our rights and not just those of private contractors who were hired to provide a service? Obviously we have to allow test manufacturers the freedom to do their jobs – but some of this seems to go beyond that requirement.

We’re being silenced and intimidated to protect an industry that is of dubious qualityand obscene profitability.

Every day more people are asking questions about the validity of standardized testing. Everything from the frequency of the tests to the value of cut scores has been the subject of criticism. Thousands of parents are refusing to let their children take these assessments at all.

Isn’t it time to throw back the Iron Curtain of standardization and look at these tests in the cleansing light of day? Isn’t it time to evaluate this process as well as the product? Do we really want to support a system that encourages silence and snitching from our children and educators?

Isn’t it time to move beyond standardization and toward a system of teacher-created curriculum and testing instead of relying on capitalist profiteers.

Big Corporation is watching.

Let’s poke him in the eye.

 

[JanaDee]

17 days testing everywhere?

It is 15 days here, one week each for grades 6, 7 and 8. An hour and a half each morning. But I can only speak for my school (not in NY), other schools obviously have different protocols for testing.

 

[Kbee]

Grades 3-8 test, not all of K-12. The testing window in Michigan is 8 weeks and during that time, at least in our schools, the computer labs are entirely reserved for testing. Some of that time is allocated for make-ups that might not be needed, but it still interrupts the regular use of the labs because while testing is going on normal class activities cannot. No child is in the lab for every day of the window, but all students are missing their normal use of the labs for projects and for the computers "special" for that time.

And I'd be okay with my children missing that stuff when these tests are in session. Its 3 weeks out of a school year, and in our school, computer "special" is once every 6 days, not every day so they actually aren't missing 3 whole weeks of it.
We test for 6 days, 3 for ELA and 3 for math the following week, so students will really only miss one day, in the computer lab. I have confidence that since our teachers are aware of when the testing occurs they are not scheduling projects that require the use of the computer classrooms and therefore the students aren't missing out on doing any assigned project.
FTR, our tests are not computerized, I'm just making the point that if they were I wouldn't have a problem with this schedule.

ETA since its the first year of those tests there, there are bound to be issues. They can be worked out and IMO its not enough reason to be against the whole test.

 

[Colleen27]

And I'd be okay with my children missing that stuff when these tests are in session. Its 3 weeks out of a school year, and in our school, computer "special" is once every 6 days, not every day so they actually aren't missing 3 whole weeks of it.
We test for 6 days, 3 for ELA and 3 for math the following week, so students will really only miss one day, in the computer lab. I have confidence that since our teachers are aware of when the testing occurs they are not scheduling projects that require the use of the computer classrooms and therefore the students aren't missing out on doing any assigned project.
FTR, our tests are not computerized, I'm just making the point that if they were I wouldn't have a problem with this schedule.

ETA since its the first year of those tests there, there are bound to be issues. They can be worked out and IMO its not enough reason to be against the whole test.

It isn't 3 weeks out of the school year, though, because the whole school is using the labs. Three weeks just gets one set of students through the test, not everyone that needs to take it. The computer lab is off limits for the entire 8 week testing window, which has translated here to the once-a-week computers class (K-5) being suspended for the 4th quarter of the school year as well as to a prohibition on computer-based projects in academic subjects during the testing window and not offering the computer-based electives at the middle school for the second semester. All because the labs need to be free for testing.

Personally, I think learning how to use Office, or doing a research project supported by lessons in online research/choosing good sources, or learning basic programming are more valuable uses of the computer labs. But the people who made the decision to implement these tests probably weren't thinking about lower-income rural schools with shared computer labs; they're thinking of the affluent schools their kids or grandkids attend that have ample technological resources to administer the tests without impacting the rest of the school experience.

 

[Kbee]

It isn't 3 weeks out of the school year, though, because the whole school is using the labs. Three weeks just gets one set of students through the test, not everyone that needs to take it. The computer lab is off limits for the entire 8 week testing window, which has translated here to the once-a-week computers class (K-5) being suspended for the 4th quarter of the school year as well as to a prohibition on computer-based projects in academic subjects during the testing window and not offering the computer-based electives at the middle school for the second semester. All because the labs need to be free for testing.

Personally, I think learning how to use Office, or doing a research project supported by lessons in online research/choosing good sources, or learning basic programming are more valuable uses of the computer labs. But the people who made the decision to implement these tests probably weren't thinking about lower-income rural schools with shared computer labs; they're thinking of the affluent schools their kids or grandkids attend that have ample technological resources to administer the tests without impacting the rest of the school experience.

The blame should be those who decided to implement them that way, not the tests themselves. Who made the decision, the school board? Maybe they should all be voted out next election.

 

[nugov2]

It isn't 3 weeks out of the school year, though, because the whole school is using the labs. Three weeks just gets one set of students through the test, not everyone that needs to take it. The computer lab is off limits for the entire 8 week testing window, which has translated here to the once-a-week computers class (K-5) being suspended for the 4th quarter of the school year as well as to a prohibition on computer-based projects in academic subjects during the testing window and not offering the computer-based electives at the middle school for the second semester. All because the labs need to be free for testing.

Personally, I think learning how to use Office, or doing a research project supported by lessons in online research/choosing good sources, or learning basic programming are more valuable uses of the computer labs. But the people who made the decision to implement these tests probably weren't thinking about lower-income rural schools with shared computer labs; they're thinking of the affluent schools their kids or grandkids attend that have ample technological resources to administer the tests without impacting the rest of the school experience.

Why not do the paper version of the test. Parents knew these tests were coming down the pipe so why not help by fundraising for a mobile lab. This didn't just get sprung on every district so I do feel like some is obviously budget issues that need time to be worked out and the paper version should be given, but some is also is helplessness to further agendas. There is definitely blame on both sides.

 

[IDoDis]

The blame should be those who decided to implement them that way, not the tests themselves. Who made the decision, the school board? Maybe they should all be voted out next election.

Why not do the paper version of the test. Parents knew these tests were coming down the pipe so why not help by fundraising for a mobile lab. This didn't just get sprung on every district so I do feel like some is obviously budget issues that need time to be worked out and the paper version should be given, but some is also is helplessness to further agendas. There is definitely blame on both sides.

Comments like theses just show how uninformed some people are. If only it were that easy. Do you know who made that decision in my state? The Secretary of Education who never taught a day in her life, who is a member of Chiefs For Change and sits on the PARCC Board, who used to work under Jeb Bush, who was appointed by the governor who is a possible running mate for Jeb Bush if he decides to run for president. The State Deparrment of Ed's are stripping rights away from the school boards. The school boards have petetitioned the PED numerous times for more time to prepare, for more time to get used to the curriculum, for more time to get technology up to snuff, but it all falls on deaf ears. Your comments make me wonder if you work for Pearson. Just because it works fine in your schools (which I seriously question), doesn't make it fine for every school and every child.

We are starting on round 2 of the tests on Monday. Yes, the testing window opens again for testing at the 90% of the year mark just after a week off for spring break and three weeks in the classroom. Now we get another 3 weeks of disruptions to teaching. The first round of testing was at the 70% mark, and now we are going to be at it again. Yay for the kids and teachers!!!

For the record, I'm not against standardized tests if they are given over 3 days for a couple of hours a day at developmentally appropriate levels. That's plenty of time and plenty of information that a school district needs. I'm not for corporate take-over of public education at the expense of our kids. The amount of money being spent on testing makes me ill and using teachers as scapegoats for the ills of poor parenting and poverty in our nation is plain wrong.