A little history…I participated in the infamous ‘public comments’
meeting in 2012 at the OSDE when comments were ‘sought’ about the bill that
established school grades based on test scores. I didn’t mean to participate…there
was a sign-in sheet and I signed it. Come to find out I signed up to speak.
Even though comments were sought by the Oklahoma State
School Board, not one member was present. Superintendent Barresi was in the
building, but in another ‘very important’ meeting. Superintendent Barresi DID send her lawyer
with a tape recorder. She promised to send a tape (does anyone have a tape
player anymore??) to all Board members and they would (she promised) listen to
the hours of comments.
I had written – and delivered – my comments in writing, and had a copy with me. I listened to legislators, superintendents, principals, personnel officers, parents, all speak – to a one against the bill for lots of complicated reasons.
I had written – and delivered – my comments in writing, and had a copy with me. I listened to legislators, superintendents, principals, personnel officers, parents, all speak – to a one against the bill for lots of complicated reasons.
I was against it for one reason, a reason no one else
mentioned: the abuse of standardized tests and scores. I know – but most have
given up the fight – we are abusing and misusing test scores any time we attach
high stakes to the outcomes. A-F does that; so does the third grade flunk law,
and the ACE law that requires high school students to pass all their classes,
collect credits toward graduation AND pass End of Instruction exams as well.
I ended my remarks with an allusion to the mythological
Cassandra, the Trojan princess who was cursed with the ability to see the
future, and the double curse of having no one believe her. I told the group…and
the tape recorder…I stood there as Cassandra, and that high stakes testing was
destined to fail.
I have written about the testing
meltdowns from last year, when school districts were blamed for the
problems of testing corporations.
I have read everything I can get my hands on about
standardized testing…some of the best books are The
Myths of Standardized Tests by Harris, Making
the Grades by Farley, and Reign
of Error by my hero Diane Ravitch.
Imagine my glee when I read about a new bill being
introduced. Dare I believe things may be changing?
HB2734, introduced by Democrat Representative Curtis McDaniel,
would, if passed, remove the high stakes to tests in our state. Under his
proposal, the third grade reading test and the End of Instruction exams will
still be administered, and results would be reported within 2 weeks (that
actually isn’t new, but somehow it’s been neatly ignored by policy makers for
years). EOIs will still be administered online, and students will receive their
raw score immediately. But no third grader will be retained based on this
score, and no high school senior will be denied his or her diploma because of
EOI scores. This is huge – parents and teachers must support this bill and help
the author get it passed.
The biggest change is striking down all punitive results of
test scores. Rep. McDaniel’s bill puts testing back in its proper place – one
piece of information at educators’ hands. One assessment that will yield
information that may or may not be useful when planning instruction.
This bill, like many, has been called by its author,
District 1 Republican representative for LeFlore and McCurtain counties, an
emergency. Unlike other bills which seem so frivolous with this label, I
heartily agree…getting rid of high stakes testing is an emergency in our
children’s lives. As a member of the Common Education Committee, Rep. McDaniel
has seen recent movements to define children and their potential based on one
test, one day in April (or March or May), and I assume he’s had enough.
If you care about children in Oklahoma, contact
Representative McDaniel – Curtis.mcdaniel@okhouse.gov,
and thank him for his courageous leadership. I’m sure the OSDE will not look at
his bill with the same excitement I do…I’m sure there will be attempts to quiet
him, to shut the bill down.
This is NOT the direction predatory reformers want this
narrative to go. So, it’s up to us. Write to Rep. McDaniel. Offer your stories
of testing woes, stressed children. Offer your support and help bringing this
bill through the Education Committee and onto the floor of the House.
I am new to your excellent observations.I enjoyed your piece in The Observer.I spent most of the day on HB2734. May I suggest 50 word statements, one a day , that make a data based point that educates the reader and that the reader can use to answer an an opposing point. To Blackwell Cannaday Condit Cox Dewitt C. & J. McDaniel Roberts and Virgin. Be nice. This is already too long. I should have made two messages.
ReplyDeleteTell me more...kind of a daily email to Legislators? Thanks for your words...I appreciate them.
DeleteWhat do YOU see as the salient points? Maybe be can work on this together.
3rd grade high stakes test, just saying that is ugly.
ReplyDeleteThe test may not be a good test.
Could you be in the room when principal tells a child -you have failed and not cry.Will the principal cry?
Data showing retaining does not work
Why the trauma if every child will pass.
The few children that are humiliated. are so fragile
The algebra I cut score is so low..
The chamber of commerce and Gov Henry crammed Ace into Law.( further discussion not to be in writing by me)
Only teacher generated tests are useful to the students.
Bill Gates terrorized teacher
do not whine or ask for money
assume the legislator gets 20 e-mails from constituents % 50 from others, each day,get out your journalism text book
Joe Eddins, Vinita Ok. 918-256-2205
I was able to visit with Rep McDaniels on the telephone. It took three days and a referral from my Rep. He received l,000 e-mails some days last session. Without details, he ?was very busy last week.He gets 100s of e-mails each day? Unless I, you, we, - very carefully plan a strategy , a message quite likely will not be carefully considered by any one. I suggest because "you never get a second chance to make a first impression " when they get your message it needs to be short, with a narrow focus. Must be useful information that can be used as a point for debate.
ReplyDeleteI have broken my rule,This is too long. I hope you will continue this discussion Joe Eddins, Vinita