Who is refusing Common Core tests for 3rd-8th graders?

[IDoDis]

This is a very hot button issue in my state where the PARCC starts tomorrow. Many people around here aside from those in education had no idea of the ramifications of this test for high school students until recently. First, let me begin by saying the test is not developmentally appropriate. The Lexile reading and comprehension level on the 9th grade ELA part of the test is at a college level. The elementary kids in 4th grade will be reading passages, answering, synthesizing, and writing essays at a 6th grade level. The test is all on the computer, including the math. I don't know about you, but when I'm solving multi-step math problems, I prefer paper pencil and not dragging and dropping numbers and using an online calculator. Just writing out fractions on the computer where one has to drag and drop each numerator and denominator takes 3 times longer than writing it. These tests are timed.

When New York piloted a similar test, only 30% of the students in the entire state passed. In my state, if freshman, sophomores, and juniors don't pass all three years of the exams, they don't get a diploma. They will only get a certificate of completion. 50% of the scores count towards a teacher's evaluation. If a teacher gets 2 minimally effective or ineffective ratings they lose their teaching license. I teach kids with disabilities who don't have a chance at passing these tests. My heart hurts for them. The tests won't provide any information back to the teacher to improve. The teacher won't know which areas were weak. The scores don't even come back until the following out/Nov and are the essays are scored by people hired on Craigslist under timed constraints because time is money! The teacher can't control students who don't study, do homework, and who don't show up to class. It's a mess!

There have been numerous protests here and high school students across the state are threatening to walk out tomorrow morning. I hope they don't! I've told my DS who is a sophomore that he needs to sit for the 12.5 hours (yes, you read that right) of testing if he wants a diploma. However, if he were in elementary or high school, you'd better believe I'd be opting him out. The test is not about making our schools better. They are about $$$$ and nothing more. My state has spent 13.5 million on this, yet there isn't money for elementary summer school this year, so schools have to offer after school tutoring groups for 2 hours a week with up to 10 students per group until the end of the school year instead of summer school, yet over 13 million went into this test.

Take an online practice test and see if you can pass the 11th grade ELA and Math tests. Many can't!

http://www.parcconline.org/take-the-test

BTW, PARCC spelled backward is what this test is!

 

[nugov2]

Well, then those districts are pretty stupid and I would be moving.

Come to our district. Our superintendent has already said that no teacher or school will be affected by these tests. They administer them because they have to, but teachers will not be evaluated by them. Our school still takes responsibility for the hiring of good teachers, not some billion dollar company. Our district still takes responsibility for the education of our children.

Our arts are thriving in our schools. In elementary and middle schools, the students get art 1 day a week (one hour), and music and pe 2x per week. So no billion dollar company is affecting our arts.

Our school spent exactly 1.5 hours prepping for these tests last week. 1 hour on the LA, just going over the practice tests. And the prep was actually a great review on the writing they have been doing. The teacher was positive, saying things like "You all know how to write a good topic sentence, right?" and then spent a few minutes reviewing the basic parts of a paragraph. Then the students had a half hour to play around on the practice site to learn how to move. They spent a half hour going over how to do the math. There has been no prepping for days and days and days. So no billion dollar company is affecting class teaching time. Science and Social Studies have not suffered. In fact, one grade is doing a fun unit on the pioneers.

If your district is allowing a billion dollar company to call the shots, you have a bigger problem with your Superintendent and your school board.

Another district doing it right!! So good to see there are a lot out there who are doing it right. Your district sounds similar to the ones in our area. I asked my dd a lot if they were doing stuff for PARCC b/c of the ridiculous amounts of times I saw people posting on social media about hours wasted in class. They did very little review at all. Even more reason the parents opting out should be focusing on change within their district. Asking them to write their own curriculum, put faith in their teachers that a curriculum written for their students not pre purchased will give their students the tools they need to succeed. They won't need ridiculous hours reviewing. I'd say stop worrying about opting out of testing and instead opt into advocating for your students in the district and what is in their best interest on things that can be changed and sadly testing isn't going to be one of them anytime soon(even if PARCC goes away another test will be waiting in its place). Don't fight the people trying to help your kids, instead work with them to make it better.

 

[already]

The test is all on the computer, including the math. I don't know about you, but when I'm solving multi-step math problems, I prefer paper pencil and not dragging and dropping numbers and using an online calculator. Just writing out fractions on the computer where one has to drag and drop each numerator and denominator takes 3 times longer than writing it. These tests are timed.

Our district starts PARCC on Tuesday. They are using a paper test for the math part. It is available for the asking.

 

[shelly3girls]

I normally do not mind standardized tests. I always felt in the past that it wasn't a big deal. My kids take the ERBs and I have never had an issue with them. The public schools in our state begin the PARCC tests this year so I went online to see the practice tests to see why everyone was freaking out. I have to say they are horrific. The fine motor skills required to enter math answers seems very challenging for elementary kids. The specific format required for the answers seems like it will take significant class time to prepare. Most importantly, the kids will be tested on material that is not even appropriate for their age/level unless they are advanced. What many people do not realize is that the tests are not even required for high school as a minimal SAT score will replace the test (400 per section I believe).

I am really disappointed that my state chose to go with this particular test. The tests are poorly written and require so much test prep that it will take significant class time away from real learning. I agreed with so many other people on this thread about needing to learn to take important tests but this test I just cannot agree with. The parents I know who are refusing the test are doing it because they took the sample tests themselves and feel they are not appropriate for their children.

Also, our small district did not have the technological resources to guarantee that the kids would not experience problems with internet connections. It is costing our town a fortune to upgrade the systems just for this test. We don't have enough computers so more needed to be purchased and the tests are drawn out so one grade at a time will take them. The kids may benefit from the computers in the long run but our district really did not have the money for this type of investment.

 

[nugov2]

This is a very hot button issue in my state where the PARCC starts tomorrow. Many people around here aside from those in education had no idea of the ramifications of this test for high school students until recently. First, let me begin by saying the test is not developmentally appropriate. The Lexile reading and comprehension level on the 9th grade ELA part of the test is at a college level. The elementary kids in 4th grade will be reading passages, answering, synthesizing, and writing essays at a 6th grade level. The test is all on the computer, including the math. I don't know about you, but when I'm solving multi-step math problems, I prefer paper pencil and not dragging and dropping numbers and using an online calculator. Just writing out fractions on the computer where one has to drag and drop each numerator and denominator takes 3 times longer than writing it. These tests are timed.

When New York piloted a similar test, only 30% of the students in the entire state passed. In my state, if freshman, sophomores, and juniors don't pass all three years of the exams, they don't get a diploma. They will only get a certificate of completion. 50% of the scores count towards a teacher's evaluation. If a teacher gets 2 minimally effective or ineffective ratings they lose their teaching license. I teach kids with disabilities who don't have a chance at passing these tests. My heart hurts for them. The tests won't provide any information back to the teacher to improve. The teacher won't know which areas were weak. The scores don't even come back until the following out/Nov and are the essays are scored by people hired on Craigslist under timed constraints because time is money! The teacher can't control students who don't study, do homework, and who don't show up to class. It's a mess!

There have been numerous protests here and high school students across the state are threatening to walk out tomorrow morning. I hope they don't! I've told my DS who is a sophomore that he needs to sit for the 12.5 hours (yes, you read that right) of testing if he wants a diploma. However, if he were in elementary or high school, you'd better believe I'd be opting him out. The test is not about making our schools better. They are about $$$$ and nothing more. My state has spent 13.5 million on this, yet there isn't money for elementary summer school this year, so schools have to offer after school tutoring groups for 2 hours a week with up to 10 students per group until the end of the school year instead of summer school, yet over 13 million went into this test.

Take an online practice test and see if you can pass the 11th grade ELA and Math tests. Many can't!

http://www.parcconline.org/take-the-test

BTW, PARCC spelled backward is what this test is!

Not true, they can use paper and pencil to solve problems or our district is allowing it, some schools are still taking the paper/pencil version. My dd said they are supposed to use the computer generated calculator, but they can use scrap paper/graph paper. I took the sample test and found nothing wrong with it, typical standardized test for our area. Is it great, nope...inappropriate, nope. It has the students read a typical story that we saw in testing previous to this one. For example it gave a list of characters from the story and stated they were cross because they couldn't find what they were looking for. Then a question that asks what does cross mean in the story: excited, lost, upset or scared. I don't see what is inappropriate about that and the other questions that went along with the story. I was a third grade teacher and that story is on par with a typical third grade reading level. I gave our previous state test to third graders and read what they were being asked and nothing on this test is that different from what our students in our state were tested on. Now maybe some state testing was at a much lower level or below grade level in the past compared to other states, but for our state is is the same.

I am just curious where you get the information that the lexile of 4th is at a 6th grade level? Is that from their website or an anti PARCC website. I even had my second grader read the example for 4th grade and he was able to read it(not saying that means it is lower, but there is no way that sample I read was a 6th grade lexile). I can't find anything that says the lexile level of the test other than websites claiming they leveled the test themselves. One anti website says:

Many analysts say that mass failure is precisely the goal of the people who designed the Common Core tests: if they define “mastery” as reading and doing math two grades above current grade level, then by definition all but a tiny fraction of students will fail, and these “experts” can proclaim that public education is a failure and must be abolished.

“It’s an evil plan worthy of an evil genius.”

Here is the sample PARCC has online, and it is nothing close to a 6th grade lexile level which is between 800-1050. For reference Harry Potter is 880(so the low end of an average 6th grader) and I can't say I'd fine this sample below similar to a passage from HP. Besides the names being difficult(which is common in testing/text books which I have always found odd) I think it seems on par.


http://epat-parcc.testnav.com/client/index.html#getitem/7967

 

[IDoDis]

While I'm not wild about some of the time lost in testing, high stakes testing in the lower grades is NOTHING compared to what they can face in high school and college. Many of my son's classes at the U are midterm, final, and maybe a project or something like that. So there is a real need for him (and a lot of other college students) to be able to handle testing that covers a lot of material without overly stressing. We pretty much considered early standardized testing as practice for the future, nothing more. I mean, it's not like there are real ramifications if you don't hit it out of the park or anything. By the time they hit high school and college (if they go that route) testing well is a huge help if not a necessity.

Yes, there are REAL ramifications for students who don't pass. Right now several states are not counting the tests against students as it is brand new, but some states are and my state is one of them. Your state will follow suit in a year or two. This has been in the media. Arnie Duncan called for a moratorium on how the tests will be counted toward graduation to let students and teachers get used to the new curriculum and new test, but he left that up to the states. My state's sec of Ed said we are moving full throttle ahead which means the tests count!

Another district doing it right!! So good to see there are a lot out there who are doing it right. Your district sounds similar to the ones in our area. I asked my dd a lot if they were doing stuff for PARCC b/c of the ridiculous amounts of times I saw people posting on social media about hours wasted in class. They did very little review at all. Even more reason the parents opting out should be focusing on change within their district. Asking them to write their own curriculum, put faith in their teachers that a curriculum written for their students not pre purchased will give their students the tools they need to succeed. They won't need ridiculous hours reviewing. I'd say stop worrying about opting out of testing and instead opt into advocating for your students in the district and what is in their best interest on things that can be changed and sadly testing isn't going to be one of them anytime soon(even if PARCC goes away another test will be waiting in its place). Don't fight the people trying to help your kids, instead work with them to make it better.

It's all up to the state govt, not the teachers and districts.

Our district starts PARCC on Tuesday. They are using a paper test for the math part. It is available for the asking.

Not so! The paper/pencil tests cost a lot more. Your state had the money to pay for paper/pencil (which is being accepted this year only for those states who can pay for it). My state did not pay the extra, so it's online except for 3rd grade due to the number of computers needed within the testing time-frame.

Not true, they can use paper and pencil to solve problems or our district is allowing it, some schools are still taking the paper/pencil version. My dd said they are supposed to use the computer generated calculator, but they can use scrap paper/graph paper. I took the sample test and found nothing wrong with it, typical standardized test for our area. Is it great, nope...inappropriate, nope. It has the students read a typical story that we saw in testing previous to this one. For example it gave a list of characters from the story and stated they were cross because they couldn't find what they were looking for. Then a question that asks what does cross mean in the story: excited, lost, upset or scared. I don't see what is inappropriate about that and the other questions that went along with the story. I was a third grade teacher and that story is on par with a typical third grade reading level. I gave our previous state test to third graders and read what they were being asked and nothing on this test is that different from what our students in our state were tested on. Now maybe some state testing was at a much lower level or below grade level in the past compared to other states, but for our state is is the same.

I am just curious where you get the information that the lexile of 4th is at a 6th grade level? Is that from their website or an anti PARCC website. I even had my second grader read the example for 4th grade and he was able to read it(not saying that means it is lower, but there is no way that sample I read was a 6th grade lexile). I can't find anything that says the lexile level of the test other than websites claiming they leveled the test themselves. One anti website says:

Many analysts say that mass failure is precisely the goal of the people who designed the Common Core tests: if they define “mastery” as reading and doing math two grades above current grade level, then by definition all but a tiny fraction of students will fail, and these “experts” can proclaim that public education is a failure and must be abolished.

“It’s an evil plan worthy of an evil genius.”

Here is the sample PARCC has online, and it is nothing close to a 6th grade lexile level which is between 800-1050. For reference Harry Potter is 880(so the low end of an average 6th grader) and I can't say I'd fine this sample below similar to a passage from HP. Besides the names being difficult(which is common in testing/text books which I have always found odd) I think it seems on par.

http://epat-parcc.testnav.com/client/index.html#getitem/7967

The students are allowed a piece of paper, a pencil, and a crayon. That's it! They still have to show all of their work and have keyboarding skills to type out their answers to explain how they got the answer and they must still drag and drop on the computer to show their work with manipulatives. They must scroll back left-right to see everything as it all won't show up in the screen. This is not a typical multiple choice test. The first wave of PARCC that starts tomorrow is mostly short answer and essay. The end-of-year PARCC given in May is more multiple choice.

Finding a Lexile score is easy and has been done with the practice tests by many many people.

The following is a list of some of the sample items analyzed:

Passage 1 Abigail Smith Adams 1744-1818_1220L (Ind Rdg 1320L)
Passage 2 Abigail Adams Braintree March 31,1776_1130L (Ind Rdg 1230L)
Passage 3 John Adams July 03, 1776_1370L (Ind Rdg 1470L)
Sample Item #1—Part A_1020L (Ind Rdg 1120L)
Sample Item #1—Part B_1540L (Ind Rdg 1640L)
Sample Item #2—Part A_730L (Ind Rdg 830L)
Sample Item #2—Part B_1920L (Ind Rdg 2020L)
Sample Item #3—Part A_2140L (Ind Rdg 2240L)
Sample Item #3—Part B_1070L (Ind Rdg 1170L)

A Lexile analyzer is available at www.lexile.com to confirm these findings.

ETA: Testing times allowed per grade level. And who on earth thinks it's necessary for an 11th grader to spend almost 15 hours testing! The ACT is only 4 hours which gives plenty of info regarding college readiness.

Grade 3: 12 hours.

Grade 4 : 14 hours.

Grade 5: 14 hours.

Grade 6 : 14.25 hours.

Grade 7 : 14.25 hours.

Grade 8 : 14.25 hours.

Grade 9 : 14.65 hours.

Grade 10 : 14.65 hours.

Grade 11 : 14.95 hours.

 

[HeatherC]

I don't really have a problem with standardized tests. The problem is that the majority of the school year is spent teaching towards these tests. I know this for a fact since I work in an elementary school. Each and every day you hear teachers showing the kids how to answer questions for MCAS....what will be on MCAS ...how they must structure a math or English answer so it is correct for MCAS. Who cares if a kid doesn't fill in a graphic organizer the exact right way before answering an essay question. Some kids may find them helpful. But a lot also find them to be of little help and extra time consuming.

Why does a math problem have to be broken down six ways to Sunday for it to be considered done the right way?

Whatever happened to creative learning? These tests leave little to no room for that during a typical school day. I always say parents would be really shocked to see just how much of the school year revolves around these tests. When you are in the classrooms every day you really see it. Part of me thinks every parent should just make a stand and decline taking them. The only ones benefitting from them are the companies who develop the tests.

On the other hand, kids are so used to them that for most they are a normal part of their school life. I never refused them for my kids. but I do think they have now become beyond ridiculous as a tool to measure success.

 

[Ceila]

The following is a list of some of the sample items analyzed:

Passage 1 Abigail Smith Adams 1744-1818_1220L (Ind Rdg 1320L)
Passage 2 Abigail Adams Braintree March 31,1776_1130L (Ind Rdg 1230L)
Passage 3 John Adams July 03, 1776_1370L (Ind Rdg 1470L)
Sample Item #1—Part A_1020L (Ind Rdg 1120L)
Sample Item #1—Part B_1540L (Ind Rdg 1640L)
Sample Item #2—Part A_730L (Ind Rdg 830L)
Sample Item #2—Part B_1920L (Ind Rdg 2020L)
Sample Item #3—Part A_2140L (Ind Rdg 2240L)
Sample Item #3—Part B_1070L (Ind Rdg 1170L)

A Lexile analyzer is available at www.lexile.com to confirm these findings.

I wouldn't put much, if any, faith in Lexile scores. MetaMetrics, the company behind Lexiles, is a for-profit "education" company I'd love to see go out of business.

 

[penn19]

I would wonder about the test that used that example. I always thought "cross" meant angry or sullen?

Not true, they can use paper and pencil to solve problems or our district is allowing it, some schools are still taking the paper/pencil version. My dd said they are supposed to use the computer generated calculator, but they can use scrap paper/graph paper. I took the sample test and found nothing wrong with it, typical standardized test for our area. Is it great, nope...inappropriate, nope. It has the students read a typical story that we saw in testing previous to this one. For example it gave a list of characters from the story and stated they were cross because they couldn't find what they were looking for. Then a question that asks what does cross mean in the story: excited, lost, upset or scared. I don't see what is inappropriate about that and the other questions that went along with the story. I was a third grade teacher and that story is on par with a typical third grade reading level. I gave our previous state test to third graders and read what they were being asked and nothing on this test is that different from what our students in our state were tested on. Now maybe some state testing was at a much lower level or below grade level in the past compared to other states, but for our state is is the same.

I am just curious where you get the information that the lexile of 4th is at a 6th grade level? Is that from their website or an anti PARCC website. I even had my second grader read the example for 4th grade and he was able to read it(not saying that means it is lower, but there is no way that sample I read was a 6th grade lexile). I can't find anything that says the lexile level of the test other than websites claiming they leveled the test themselves. One anti website says:

Many analysts say that mass failure is precisely the goal of the people who designed the Common Core tests: if they define “mastery” as reading and doing math two grades above current grade level, then by definition all but a tiny fraction of students will fail, and these “experts” can proclaim that public education is a failure and must be abolished.

“It’s an evil plan worthy of an evil genius.”

Here is the sample PARCC has online, and it is nothing close to a 6th grade lexile level which is between 800-1050. For reference Harry Potter is 880(so the low end of an average 6th grader) and I can't say I'd fine this sample below similar to a passage from HP. Besides the names being difficult(which is common in testing/text books which I have always found odd) I think it seems on par.


http://epat-parcc.testnav.com/client/index.html#getitem/7967

 

[nugov2]

Yes, there are REAL ramifications for students who don't pass. Right now several states are not counting the tests against students as it is brand new, but some states are and my state is one of them. Your state will follow suit in a year or two. This has been in the media. Arnie Duncan called for a moratorium on how the tests will be counted toward graduation to let students and teachers get used to the new curriculum and new test, but he left that up to the states. My state's sec of Ed said we are moving full throttle ahead which means the tests count!



It's all up to the state govt, not the teachers and districts.



Not so! The paper/pencil tests cost a lot more. Your state had the money to pay for paper/pencil (which is being accepted this year only for those states who can pay for it). My state did not pay the extra, so it's online except for 3rd grade due to the number of computers needed within the testing time-frame.



The students are allowed a piece of paper, a pencil, and a crayon. That's it! They still have to show all of their work and have keyboarding skills to type out their answers to explain how they got the answer and they must still drag and drop on the computer to show their work with manipulatives. They must scroll back left-right to see everything as it all won't show up in the screen. This is not a typical multiple choice test. The first wave of PARCC that starts tomorrow is mostly short answer and essay. The end-of-year PARCC given in May is more multiple choice.

Finding a Lexile score is easy and has been done with the practice tests by many many people.

The following is a list of some of the sample items analyzed:

Passage 1 Abigail Smith Adams 1744-1818_1220L (Ind Rdg 1320L)
Passage 2 Abigail Adams Braintree March 31,1776_1130L (Ind Rdg 1230L)
Passage 3 John Adams July 03, 1776_1370L (Ind Rdg 1470L)
Sample Item #1—Part A_1020L (Ind Rdg 1120L)
Sample Item #1—Part B_1540L (Ind Rdg 1640L)
Sample Item #2—Part A_730L (Ind Rdg 830L)
Sample Item #2—Part B_1920L (Ind Rdg 2020L)
Sample Item #3—Part A_2140L (Ind Rdg 2240L)
Sample Item #3—Part B_1070L (Ind Rdg 1170L)

A Lexile analyzer is available at www.lexile.com to confirm these findings.

ETA: Testing times allowed per grade level. And who on earth thinks it's necessary for an 11th grader to spend almost 15 hours testing! The ACT is only 4 hours which gives plenty of info regarding college readiness.

Grade 3: 12 hours.

Grade 4 : 14 hours.

Grade 5: 14 hours.

Grade 6 : 14.25 hours.

Grade 7 : 14.25 hours.

Grade 8 : 14.25 hours.

Grade 9 : 14.65 hours.

Grade 10 : 14.65 hours.

Grade 11 : 14.95 hours.

I know how to find a lexile score and those tests for 4th grade are not 6th grade lexile scores on the PARCC website, so that is a huge exaggeration by the person score the passage. Most of your links are invalid besides the first two, but they aren't links to the PARCC test or any samples that I have seen, so who knows where the passages came from. I don't love the test and think it is long and unnecessary. I just don't find opting out a good option because I feel it doesn't do any good.(IMO). The district is still writing their own curriculum and deciding what ones to adopt. The state decides the standards and the testing. So your statement is not entirely true. Many of these school districts could be doing a lot better than they are.

Our students were allowed no more on this test then the previous tests(paper/pencil/crayon). My point isn't that the tests are great, but that they aren't all that different(at least in our district) other than in length of time then what I was giving to my students. There were still those who didn't like it, but this armchair movement wasn't the "in" thing so everyone took the tests, so why opt out now when you didn't in the past?(and this is a general question not at you Idodis). They could buy the paper and pencil test at $3-4 more a child, which yes is more, but better than buying a bunch of computers. Again, for this area the cost of the test is still comparable to what was given in the past, so they had a budget for the previous one so I'd imagine it wouldn't be that difficult to pay for this test(if you subtract the technology upgrade). I get that many of these districts are strapped for cash, but why not help the districts instead of fighting against them, when they have to administer these tests. Even if PARCC goes away a new or the old test will take it's place, so I just feel like it is fighting the wrong fight. Obviously YMMV. I'd rather know that my time and effort is making a difference for all the students.

 

[nugov2]

I would wonder about the test that used that example. I always thought "cross" meant angry or sullen?

That is the answer for cross on the example test...one of the answer choices was upset, which is a synonym for angry.

 

[kamik86]

I don't have kids but I have to wonder why would parents opt kids out in elementary and middle school. I mean if you HAVE to take the tests in high school and have to pass to graduate I would think you would want your kids to take them to get used to them before they got to high school.

This reminds me of a math teacher in high school that used to have a rule that if you got over a 96 in any marking period in her class she would exempt you from the final. Students loved this, one less final at the end of the year and it generally meant getting done with school sooner. Then someone pointed out to her that the kids that got this high of a score were the ones that were going to be going to college and most need the practice of cumulative final exams. Unfortunately that year was the year I had her and I had to take the final due to this... but they were right because yeah I had classes that had only 3-4 grades and where all of those grades were tests in college. Even one like common core where the math department head made a single calculus test for each course (calc 1, 2 and 3) and everyone took the same test no matter which class you were in.


I was out of school before common core became big but Massachusetts actually did a similar high stakes testing thing when I was in school I was the second year of kids that had to pass it to graduate. There was alot of protesting and anxiety about it then too. Alot of practice questions and endless talk about the test. That was the worst part. I liked the part where we started moving faster through the curriculum. I know many say they hate the teachers don't have the option to slow down and make sure the slower kids really get a concept... but you do realize that means that the kids that do get it are now bored and getting a worse education because now the class isn't going to get to some things they should have gotten to? I liked that we would move on and get to new things. I went from being bored 80% of the time in class to only about 50% of the time.

Honestly the problem above on do you slow down for the kids that need it or go fast for the ones that can will not be solved until people realize that everyone isn't equal all kids do not learn at the same pace and allow schools to divide up classes based on ability. Then everyone can be in a class that moves at a speed appropriate for them.

 

[Colleen27]

Just taking an informal poll. Are you refusing to allow the state to test your child ad nauseum?

I voted other. I never opted out of the tests themselves when my kids were in public school, but the testing push was one of the factors that led us to opt out of public education for the two children still in the annual testing age-range. Between the required tests (2 weeks), the skills test they use to measure progress (1 week), and prepping for the two, it seemed to me that they were teaching more test strategies than content. Our state tests have historically been given in Oct. and in our last few years with kids in public school no new content at all was introduced until they were over - that's 6-7 weeks, almost a whole marking period spent on review/test prep/testing, without counting the spring evaluation.

The private school my girls attend does use testing as well - they spend part of the school day for one week of the year on the Iowa test with no dedicated prep and no disruption to the rest of the school day, week, or year. No "breakfast in the classroom" on testing days, practice tests woven into the curriculum, instruction in effective strategy, attendance incentives, or any of the other time-wasters we experienced in public schools worried about their test scores, but the kids still get to develop some familiarity and experience with testing to draw upon later.

I agree with others. Standardized tests are nothing new. They were around in the 1960's when I was in elementary school. I don't see the point in opting out. Your child needs to learn how to take big tests. Its a skill that becomes more and more important as they get older.

Sure, but the question is if it deserves the time it is getting and if what is being crowded out is more valuable. I grew up in the era when kids were tested a couple of times (4th & 7th grades in my state) and somehow we managed to handle the SATs and ACTs and college testing. So I don't see spending 15+% of the school year on testing and prep for every student from 9 to 14 as adding anything important to their education.

The pressure they put on the teachers about these tests is then passed on to the kids. One teacher told the kids in my daughter grade if they didn't get a 3 they would be held back next year. And in Jr. High if you did not score a 3 then the next year you lost the chance to take and elective and instead had to take a special class to teach you how to pass the test. NY tests them WAY to much!

That's how it is here too. In the district we were living in when NCLB went into effect, any 2nd grader not reading on grade level and expected to test well is retained. Not with extra support, not with an evaluation for learning issues, just held back to protect the school's scores. Never mind that the outcomes associated with retention in the long term are almost entirely negative. The tests are so important that schools feel they cannot risk promoting a child with additional academic support, in keeping with educational best practices. And there have been efforts to make that a state policy - a policy that by most estimates would mean retaining more than 30% of the state's students.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

That is the answer for cross on the example test...one of the answer choices was upset, which is a synonym for angry.

Here are some good synonyms for angry. Upset is not one of them. I personally think being upset is different from being angry, and angry is a synonym for cross. If that's a "good" example, I would hate to see a "bad" one.

: irate, mad, annoyed, cross, vexed, irritated, indignant, irked;
furious, enraged, infuriated, in a temper, incensed, raging, fuming,seething, beside oneself, choleric, outraged;
livid, apoplectic;
informalhot under the collar, up in arms, in high dudgeon, foaming at the mouth, doing a slow burn, steamed up, in a lather, fit to be tied, seeing red;
sore, bent out of shape, ticked off, teed off, pissed off, PO'd;
literarywrathful;

 

[nugov2]

I don't really have a problem with standardized tests. The problem is that the majority of the school year is spent teaching towards these tests. I know this for a fact since I work in an elementary school. Each and every day you hear teachers showing the kids how to answer questions for MCAS....what will be on MCAS ...how they must structure a math or English answer so it is correct for MCAS. Who cares if a kid doesn't fill in a graphic organizer the exact right way before answering an essay question. Some kids may find them helpful. But a lot also find them to be of little help and extra time consuming.

Why does a math problem have to be broken down six ways to Sunday for it to be considered done the right way?

Whatever happened to creative learning? These tests leave little to no room for that during a typical school day. I always say parents would be really shocked to see just how much of the school year revolves around these tests. When you are in the classrooms every day you really see it. Part of me thinks every parent should just make a stand and decline taking them. The only ones benefitting from them are the companies who develop the tests.

On the other hand, kids are so used to them that for most they are a normal part of their school life. I never refused them for my kids. but I do think they have now become beyond ridiculous as a tool to measure success.

That's sad that your district spends that much time teaching to the test. As I and others have posted not all districts share that philosophy. I would be working on changing that. Speak to parents and get a group together to speak at board meetings about the benefits to not teaching to the test. The district I taught in and the district my children are in do not spend much time at all teaching to the test. Just a little review right before the testing days. If you have a strong curriculum you do not need to teach to the tests.

 

[penn19]

Thank you. I didn't think that was a very good example given on the test.

Here are some good synonyms for angry. Upset is not one of them. I personally think being upset is different from being angry, and angry is a synonym for cross. If that's a "good" example, I would hate to see a "bad" one.

: irate, mad, annoyed, cross, vexed, irritated, indignant, irked;
furious, enraged, infuriated, in a temper, incensed, raging, fuming,seething, beside oneself, choleric, outraged;
livid, apoplectic;
informalhot under the collar, up in arms, in high dudgeon, foaming at the mouth, doing a slow burn, steamed up, in a lather, fit to be tied, seeing red;
sore, bent out of shape, ticked off, teed off, pissed off, PO'd;
literarywrathful;

 

[FlightlessDuck]

FYI, Pennsylvania was a participant in an advisory capacity in both PARRC and Smarter Balanced, but decided to align their own test system they already use (the PSSA) to the Common Core State Standards.

So while the state uses the standards, they have their own test. My children are older, so I'm not sure what goes on in elementary school, but I've never seen any Pearson branded worksheets sent home by my school district. I know of at least one other district that makes it's own curriculum and aligns it to the standards.

 

[livie1205]

florida no longer does the FCAT , it's now sunshine standards ( common core) they will try everyday not to " say" common core unless you ask them right out " is this common core" they will say " yes it will be sunshine standards which goes off common core". Very frustrating and there is no way to opt out( unless your whole county does) if you don't take it you fail it. The passing score is 3 or higher for sunshine standards, it's a brand new test that not even the teachers have seen or tested on it before.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

nugov said: I think they are saying that Unions are also a big business who influence what is going on in schools, but shouldn't be involved at all in our children's education. Unions are out for number one and do not care if what they do helps or doesn't help our students. It is just another reason why our education system is in so much trouble. Unions are just as big of a bully as the corporations who are interested in money not the best interest of the kids.

States with strong teachers' unions do much better at standardized testing. How do you explain that conundrum?

 

[JanaDee]

That is the answer for cross on the example test...one of the answer choices was upset, which is a synonym for angry.

Cross doesn't mean upset and upset doesn't mean angry.