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Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Teachers Union passes a Resolution against PARCC testing in Massachusetts
Among the reasons for opposing PARCC are:
- the public and teachers are not allowed to see and discuss PARCC exams;
- there is no way to verify the validity and appropriateness of PARCC exams, yet they may influence students’ academic transcripts and impact their futures;
My child (10th grade) was removed from an honors class, which was reviewing for a major unit exam to be given the next day... just so he could take a PARCC test. My child's grade on that test suffered. Is this standard procedure? If so, is this the right thing to do?
Another example of what is wrong with PARCC! No, pulling a child out of honors is not right to me, it is shameful... I doubt it is a standard procedure but MCPS officials can best answer this. Children and parents have the right to refuse a test and cannot be forced to take one. See the letter from MCPS Office of Accountability posted here on March 10, 2015: “While we do acknowledge that students may refuse to test, we are obligated to provide them with the opportunity to participate. For students who do not participate in PARCC testing they would consequently not receive a score report.”
Given all of the issues that have accompanied the PARCC testing, I now think that Dr Starr was right to call for a moratorium. The MCPS curriculum is not yet fully in alignment with Common Core. My child said some of the material on the math portion of the assessment hadn't yet been covered.
PUBLICLY he called for a moratorium. When dealing without our family, which was one of the first in MCPS to refuse testing (this was last year's final MSA), he was at the front of the line pushing the MSA's back on us. Another family in MCPS did successfully get out of the MSA's last year, but one of my kids' schools administered it against our clear wishes - with Dr. Starr's full support (possibly at his direction?), if the communication we got from him is any indication.
Not a guy who Walked the Talk in that department. :-(
MSDE has been a cheerleader for Race to the Top, Common Core, and PARCC testing. The huge County school systems in Maryland necessarily follow MSDE. In Massachusetts, schools are local. Some towns have only one high school. Accordingly folks there are more involved and knowledgeable about what is occurring in their schools. They also have the power to change it. Schools are way better in Massachusetts.
Among the reasons for opposing PARCC are:
Massachusetts to Maryland is like Apples to Oranges.
ReplyDeleteThose pesky teachers! Hopefully Pearson will put them in their place! Right after they stalk students on twitter discussing PARRC.
ReplyDeleteMy child (10th grade) was removed from an honors class, which was reviewing for a major unit exam to be given the next day... just so he could take a PARCC test. My child's grade on that test suffered. Is this standard procedure? If so, is this the right thing to do?
ReplyDeleteAnother example of what is wrong with PARCC! No, pulling a child out of honors is not right to me, it is shameful... I doubt it is a standard procedure but MCPS officials can best answer this. Children and parents have the right to refuse a test and cannot be forced to take one. See the letter from MCPS Office of Accountability posted here on March 10, 2015: “While we do acknowledge that students may refuse to test, we are obligated to provide them with the opportunity to participate. For students who do not participate in PARCC testing they would consequently not receive a score report.”
DeleteGiven all of the issues that have accompanied the PARCC testing, I now think that Dr Starr was right to call for a moratorium. The MCPS curriculum is not yet fully in alignment with Common Core. My child said some of the material on the math portion of the assessment hadn't yet been covered.
ReplyDeletePUBLICLY he called for a moratorium. When dealing without our family, which was one of the first in MCPS to refuse testing (this was last year's final MSA), he was at the front of the line pushing the MSA's back on us. Another family in MCPS did successfully get out of the MSA's last year, but one of my kids' schools administered it against our clear wishes - with Dr. Starr's full support (possibly at his direction?), if the communication we got from him is any indication.
DeleteNot a guy who Walked the Talk in that department. :-(
MSDE has been a cheerleader for Race to the Top, Common Core, and PARCC testing. The huge County school systems in Maryland necessarily follow MSDE. In Massachusetts, schools are local. Some towns have only one high school. Accordingly folks there are more involved and knowledgeable about what is occurring in their schools. They also have the power to change it. Schools are way better in Massachusetts.
ReplyDelete