I have never aspired to be on the front page of the local newspaper and was so nervous when I realized David Bell was there to photograph and write an article about what I had to say last Friday night. So as I ate lunch with friends today and got up to pay my bill and could hear others "talking" about what was in the paper, my heart fluttered a bit more in anxiety about what is being said. So, please do your own research and ask questions about what common core. I would love to hear your opinions.
David did a great job writing the article, but if I could add to what he said this is what I would say:
When you take federal dollars, in this instance for common core, you are in a way indenturing yourself to the source of the money. We are taking this money for an UNPROVEN, UNTESTED curriculum where in the case of social studies and science standards are yet to be completed, where NO fiscal analysis has been done. I would ask, do we ever get enough money for education? Ask a teacher the last time they had a significant pay raise. Have your taxes increased recently due to an education need?
Another concern with common core is the p-20 data collection system. The
nonprofit organization called Achieve Inc, in
Washington D.C. is the main driving force behind creating the Common Core
Initiative. (The Common Core standards
were initiated by private interests in Washington, D.C.) From the Achieve Inc. website it states that
full implementation of the Common Core will include P-20 data collection or Statewide
longitudinal Data System (SLDS). Schools will collect data and report to the
AZED. This student data is then shared
with other states and the federal government. These systems are being developed to track
our students from preschool through college.
So what will be tracked? From the
SLDS website this is what will be tracked: “a unique identifier for each
student; student enrollment history; tracks if a student drops out or switches
school; tracks student test scores; matches student performance to teachers;
tracks transcripts of “remedial”
classes; tracks student data to determine if they are “prepared to success in
college”, and a “character” report card. The Achieve Inc. website explains that this
information will benefit a “wide array of
stakeholders”. Achieve also states
on their website that “While the Common Core Standards are a critical first step, they alone will not bring
about the instructional changes necessary to improve student achievement and
attainment. I feel that this violates the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
In fact it is suggested that this law will need to be reformed through
legislation to make it legal for schools to collect and distribute this
information.
·
The Arizona State Board of Education
adopted Common Core on June 28, 2010 in the failed attempt to acquire
Race-to-the-Top funding. Arizona was
“hooked” into the Common Core movement with Race-to-the-Top grants they applied
for in 2009-2010 and with that application, they were allowed to apply for
“No-Child-Left-Behind Waivers” if they adopted the Common Core Standards
verbatim!
THE FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN
Substitute
Teachers — Schools have to send teachers to be a part of the
curriculum mapping process for Common Core Standards. These trainings will be
over multiple days which will take teachers out of the classroom . . . There is
a cost to have a substitute teacher in the classroom for multiple days.
New
Textbooks — Textbooks are outrageously expensive . . . even
if we do find internet options, the publishers who created those options are
certainly not offering them for free.
The
Cost of Time — Teachers spend a great deal of time
trying to educate themselves on the changes from their old standards to those
of the Common Core . . . The cost of time is a big reality for schools.
Training
Teachers — Bringing in outside experts or consultants is
very expensive. In order to properly train teachers, school districts must
offer professional development in order to ensure that educators can master the
Common Core Standards. These trainings are not a one-shot deal and will cost
school districts money.
NEW TECHNOLOGY - All of the testing for the PARCC test (will repalce AIMS) will be done online
There will be a meeting open to the public on May 2nd, 2013 at 7 pm at the Graham County General Services building. There will be two experts on common core there that night who will be able to answer many more questions than I, including that of bills being written, what is happening in the state sentate and legislature regarding common core. Please come and be involved!
