There is yet another shiny new organization in Tennessee with a feel-good name:  the Hope Street Group.   It sounds all hopeful-ish and Main-Street-ish and warm-and-fuzzy Groupy-ish.  Momma Bears did some digging, though, and found out that this new "non-profit" organization is pretty much the same package with a new ribbon on top.  Or as we like to say, "same pig, different color lipstick."

This Hope Street Group gift has been given to Tennessee courtesy of none-other than Bill Gates.  Surprise surprise.  He just loves paying for reformy stuff in TN.  He's been through here once or twice, right?  Let's open this "gift" and see what we find, shall we?

Yep, Hope Street Group is heavily funded by Gates, with nearly $5 million from Gates so far.  Less than 1 year ago in April 2014, we see that Bill Gates gave a big fat $468,433 grant to expand Hope Street to TN.  This would have fallen under the reign of former Commissioner of Education, Kevin Huffman, and it might lead some to think that this plan has been simmering for awhile just waiting for the new Commissioner of Education to be appointed.  Obviously, there's some strategy in choosing TN and waiting until February 2015 for this to become public.  

A very helpful comment on Diane Ravitch's website gives insight to this type of organization [emphasis added by us]: 

Diane Ravitch writes, "We have not seen so many front groups since the 1930s. Today, as then, they represent no community, no one but the funders and the elites and those with a hidden but anti-democratic agenda."

The agenda of Hope Street Group is clearly to push testing, evaluating teachers based on test scores, and common core.  They will hand-pick some naive teachers to be their "Fellows" (or as we like to say, "follows" or "foolows" since they will be following foolish orders on what to say and do), give them a little extra $3500 boost to their paychecks, and train them in how to sweet-talk legislators to vote for the reforms that their donors want.  So, it is just like the Teach Plus organization that has already been doing dirty work here in TN, except with a more hopeful-ish name and a rosier-pink lipstick.

In a nutshell, that is why Hope Street Group is coming to TN.  Well, that, plus all the money they'll make from their donors.  Their CEO, Monique Nadeau, made a whopping salary of $352,000 last year according to their tax return.  (Remember what we've taught you, class, just because is is a "nonprofit," doesn't mean someone isn't profiting!)  And Monique Nadeau is indeed prospering, even if teachers won't be!  So even though Hope Street claims to be "dedicated to expanding prosperity for all Americans," Hope Street Group won't be advocating for the things that would truly "expand prosperity" in TN for students or educators.  No, Hope Street Follows will be advocating for merit-based pay for teachers using our children's standardized test scores and common core.

To be fair, Bill Gates isn't the only one paying their massive paychecks and light bill.  Look at their website* and you'll see other reform-pushing corporate-interest donors such as:  The Joyce Foundation, Foundation for Excellence in Education (that's Jeb Bush's reformy group that he just resigned from so he could run for President. Bush's FEE pushes testing and common core bigtime), The Hewlett Foundation, Walmart Foundation (the Waltons love them some reformy standardized testing and low-wage employees!), and Carnegie Corporation.  So, lots and lots of rich businessmen who wouldn't dream of putting their own children in public schools with Common Core and rich businessmen who would love to drive down the cost of labor.  (*Note: Hope Street is getting a shiny new website in March 2015, so if our links don't work, it isn't our fault.  Reformers like to buy themselves new websites with all that money they get from their sugar-daddies).

So, what's so bad about this Hope Street Group?
All this money being spent to hear teacher's voices?  This isn't going to help students one little bit.  This is clearly in response to the negative publicity swarming in Tennessee around common core, standardized testing, and using test scores to rate teachers and schools.  

Call us simple, but...  If people really want to hear what teachers think, just ask them!  DUH!!!  Do an inexpensive survey. Visit their schools and have lunch with teachers.  Invite them to join you for a cup of coffee.  Whatever you do, don't hire an over-priced consulting firm that will spin whatever the teachers say into what their donors want it to sound like!  Hope Street may say they want "conversation," but they will be the one guiding what legislators hear.

What is a reformer to do if they can't find real teachers to support their reforms for FREE?  
Why, buy yourself some, of course!  They need to buy some voices quick because:

• Several lawsuits are currently pending that contest the constitutionality of the test-based TVAAS evaluation system.  The lawsuits are gaining some negative attention for TVAAS.
• Citizens are hearing about teachers who are evaluated on the test scores of students they don't even teach and saying, "Hey, that isn't fair!" and "No way will my child's test scores be used to hurt their kindhearted, hardworking teachers!"  Parents are refusing to allow their children to take the tests (aka "Opting Out").
• Common Core has become a dirty word in TN, so they've stop calling it by its real name.  Instead, they call it "college and career standards" or "TN Standards" to fool everyone. While that tricks some people temporarily, it backfires when people realize they have been duped.  Uh oh, now they've got some angry people on their hands who reeeeally don't trust them now for that sneaky move. 
• The Tennessee Education Association has been stirring up a bit of trouble by hosting enlightening Road Trips across the state, inviting parents and elected officials, and telling them the truth about the testing... how much testing costs, how much time testing is eating up from instruction time, and how frequently these tests are occurring.   (If you're able to catch a TEA Road Trip in your area, please do!  You will learn a LOT!  Click HERE for the schedule.  You don't have to be a TEA member to attend.)

Speaking of the Tennesseee Education Association, Momma Bears are disappointed that TEA has apparently aligned themselves with this money-grabbing, policy-influencing organization.  Based on the press release, TEA is collaborating with Hope Street Group.  A statement by TEA President, Barbara Gray, said, "We very much look forward to working with the Hope Street Group Tennessee State Teacher Fellows to increase teacher input regarding what works in our public schools."   

Why on earth TEA is participating with this?!?!?  either they are just very naïve, they are getting money from it (and if that's true, they better do some splainin' to all their members!), or they want to look like a team player to Commissioner McQueen.  Hope Street is a dead end for TEA... just like selling their organization's name and their member's souls to the devil.  Isn't the whole purpose of TEA to represent the voices of teachers??? Then why the heck are they giving another organization your platform and endorsement?  

If you are a member of TEA, you neeeeeed to speak up about this!!!  Do it do it do it!

Tell your TEA Board you don't want your organization to have anything to do with Hope Street Group.  We'll make it easy for you, just click here for all the TEA Board emails and phone numbers.  We recommend sending your email to every board member, which might take awhile with the extra clicks, but your voice will definitely be heard that way.  Bombard their inboxes and tie up their phone lines!  Share this blog with your teacher friends. Speak up!!!  You pay all that money in membership dues, so demand they represent you and not Bill Gates!  

"This is a reminder to teachers who want to stay home and say, "Well, I don't want to get my hands dirty with political stuff" that they are opting out of making the decisions that they have to live with. And it's a reminder that "Why must you make this so political?" is another way to say, "I'd like you to go back to being uninvolved and ineffective, please."
                   - Peter Greene, Curmudgucation blogger extraordinaire 

A billion dollar company wants to use your child to trial their product.  It will take approximately 2-3 hours of your child’s time during their school day.  Before this experiment begins, your child will need to train daily for several weeks on how to use it. 

Not only that, your child’s schedule at school will be affected during the week of this trial because other children will also be testing this product.  Since the technology is limited in your child’s school, your children will be rotated in and out of class so everyone is tested.  Your child may miss music, art, PE, or library that week, too.

You, as their parent, won’t be allowed to see the product your child is testing.  If you wait and ask in about 6 months, you might be given your child’s score in relation to other children who did this trial, but you’ll probably have to bug your school district for it.  Good luck with that.  The data is really for the company, and not for the public to know.

Your child will not be compensated a penny for their time spent trying out this product.  They will not be compensated for their data that was collected.  They will not get any credit on their report card or transcript for being a “guinea pig” for this product.

Did we mention that this product is being paid for with your tax dollars? 
Yes, once this product has been fully field tested with all the kinks worked out, the government will pay quite a bit of your tax money for it.  In fact, every student in the district will be required to use this product, and every student will be rated and compared to other students with it.  (Sorry, parents and teachers, you will still not be allowed to see the final product.)  

Is this okay with you, parents???

Well, too bad.  This is already happening right now.  The entire month of February, children (grades 3-11) in Tennessee are field testing the TCAP writing assessment for Measurement, Inc.  And it will happen again this spring when your children are forced to do the the Social Studies field test (Field tests are not to be confused with field trips.  Field trips are fun and educational.  Field tests are boring and not fun at all.)  Testing schedules vary across the state, check your school district’s website to see when these tests are being given in your child’s school.

If you don’t want your child needlessly tested, you have the right to say “No”.  Simply send this letter below (or create your own) to your child’s teacher and principal.    

Aren't there Child Labor Laws?
Some people question if this is a violation of child labor laws.  After all, it is forcing children to work to directly benefit a company who will profit from their labor.  When any ordinary company needs to test their product, they pay researchers and recruit willing participants.  Companies generally compensate their participants with money or services, but our children don't receive anything.  In fact, our children miss out on valuable instructional time for these tests.  Our children have no choice when it comes to testing... unless parents refuse it for them.  

If you want to read a fantastic article full of legal stuff to support parents fighting this testing mess, visit Tennessee Education Matters.  The writer goes even more in-depth than we do here.  There are also some great Facebook groups out there of parents and teachers who have been down this road before you.  Seek them out and learn:

• Click HERE to visit United Opt-Out Facebook Group
  
• Click HERE to visit Stop the TN Testing Madness Facebook Group
  

On January 21, 2015, Jia Lee, a Special Education Teacher at the Earth School in New York City, spoke to the U.S. Senate about excessive testing.  Since then, this video has gone viral.  Momma Bears is happy to help it spread to our followers.

Watch and share this teacher's powerful testimony to the U.S. Senate:

Keep pressuring your elected officials, Momma Bears!
and keep praying for children!