Hell-bent on privatizing American education.

GUEST VIEW: Parents can fight back against Common Core (Click here to read the entire article - it is well done)

By JESSICA MCNAIR Special to the Observer-Dispatch Posted Nov 04, 2013 @ 03:00 AM

Parents’ cries about homework troubles have become routine this fall. Hours spent around the kitchen table, questions that highly-educated parents can’t answer, and tears from their children have parents wondering, “What is going on?!”

The simple answer would be: Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

The better answer would be that local school districts have been pushed between a rock and a hard place and they have chosen to bend to the pressure of high stakes tests rather than act in students’ best interests.

Enticed by federal Race to the Top money, New York state has adopted the CCSS, created and delivered tests aligned to the CCSS in grades 3-8, implemented a new teacher evaluation system (APPR) tied to student test scores on the aforementioned exams, and required participation in a cloud-based student information data system that stores personal information about all children.

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Sending home loads of homework, over testing even our youngest students, and requiring work be corrected until it’s perfect is a blatant effort to prepare students for the “state tests”.

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Teachers can only meet students’ long term educational and emotional needs when supported by leaders who value individuality over common standards, creativity over test taking, privacy over data collection, and curiosity for learning over fast-paced rigor, stamina and perfection.

Cleverly-crafted plan

What we must understand is that this is part of a larger and cleverly crafted plan of the corporate reform movement in education. With the rollout of CCSS, our school leaders have been given the task of improving student performance. If that performance doesn’t improve, as judged by standardized tests, then schools face poor evaluations for teachers and principals, and ultimately, school closings.

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HOW YOU CAN HELP -- 

Reach out to your child’s teacher to offer your support and ask for your child’s true educational needs to be met. 

-- Refuse to take part in New York state exams this spring. 

-- Attend upcoming forums and events about CCSS including the Rally for Public Education on Nov. 7 from 7:00-8:30 pm at Valentino’s Banquet Hall in Washington Mills.

-- Participate in a statewide protest of CCSS on Nov. 18 by keeping your child(ren) home from school. 

-- Contact your elected officials and express your concern. 

-- Urge your local school board to pass a resolution against high-stakes testing. 

-- Let PTA leaders know you disagree with NYSPTA’s support of CCSS.

Read more: http://www.uticaod.com/guest/x2132751520/GUEST-VIEW-Parents-can-fight-back-against-Common-Core#ixzz2jm6oqSVb