CORE: Say no to sample testing
Nationalized education, Common Core Standards were presented to the states as the “future of education” … one-size-fits-all. Schools, at last, announce they can turn out a college or career ready product for the marketplace. Not exactly as presented, say 7 out of 10 teachers in a recent national survey.
Teachers say the implementation is going poorly. Teachers say the testing has become a major distraction in the teaching day. Not just a few teachers, 3 million NEA members have stated these facts to their union leadership. Teachers in New York state have just resolved to pull their support from the program after laboring over it for more than a year. Six hundred thousand members strong just notified the New York State United Teachers of this decision. Now they depend on political leaders to echo these concerns and change direction to dump Common Core.
Idaho political leaders are wrestling with the same problems. They have heard from parents, teachers and administrators how online tests are disruptive, invalid and unreliable. Lack of experience, not lack of money enables Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), to develop tests and demand your child be used as a guinea pig while they work out the kinks in testing.
Parents, advise the school your child will not participate in the sample testing. Ask the school for the policy requiring participation in testing. No law in Idaho prevents you from opting your child out of testing.
CAROLYN MINNICK
Sandpoint