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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums59 Schools Parents Boycott Field Tests for High-Stakes Exams, demanding more teaching less testing
Too many Democrats are on the same side as Republicans on this issue, and these parents have figured out one of the ugly reasons why: constant redundant testing puts money in the pockets of testing companies which they then use to buy politicians to require more testing.
These parents bypassed the politicians and went directly to the source of the problem: they protested at the testing company.
Like the Occupy Movement, to get action to stop education "reform" that is destroying our public schools so for-profit charter and management companies can take over, we need to go to the source, the companies buying the corrupt politicians.
Pearson might make a good test case. Since it's clear even many Democrats are ignoring good policy on this educators have a simple way they can effect change themselves: Whenever they have an individual choice of textbooks or materials or are involved in purchasing decisions for their schools, districts, or even states, they should refuse to consider Pearson, and send them a brief letter saying why. Pearson also does a substantial business in college textbooks, so higher ed instructors can cut them off too.
Over time, educators should figure out which textbook, software, and other companies are pushing for these policies, and boycott them until education decisions are back in the hands of educators and those who put kids ahead of profits.
Parents across New York City and New York State, fed up with high-stakes and excessive standardized testing in public education, are boycotting the stand-alone field tests scheduled for middle and elementary schools this week. And many are joining a protest at the headquarters of Pearson, the states for-profit test development contractor, to demonstrate their anger as well.
From June 5^th to June 12^th , children across the state are being forced to give up learning time solely to serve the research purposes of billion-dollar test publisher Pearson, which has a $32 million contract with the New York State Education Department. But parents in 59 schools an unprecedented number are fighting back by refusing to allow their children to take these field tests.
In support, the Chancellors Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) passed a resolution on May 31 endorsing the boycott and urging all parents to opt their children out of the field tests. The Community Education Councils (CECs) of District 3 in Manhattan (Upper West Side) and District 20 (Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Borough Park, Kensington) in Brooklyn passed similar resolutions.
All this testing is out of control, says Dani Gonzalez, a Bronx parent who is protesting at todays demonstration. Real learning happens when children can explore and experiment and do projects, when they can read books and discuss them. All this testing is crowding real learning out of the classroom. My children cant learn when all they do is prepare for tests and take tests.
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Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)Blue Meany
(1,947 posts)That is, the purpose of testing is to create a situation in which many schools can be said to be failing. Then the private sector can move in with its "solution". But the privatized schools will not be held to the same standards and will not be required to fulfill the mandate of public schools, rather like UPS vs. the Post Office.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)just as Washington is noticing scams on financial aid with for profit colleges, partnerships with for profits are trying to be forced on CC's here in California, first through state level legislation (which failed) and now at the district level through corrupt trustees and administrators.
knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)Their textbooks are crap. I've found all kinds of errors, badly edited selections, horrible questions, and pointless extra materials to be their norm for any lit textbooks. Their testing material is awful, too.
It's time to throw it all out and start over.
exboyfil
(17,862 posts)seen has problems. Do you have recommendations? What I don't understand is why the Federal government Department of Education not sponsor open source textbooks. Look for the absolute lowest cost solution (which I think -ereaders aside because of other issues- would be printed modules disposable (or retained by student for reference) that combine text and workbook features. These would be great in math especially review an Algebra II/Trig textbook and Precalculus textbook or a PreAlgebra and Algebra I textbook. In both cases over 50% of the material is common to the two textbooks.
knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)I don't use textbook supplemental materials, so I like the cheaper price and better selections.
Better still would be open source textbooks available in e-book form, too. That would be awesome.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, introduced a bill Feb. 8 that would fund a library containing open source textbooks for the 50 most popular lower division courses at the states colleges and universities. Students could download the textbooks for free or pay about $20 for a hard copy.
On March 3, the bill which asks for $25 million in state funding to create the open source textbooks will be eligible for discussion in committee hearings. But that funding request can change as the bill moves through the hearings, according to Steinberg spokesperson Alicia Trost.
Steinberg estimated in a Dec. 13 press release that the library could save nearly $1,000 annually per student. His plan would create a council composed of nine faculty members from the UC, CSU and community colleges to determine which textbooks to produce and develop a peer review process to ensure the quality of the materials in the library.
http://www.dailycal.org/2012/02/29/california-state-senate-bill-seeks-to-create-open-source-textbook-library/
obamanut2012
(26,064 posts)Except for a few very specific instances.
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)It's on my phone home screen.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)instead of funneling shit in.