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Mc Queen's children too Blessed to be TN READY

5/21/2015

Tennessee Ready?

TCAP scores are coming in and we're hearing lots of good reports. But are Tennessee's school children up for the challenge of the new Tennessee Ready tests next year?

State Education Commissioner, Candice McQueen showed up this week in Shelby County pledging to personally meet with ten thousand teachers across the state. It was all part of a campaign to win public appeal for next year's "new and improved" TCAP tests called Tennessee Ready. Along with the Tennessee Ready Tour, McQueen has been nailing the inboxes of Tennessee teachers with emails all week long. And she has recently released a video message (see below) that pounds in the praises for Tennessee Ready standards and standardized tests.

The video begins with McQueen thanking and congratulating Tennessee teachers for all their dedication and hard work this year. Then, she tells those hard working teachers that she hopes they will spend their summer break "re-charging and re-energizing their efforts." No relaxation for teachers this summer, they have to prepare for the "new possibilities" next year.

We have a pretty good idea of what kind of possibilities this longtime common core cheerleader has in mind.

Although, McQueen carefully avoids "common core" in her message, she doesn't fool us. She describes Tennessee Ready using terms like "high standards" and "real world skills." She goes on to say that the new reading, writing, and math tests are "designed to assess what is currently being taught in Tennessee’s classrooms." Yeah, we know what that means---common core assessments. And if plays out like New York, we can expect a huge revolt from parents who are opting their kids out of what they call unfair, political, common core assessments.

Teachers, we're wishing you a happy summer! Thank you for your incredible work this year. Listen in as Commissioner McQueen shares a closing message and some important updates about preparing for next year.
Posted by Tennessee Department of Education on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Hey, it's Throwback Thursday

Speaking of common core assessments, we thought Throwback Thursday would be a good time to bring up McQueen's past comments on the topic. She might be a big fan of Tennessee Ready but not too long ago, she was quite adamant that her own children and their classmates at Lipscomb Academy would not be subjected to common core or the assessments that go along with it.

A few years ago, McQueen left her position in the college of Education at Lipcomb University to head up Lipscomb Academy, a small private school in Nashville located on the college's campus. When she was named senior vice president, immediately, her fellow parents at the school began to express skepticism of her leadership. Concerns were raised that McQueen, who was deeply entrenched in the money making of common core, would sell out Lipscomb Academy.

McQueen assured parents in a letter that common core would not infiltrate the hallowed halls of Lipscomb Academy. She dismissed any claims of hypocrisy by clarifying that private school students are to be treated differently than public school kids. Evidently, she feels that those children who attend private school are just too blessed to be stressed over common core. "One of the blessings of being in the private schools sector is the opportunity to explore all possibilities within the community and culture in which you find yourself and to thoughtfully choose what fits your vision."

An excerpt of McQueen's letter is below:

"First, the Common Core State Standards have not been adopted by Lipscomb Academy. While the standards have been adopted by the state of Tennessee along with 44 other states, private schools have the freedom to determine if they will use all, some or none of the CCSS. To date, Lipscomb Academy administrators have not adopted the standards...Second, I have also not been in any discussions about formal adoption of the CCSS at Lipscomb Academy. Currently, Lipscomb Academy draws from a variety of quality national and state standards selected by the school leadership and faculty to set a vision for what content, instruction and curriculum will be used at each grade level. This has proven to be effective; thus, I don’t anticipate any changes to this process now or in the future. As is current practice, all standards available will be reviewed at set intervals by leadership and faculty to determine the direction of Lipscomb Academy."

McQueen also gave assurances that Lipscomb Academy students would not be subjected to any of those public school tests such as PARCC or TCAP. Instead, McQueen's letter (excerpt below) promised that Lipscomb Academy students would continue to be assessed using ERB tests.

[S]ome of you have voiced concerns that the academy will adopt the PARCC test that will soon replace the current Tennessee standardized test or TCAP. Lipscomb Academy uses the ERB test, not the TCAP, and there are no plans to replace the ERB test with PARCC.

Comparing the Assessments: PARCC, Tennessee Ready & ERB

So, if private school kids don't have to be TN Ready, what kind of assessments do they take? And how do those assessments compare with the common core tests that will be given to public school children next year?

Take a look below at sample questions at the private school ERB test compared with PARCC and Tennessee Ready. We just pulled some questions at random but you can click the links and see the full sample tests.

Sample 5th Grade Math Question from the PARCC Assessment: 
NOTE: Grades 3-5: No calculators allowed, except for students with an approved calculator accommodation

Tennessee Ready Sample Math Question:
NOTE: TNReady will ask students to solve multi-step problems, many without using a calculator, to show what they know.

Sample Question from the ERB Level 4-6 Mathematics Demonstration Test:
NOTE: Calculators are allowed on one section of the multiple-choice achievement tests.

Testing the TDOE Bullies

4/20/2015

The testing season is upon us. This month, Tennessee Students in grades 3-8 will take the TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program). Parents have been well-aware of this for months. Homework is now all TCAP practice. Field trip participation and carnival rewards are based on participation in test prep. Classroom walls are either covered with plain paper or stripped bare to prepare for the TCAP, which makes the schools look more like prisons. Schools are even hosting TCAP pep rallies. There is little doubt the stakes are high and the anxiety is higher. It is just “All About that Test”.

Read the entire beautiful REFUSAL LETTER HERE. It might give some Momma and Papa bears some ideas about how to get their kids out of testing. Use it. Share it. Go for it!

Around the country the Opt -Out movement is growing. Dr. Mark Naison, a professor at Fordham University, compiled an excellent list on reasons why parents are rebelling over these tests:

There are too many tests.
The tests are too long.
The tests are poorly designed and poorly written.
The tests are surrounded by a level of secrecy usually reserved for a nuclear arsenal.
The tests are never returned to students and teachers to inform instruction.
The tests are used to rate teachers, schools and whole school districts, purposes for which they were never intended.
The tests are made by profit making companies who give huge contributions to legislators and perks to policy making bodies.
The tests are used to justify the implementation of a National Curriculum- the Common Core- whose advocates claim it is neither national or a curriculum.
The tests are incredibly expensive and take money away from the arts, counseling, and libraries.
The tests are discriminatory in the manner they are applied to Special Needs and ELL Students.
The high stakes attached to the tests have forced schools in high poverty districts to use recess and gym for test prep.
The tests have been used as an excuse for closing thousands of schools and firing tens of thousands of teachers, many of them teachers of color.

Tennessee is no exception. Parents are asking how they can get their child out of testing. Today UnitedOptOut.com posted a TN refusal letter. It might help Tennessee parents who wish to refuse the tests for their children.

On the UnitedOptOut website, there is also a link to a Letter to Directors of Schools in Tennessee Regarding Opt Out/Refusal that Momma Bears think is an attempt to bully parents and take away parental rights. Your kids are data points to them. The Refusal letter is interesting. It cites TN code - TCA 49-2-211(a) states that, “Every LEA shall develop a policy setting forth the rights of parents and students as guidelines for teachers and principals with respect to the administration of surveys, analyses or evaluations of students.” Section (b)(1) of this law states that, “[t]he policy shall enable a parent or legal guardian to opt their student out of participating in a survey, analysis, or evaluation.” (Note that there are no definitions of “survey,” “analysis,” or “evaluation” in this statute.)

Momma Bears would love to see this stand up as lawful. What else could TCAP be besides an evaluation? Teachers don’t ever see the answers. There is nothing diagnostic to help a child improve upon what they do not know. These tests are used to “evaluate teachers and schools” in order to manipulate government policy. So we’d say they ARE a definitely an evaluation.

Momma Bears also loves the use of the Attorney General's opinion that claimed former Commissioner Huffman was within the law to waive the TCAP for grades. “While state law requires that TCAP scores make up 15%-25% of a child’s final semester grades, our former Commissioner of Education waived this requirement in 2014. Despite TCA 49-1-201(d)(1), this was allowed. The Attorney General opinion dated July 2, 2014 stated that “the requirements of Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-1-617…can be waived; they are not statutory requirements related to “federal and state student assessment and accountability” under Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-1-201(d)(1)(J).”

The ending to the letter says, "Because it appears that I have the legal right to opt my child out of the TCAP evaluation, and the law requiring the use of TCAP scores in grades seems to be subjectively disposable, my child’s TCAP scores (or lack thereof) will not be factored into his/her grades. In summary, I respectfully request that you respond, in writing, confirming that you will abide by my expectations set forth in this letter. You may contact me in writing if you have any questions. ” Smart! Get it in writing. It is a good idea to keep detailed notes and written evidence. You never know when it might come in handy in court. Hopefully, it won't come to that, but if the TDOE keeps bullying parents, we may just have to file a lawsuit.

Not to change the subject, but some good things happened today in Nashville!
Today at the Tennessee Legislature, Representative Matthew Hill added a surprise amendment to a bill that would make Opting-Out legal. This amendment caused the folks at the Governor's astroturf organization, Tennesseans For Student Success, to royally freak out (since their well-funded jobs exist to save Common Core and testing). It was a beautiful amendment that Representative Hill did, simply stating "parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in an LEA may opt the student out of participating in all state mandated assessments." Unfortunately, Representative Hill withdrew it because it didn't fit with the caption bill it was attached to, but it did give him the opportunity to speak to the other legislators about Opting Out. There may be another bill coming up that is a better fit and might not be declared unconstitutional to attach it to, but with only two or three days left in the session, it probably will not happen until January. 2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate? Representative Matthew Hill!!!

Also on that bill, some amendments were attached by Representative Spivey that set in motion the death of Common Core. The bill passed the House 97 to 0 and is scheduled to be in the Senate tomorrow. Is it a smoke-and-mirrors attempt at keeping the Common Core? Perhaps. Time will tell. The language is pretty clear that the new standards will be created in a clear and transparent manner, and that the former standards (which are Common Core) will be rescinded. The Senate has been pretty much in love with all things that harm public education, so we'll see how the vote tomorrow goes.

Okay, now, back to the testing issue...
Refusing testing is a civil protest. And our lawmakers really need to understand that this is what happens when a government service, managed by the democratic process around tax dollars, is held captive by testing, sold off to privatization, and is manipulated by lobbyists and foundations un-elected by the citizens of this country. Public school is a public good, for the public. This manipulation through testing has ZERO to do with our children or education experts. It must stop. Opt-out and/or refusing is our only choice to show this bad policy must stop. For our kids.

"Parents are getting more and more angry and disobedient. Public officials are really trying to bully them, and never expected this much pushback." - Dr. Sandra Stotsky

Haslam's Trick or Trick

10/23/2014

It’s Halloween time and, right on cue, Governor Haslam has donned one of his greatest costumes yet--that of an empathetic, kind leader who actually cares what teachers and non-campaign donors have to say.

Parents and teachers have been expressing concerns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for a while now, but, for some reason, he has just now announced that he has put together advisory teams and panels that will supposedly “listen” to the opinions of teachers and parents from across the state. These panels will then reportedly make recommendations for changes in our state (i.e, Common Core) standards to the TN Board of Education. (For more information on this plan, click here.)

This seems like a very wise and thoughtful move by the Governor. But many people, including us Momma Bears, think this is a complete farce. And based on the people and organizations involved in this grand scheme, it seems pretty clear to us that the man behind the mask has no intention of doing anything other than keeping Common Core in place.

This review process will supposedly be completed at the end of 2015. This means that the state legislature could not vote on changing our state standards, based on the recommendations of this commission, until the winter/spring of 2016. If things go according to Haslam's plan, Common Core in its current form will, at minimum, be used until the end of the 2015-2016 school year. This gives the state a 1 ½ year-cushion to keep CCSS in place and to wait for the Tennesseans who are spitting mad about CCSS to finally get tired and shut up.

The process used to select the teams and panels for this commission was shrouded in secrecy. We have no idea how these people were chosen, but we strongly suspect that Haslam's private meetings with teachers and administrators this summer were linked to the selection process. (Remember those meetings? The ones where school board members, the media, and elected officials were not allowed to attend?) In fact, 1 of the 2 teachers who represented Bradley County at one of the meetings, Amber Caldwell, ended up on the Math Advisory Team for grades 6-8. And, not surprisingly, Amber made her support of Common Core very public before her hush-hush secret summer meeting with Haslam. Some people might think this is a coincidence, but Momma Bears happen to think Haslam used these meetings as a way to find teachers who would toe the party line in these advisory teams. (For more information about these secret meetings, please go to this link.)

Some of the organizations and people that have been selected to participate in this process appear to have personal interests in keeping CCSS around. (Click here to see a list of those selected):

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB): Haslam appointed the SREB to oversee the collection of input from parents and teachers on CCSS. The problem is this group is far from nonbiased. Since 2008, this organization has received almost 13 million dollars in funding from the pro-CCSS Gates Foundation. (Click here for documentation.) And a good portion of this grant money was used to promote CCSS. (Click here to see a list of grants.) But, to top it off, SREB also has a variety of other donors, including Pearson--the British-based corporation that has already made tens of millions of dollars from CCSS-aligned curriculum and textbooks. And Pearson stands to lose a lot of money if CCSS are changed or discontinued.
Candice McQueen: Dr. McQueen is an advisory team leader for the K-5 English Language Arts team. She currently works for Lipscomb University and has been an active cheerleader for CCSS--even speaking in favor of them before the TN Senate Education Committee in September, 2013. (By the way, the promised report from that hearing has never been released. We wonder if/when the commitee will ever get around to that.) The Ayers Institute at Lipscomb received a large grant from the state of TN (via Race to the Top funds) to develop a teacher traning program for Common Core. Based on this information, it seems evident that Dr. McQueen has a vested interest in keeping Common Core around. [Side Note: Interestingly, when Dr. McQueen was appointed senior VP of Lipscomb Academy--the K-12 private school affiliated with the university--about 6 months ago, she insisted that she would not be implementing CCSS at the private school. Apparently CCSS are good enough for public school kids, but not the students at the private school she helps run. (Click here for more information.) Which leaves us with this question--if CCSS are so great, wouldn't she want all schools to use them?]
Meghan Little: Ms. Little is on the English Language Arts Advisory Team for grades 6-8. She is currently the chief academic officer for KIPP charter schools in Nashville--but she is also on the Common Core Leadership Council for the TN Department of Education. (Click here to see her Linkedin profile).
Stephanie Kolitsch: Dr. Kolitsch is the Math Advisory Team leader for grades 9-12. She is a professor at UT Martin who also happened to participate in a “Core to College Curriculum Design Project”. (Please see this link for more details: )
Susan Groenke: Dr. Groenke is an associate professor of English education at UT Knoxville who, along with Dr. McQueen, is serving on the English Language Arts Standard Review & Development Committee. On page 7 of this PDF document, you will notice that Dr. Groenke is part of the Lipscomb University/Ayers Institute “IHE Advisory Board” that “will guide the development of pre-service teacher education resources and Common Core’s implications for change in teacher preparation.”
Emily Medlock: Dr. Medlock is on the Math Advisory Team for grades 6-8 and is an assistant professor for the College of Education at Lipscomb University. (Lipscomb again? Are we seeing a trend here?) She was a featured speaker at a Common Core “Educator Preparation Conference” at Lipscomb University in May, 2014. (Click here for documentation.)

We do not have time to investigate the backgrounds of each organization/person involved in this process, but, based on the research we have done so far, we are convinced that a good number of those placed on these teams and panels have a vested interest in the continued use of Common Core standards. This does not bode well for those of us who were hoping for unbiased consideration of our concerns.

It’s time to wrap this up for now because we have our Baby Bears we must tend to. But, as you can see, Momma Bears are not fooled by Haslam’s weak attempt to address our concerns about Common Core. If you would like to know what we would like to see from our Governor and elected officials, stay tuned for a follow up blog post...

A must-watch video for parents

10/18/2014

This is a powerful video made by parents and educators. It is factual and truthful. Take 20 minutes to watch it, and then share it with your friends. Contact your elected leaders and tell them you want Common Core eliminated from your schools. That is what it is gonna take, Momma Bears. YOU hold the key to protecting your children. Speak up and be heard!

Click HERE if the above video isn't working in your browser
or copy & paste this link: http://vimeo.com/108856538

Hide & Seek: TNDOE hides Common Core

8/19/2014

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Our last Momma Bear blog focused on the external makeover of the TNDOE: website, email, and Bill's staff's letter to teachers. However, there was one huge difference that deserved its own blog. Did you catch it? Take a look at their new website, again, in the previous blog and see if you can tell what is missing:

Do you notice anything "common"?
Bingo!!! All references to Common Core have been removed!

You'll see plenty of the word, "CORE," because of TNCORE. They can't really eliminate "TNCORE" because they have a whole different website devoted to it with its own logo and all. Obviously, the TNCORE website hasn't gotten a makeover yet because Bill's picture is still at the top along with Kevin Huffman's name just like on the old website:

But notice that even this TNCORE website doesn't even mention the word, "common," on its main page. You have to play hide & seek with your mouse to find the actual words, "Common Core," anywhere at all on the subpages. There is also no ketchup-mustard-onion-swirl Common Core logo:

Does that mean we aren't doing Common Core in Tennessee???
Oh, don't we wish! Unfortunately, there are lots of people making lots of money on this Common Core gravy train, so it is still chugging along the tracks full-steam ahead whether parents and teachers like the direction the train is heading or not.

Here is what the TNDOE has sneakily done, they have renamed the Common Core standards to:

 "Tennessee State Standards" 

Teachers told us that this renaming quietly happened over the past year. Teachers and Common Core coaches have been told to call it by the new name from now on and not to use the words, "Common Core" to avoid controversy or conflict. The name is toxic.

We are not stupid. Taking "common" out doesn't make it any less "common". It doesn't change the developmentally inappropriateness of the standards one bit.

Wait, can they do that???
Now, everyone knows that Tennessee didn't write these standards. Even so, our state is branding them as their very own, which any English teacher can tell you is plagarism. Some would even consider it "stealing," "theft," or "lying" to take someone else's property and put your name on something you didn't write. Whatever you call it, it is undeniably sneaky and underhanded. If the owners of the Common Core don't object to it, (and why would they? they just want the standards implemented no matter what it takes) Tennessee can do it.

The TNDOE thinks that by not using the toxic name people won't be so upset. Think again. It is even more infuriating to know they are blatantly trying to trick us, isn't it?

So, what can we do about it, Momma Bears?
Our elected officials need to hear from parents and teachers. Contact your State Representative and Senator and politely tell them you don't want Common Core in Tennessee no matter what they call it or how they sugar-coat it with fancy marketing.

Click HERE to find your legislators and send them a quick email, make a few quick phone calls, or even handwrite some letters (We've heard that snail-mail letters are the best at getting their attention). You could even make an appointment to meet with your legislators when they are in town and bring your kids along!

The Legislative Session in TN doesn't start until January, so we're stuck with the Tennessee State Standards (aka Common Core) until then. Now is a crucial time to contact legislators because November is prime time: Elections.

Our elected officials need to hear from you, parents. Most legislators' children are grown or in private schools; they are out of touch with what is really going on in public schools. They get biased information from highly-paid lobbyists who work for organizations funded by corporations that profit from Common Core and other lucrative reforms like charter schools. It is up to you, parents, to use your voice to advocate for your children and their education.

And, for pete's sake, be sure to vote in November!!!
There are candidates running for Governor against Bill in November. He scared away many candidates with his massive campaign warchest, but there are some underdogs still in the game. Their chances are slim since they are all waaaaaay outspent by corporate millionaire Bill... but it could happen! If every informed parent in TN voted and/or if every teacher in TN voted, it is entirely possible Bill could be defeated. Two of Bill's candidates are opposed to Common Core and the federal takeover of our public education system. Here are links to more info about them:

Shaun Crowell, Constitution Party
Isa Infante, Green Party

Remember:

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Press Release from Teachers

7/24/2014

Momma Bears just LOVE the BATs! In case you don't know who the BATs are, follow this link to get BAT knowledge. BATs bravely stand up for our children. On the front lines of battle, BATS are risking their jobs by fighting against harmful reforms like: Common Core, the excessive standardized testing of children, and the public school takeover by greedy investors wanting to turn our public schools into their private business with charter schools and vouchers.

BATs are where it is at! The National BATs group has about 50,000 members plus there are specialized BATs groups all over the place. Every state has a secret, closed Facebook group of BATs. There are BAT parents, BAT moms, and even BAT grandparents! BATs just celebrated their 1 year birthday. They've had a very busy year!

The BATs are making history next week by having a huge rally in Washington D.C.. The Momma Bears leaders were honored to be asked to attend the rally. Unfortunately, we can't be there, but we send a loud growl out to our BAT friends! Make some noise, BATs!!!

It is with great joy that Momma Bears share this kick-ass press release from the BATs:
(click the image below to see it better)

Thank you, BATs, for fighting for and protecting our children!

Petition warfare

7/9/2014

Momma Bears are flattered that our petition (Stop Hurting Our Schools: Remove Kevin Huffman as Commissioner of Education) is receiving so many new signatures in the past 48 hours! Apparently, it is now in a little petition popularity contest!

See, Kevin Huffman's fan club (people who wouldn't like him if they weren't getting so rich from his "leadership"... who would surely hate his guts if their own children attended public schools and were forced to do all these standardized tests and crazy common coreishness... or if their spouse worked in a real public school for an honest paycheck and was judged by that mathematical TVAAS cattle-growth formula to show her worth), well, they need to protect their pocketbooks. They know Huffman is in hot water after the whole TCAP mess, his tampering with the TCAP questions and cut scores, his illegally granting waivers to districts, and just last week his harsh announcement that there will be no mercy for SPED students when it comes to testing.

Rumors abound about Huffman's time left in Tennessee, but you gotta admit he's a tough booger for taking the heat for Governor Haslam's awful decisions for so long. (Governor Haslam is only doing what Jeb Bush tells him to do following the step-by-step list on how to ride on coat-tails to the White House.) The word that has trickled down to us common folks that Governor Haslam was so stinking mad at the 15 brave legislators who signed a letter to remove Huffman that Governor Haslam decided to keep Huffman around a little longer just out of spite.

Speculation about who will replace Huffman range from Freddy Krueger to Voldemort. The profitability of either villain bodes well for reformers (both did well in the movie Box Office), so the future looks bleak for public schools under Governor Haslam's leadership. Unless Haslam suddenly grows a heart and puts a real educator with compassion in that position, public education in Tennessee looks bleak.

By the way, we are hearing great things about 2 candidates for Governor! John McKamey (Democrat) and Shaun Crowell (Constitution Party) are both against Common Core and support strong public schools! They don't have nearly the war chest of campaign money that Governor Haslam has, but we Momma Bears believe in miracles, happy endings, and the power of voting parents.

Anyway, read all about the pathetic petition to save Huffman's neck at this link. You can see all the fancy-pants people that signed it who send their own kids to private schools and also about the naive young'uns at TN DOE, ASD, and TFA who are recently out of college and have nice, cushy jobs bossing hardworking teachers around.

My Children, and Their Teachers, are Guilty

7/2/2014

The following is a guest post from New Mexico parent, Wendy Small (originally posted by Kris Nielsen at www.atthechalkface.com, reposted with permission)

Let me start by telling you that my children are guilty. Guilty of being born to middle class–not wealthy–parents, guilty of having special needs, guilty of being the kind of poor test takers who falsely convict their teachers of being bad at their jobs. Most of all they are guilty of being children living in New Mexico.

Perhaps the most guilty among them is my daughter, Jennifer*. She has committed the most outrageous crime of having dyslexia. Despite interventions from teachers, and thousands of dollars spent on outside diagnostics and remediation, Jennifer, age 12, continues to test “not proficient”. She is guilty, and for this both she and her teachers must pay.

Nina, Jennifer’s next youngest sister, age 10, while bright and articulate, must pay. She is guilty. Guilty of wanting so badly to get a perfect score that she will do and redo her answers. Days will go by when Nina, in the fourth grade, will sit and write and erase her answers until she explodes. Nina’s explosions are harbingers for her classmates, who know her to be a steady and capable student. They become guilty of perceiving Nina’s anxiety and inflicting it upon themselves. “It must be really hard for me if it’s hard for Nina,” they think. Then, classmates of Nina’s explode too. They cry, they yell, they come home feeling frustrated and defeated. They are punished.

The youngest of our children are not exempt; they too must be punished. I know this because Ashley, my first grader, had to endure the punishment of standardized testing as well. For her criminal act of being a child in this state, Ashley was required to sit in her chair and interpret and respond to test questions that were abstract and completely inappropriate for her developmental age. Other students in Ashley’s class must be even more guilty because when I opted Ashley out of testing and sat with her in the school office, I could hear the wailing of her classmates begging their teacher to help them understand the questions. These students were being punished for wanting to do well on their tests. To warrant that kind of experience, they must have been deemed guilty.

I am certain that Ashley’s first grade teacher is guilty, too. She was the most punished of all of them. Tears were in her eyes, frustration in her voice. Her hands were tied and her voice silenced as she unwillingly inflicted this test on her students knowing it would forever alter the emotional safety they experienced in her classroom. Ashley’s teacher is guilty of loving her students, and for this crime she was punished.

As parents, my husband and I are guilty. We decided to raise our children here, and for that we must endure the horrific consequence of watching our children be punished. Together, we must watch while the happy childhoods of our children are replaced with anxiety. We are made to stand by while their curiosity is extinguished, while they learn to fear authority, while they learn that they are “not proficient”. We are punished. As we watch the promise of three bright futures fade, we are beaten.

The good news is that, while my children are guilty, they area not as guilty as the 29% of New Mexico children who commit the criminal act of being poor. For their criminal acts, poor children are the most punished. I know this because teachers, for many [these kids'] only reliable adults, are leaving at a rapid rate. Approximately 500 teachers will leave APS alone this year, many of them from schools with children who have committed the criminal act of being poor. [Seeing] the way they are being punished–these children and their teacher–they must be criminals.

Please free our children, offer them amnesty and, in so doing, liberate us all. This is a punitive system where schools, once safe havens, have become jails. Principals serve as unwilling wardens, and the [state education department] is the head of our prison system. Please shed light on this reality by paying attention, spreading the word and serving as advocates for children in our community. We are all called to be up to the task, our children are crying for the childhoods they deserve. The clock is ticking, and time is running out. Teachers are not speaking out because they are terrified that it will harm the job and schools they love. Ask them to speak, and listen. Use your voices and protect our schools, protect our teachers, protect our children.

*All names have been changed

Flip-flopping Fordham Institute & the False Messiah

6/12/2014

There are some really interesting nuggets to be found in this old 2010 report by Fordham Institute that compares the Common Core standards with each of the 50 states + DC's former standards. Even though Fordham Institute is heavily funded by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, their 2010 report seems to be fairly objective, unlike the more recent reformy propaganda that Fordham Institute has been spewing out. Momma Bears figured out why they've changed their tune...

In the past few years, Fordham Institute leaders seem to have forgotten their own research and have been traveling the country as cheerleaders for Common Core to states that are trying to drop out. Hello, do you not remember what you wrote??? Like a fly who can’t resist a pile of youknowwhat, the Fordham Institute regurgitates whatever their donors pay them to say, which also comes out as a pile of youknowwhat. Yessiree, these guys know which side their bread is buttered on. The Curmudgucation blogger called Fordham Institute "the best thinky tank money can buy." Keep reading and you'll see why.

How come he's covering up the "excellence"? (This is the logo on their Youtube page)

Here are some ironic nuggets that Fordham reported in 2010, and is now conveniently ignoring in 2014:

Nugget #1:
On the first page, Fordham Institute proudly announces that its very first publication, released in July 1997, was Sandra Stotsky’s "State English Standards."

Connect the dots... Sandra Stotsky, a professor at University of Arkansas, was one of 2 educators on the Validation team for Common Core Standards. She refused to sign her name on the Common Core. Not only did she refuse, Stotsky now travels the country speaking against Common Core.

So... Fordham Institute respected Sandra Stotsky enough to give her the honor of being their very first publication, but conveniently ignores her professional assessment and vocal opposition to Common Core now? Hmmm...

Nugget #2:
This statement on p.2: "it’s no great surprise that serious analysts, recently including the Brookings Institution’s Russ Whitehurst, have found no link between the quality of state standards and actual student performance."

Then why the heck are you forcing Common Core on our states?

Nugget #3:
This admission on p.3: "The Common Core math standards earn a grade of A-minus while the Common Core ELA standards earn a B-plus, both solidly in the honors range. Neither is perfect."

So you’re supporting these standards, which you admit are not perfect. These standards may not be perfect, but shouldn't our standards at least be worthy of making honor roll (all A's)?

Nugget #4:
On page 6 and several times throughout your research, Fordham Institute admits: Some states had superior standards to Common Core. Some had standards that were “too close to call”.

Why aren't you supporting for those standards that are superior to Common Core, then? Don’t you want the BEST for children in America? Why are you pushing states to completely swap their standards, purchase new curriculum and tests, and spend a ton of money to implement standards that you categorized as "too close to call." That doesn't make sense and you know it.

Nugget #5:
This nugget on p.4: “States will do their kids no favor if they mess up this decision or just go through the motions of embracing new standards, maybe only long enough to qualify for RTT funding. In short order, everyone in those jurisdictions will recognize that this was a false messiah – and educators and voters alike will grow even more cynical about standards-based education reform.”

Fordham Institute, you said it: “A false messiah”. And you were right about us being even more cynical.

Nugget #6:
Fordham Institute rated Tennessee's prior English Language Arts standards = A minus.
They scored Common Core's ELA standards = B plus.

Does that sound like Tennessee is raising our standards to go from A- to B+? Um, no. We'll keep the A- over the B+ thankyouverymuch, plus save a bunch of money not having to buy new curriculum. Many other states are in the same predicament. Like a broke salesman with no morals, you're selling standards they don't need and can't afford.

THE biggest nugget and the most important fact about this report and every word that comes out of the mouths of Fordham Institute well-paid staff:

Funding from:
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bingo!!! Continual funding by the Gates Foundation has paid your paychecks. How much have you received from Daddy Gates? This link will show at least $3.5 million in grants from Gates so far. And considering the method that the Gates Foundation pays their grants out over monthly installments (not in one big check, how stupid would that be?), we see you’re now under at least a 6 year commitment, with the possibility for more if the Bossman is happy with your "performance". That $1 million grant for "general operating support” is especially suspicious... Is that to pay for your travel expenses to all these states who are backing out of Common Core? Hey, if we paid you $3.6 million to support different standards, would you change your tune?

Not only that, if you look at the list of Fordham donors, you'll find all the usual Common Core supporters like: GE, the College Board, Amplify Learning (makes expensive Common Core technology products), and the Walton Family Foundation. And if you look at Fordham Institute's finance report, you'll see they are largely dependent upon their donors to exist. In fact, donors cover 2/3 of their expenses. That is hard to ignore. Everyone knows not to bite the hand that feeds you.

If you don't believe Momma Bears and all the flip-flopping facts and money stats we've linked above, then hear it from their own mouth in this video below made by Michael Petrilli, the Executive Vice President at Fordham Institute.

In the video, Petrilli is kidnapping another reformer, Frederick Hess (who can be also bought if you ever need a research paper to support your agenda and have an extra $30,000. In fact, click here to how Hess has hurt TN). Petrilli kidnaps Hess to give him a makeover at Brooks Brothers. Apparently, Hess likes to wear shorts year-round, and shorts just aren't appropriate attire for an exclusive black-tie event called "The Eddie Awards". Fast-forward to the 2 minute mark and you will hear Petrilli say this:

"Alright, now come on Shug, where are ya?" (looking for his chauffeur)

"I got a 2:30 conference call with Gates, and I don't wanna miss it.
BIG money on the line, baby, BIG money!"

Watch the video and hear it for yourself. Even though the video is supposed to be humorous, Petrilli is dead serious about the money.

It doesn't take a professional researcher to tell you the obvious: if you don’t keep your donors happy, they will just kick you off the gravy train and replace you with some other desperate researcher. It is in your best interest to keep on chugging out the stuff they want to see and hear. As Petrilli said, "Big money on the line, baby, BIG money!"

NOTE: Fordham Institute (formerly Fordham Foundation) is not the same organization as Fordham University at all. Fordham Institute doesn't have any students, it is not a college or school; it is a think tank funded by corporate interests to promote their reform agendas. So, don't let the "Fordham" part confuse you. Fordham University is a real University with real students and real teachers. They two Fordhams are not affiliated.
Also, just because an organization is a 501c3 non-profit, it does not mean someone isn't getting rich.

Momma Bears spills the beans & makes new friends

6/11/2014

2 Comments

One of our Momma Bear bloggers was flattered to be invited to speak at the State Education Editors convention in Denver, Colorado last week. You'll never guess who she sat next to on the flight home... a charter school teacher who just quit! Divine intervention? You decide. Here is her blog about the trip:

SPEAKING DEBUT...

Thursday, I was cleaning up macaroni and cheese noodles. 24 hours later I was in a 4-star hotel giving a speech to a convention room full of really important people. I kept thinking "somebody pinch me" so I would wake up. All these people seemed to want to hear what I had to say (or if they didn't, they were really good at hiding it).

My speech was called "Listen to your Mommas!". This was my first real public speaking engagement. To say I was nervous is an understatement! Even though my presentation was an hour and fifteen minutes long, I didn't see anyone's eyes glazing over or notice anyone playing candy crush on their phones. The audience members were all smiling and nodding along with the things I said. Since technology and I sometimes have issues, I was thankful that my PowerPoint presentation worked flawlessly. I don't think I stammered or said "like, um, like, uh, ummm..." (I was like really scared I would umm like end up like doing that like some people do when, uh, you know, they like get nervous). I made it through my presentation and was flabbergasted to receive a standing ovation.

So, what did I talk about?
I told them about the magical way that some ordinary moms in Tennessee came together and how we started Momma Bears. Less than one year ago, we launched our Momma Bears website & blog. The first month, we were ecstatic to reach 50 readers on our blog... Now, 11 months later, we are amazed to have had over 800,000 readers! Seriously, we're just moms who have no clue what we're doing. We've spent a whopping $17 total for the website domain name. That's it.

I also spoke about what we've accomplished through our blog and social media... how we've educated parents on many issues and forced inappropriate surveys to be stopped in school districts. We've encouraged parents to take action with easy steps and links to contact elected officials. We've supported teachers and shared their voices when they do not have the freedom to speak up. We've been a voice for students, parents, & teachers.

(*I'll post a link to my PowerPoint presentation at the end of this blog so you can see my mastery of PowerPoint. If you want, you can click through the slides and pretend you were there.)

Surprise!
A few were astonished to learn that Momma Bears are opposed to Common Core, so they asked quite a few questions about why. They seemed surprised that we're not extremist, radicals, Tea party, crazy, misinformed, or ignorant like the politicians portray opponents of the core to be. We just don't fit in to that stereotype that Arne Duncan and the reformers have labeled us to discredit us. We're normal moms concerned about our children's education. I supported our positions against common core with evidence and facts. And I told them, "Don't believe me: read the Race to the Top agreement (and especially Appendix C) and decide for yourself." One person joked that I knew more facts and information than their company's research department, and asked me how on earth I knew all of this. I told them it was because the Momma Bears research and share information. We read a lot of other bloggers, too, and I told them about the many awesome ones out there (they are listed on the PowerPoint). I even quoted some of our favorite bloggers including: Diane Ravitch, Mercedes Schneider, Mother Crusader, Edushyster, and my new personal favorite: Curmuducation.

I couldn't talk about the Momma Bears without talking about the BATs. If you don't know about the BATs, you should. Don't let the name scare you, BAT is an acronym for "Badass Teacher Association." The BATS are a force to be reckoned with and they won't be ignored. The BAT movement started about the same time as Momma Bears last summer and has since grown to nearly 50,000 members! There are now groups for special BATs, State groups, secret BATs, retired BATs, and even BAT Parents! Like the Momma Bears, the BATs have advocated with little or no money. Our success has come thanks to the power of social media and people who put their foot down and said "Enough!" Warning: if you see a teacher with a BAT symbol in her classroom or on her clothing, you know she's committed to fighting for her students and her profession. Momma Bears have the utmost respect for the BATs.

I also talked about bad teachers. I asked the audience to think of the worst teacher they ever had. Did you learn something from him/her? Did you learn how to deal with difficult people? (because we're all going to have to deal with a difficult person at some point in our lives whether it is a teacher, boss, family member, neighbor, IRS agent, 3 year old toddler throwing a tantrum, etc.) Did you learn patience, tolerance, compassion, or that you're not as smart as you thought you were from your "bad" teacher? Was your worst teacher someone else's favorite teacher? (mine was). You just can't put a numerical rating on the worth of teachers. I spoke about how teachers are unfairly targeted and blamed in our society, and how we need to elevate and respect the teaching profession. We need to give them the support they need to teach. Lots of heads nodded, so I am pretty sure I was preaching to the choir. I think someone even said "Amen!" (or maybe it was a cough?)

To close out my presentation, I quoted one of my brave BAT friends who said, "We enjoy the shade of trees that we did not plant". The public schools are our trees. They were created before we were born with the intention of them lasting indefinitely for future generations. The reformers are chopping down those trees, though. When you chop down trees, you can't just put them back and have shade again. We must protect our public schools for our children. Don't let the reformers chop them down to make a quick buck. Public schools belong to the public.

MY AWESOME BUMPY FLIGHT HOME
So, after nearly missing my flight home because of the crowded airport and, of course, being selected for a random security check (because I guess I looked like someone who builds bombs?) I rush like a BAT out of youknowwhere to get to the plane (because the gate is of course at the very end just my luck), and made it in the nick of time only to find out our flight was delayed due to thunderstorms. We eventually took flight and, of course, the plane started bumping as it went through turbulence. Now, I'm not fond of roller coasters, but I am usually okay if I keep my mind on something else. The young woman next to me seemed to be a little worried, though, so I struck up a conversation with her to get her mind off the flight. Lo and behold, I find out she is a teacher! or, she WAS a teacher. Sadly, she burned out after 5 years of teaching, some in public schools and some in charter. She did not seem to mind that I asked her a bunch of questions. She even said I could blog about her if I didn't use her name. So, here is the sad, but hopeful, story of the teacher I flew with.

Picking her brain...
Why did you leave teaching? Is there anything that would convince you to stay? What would you change if you could? "Support" was her answer. She told about having virtually no support, from administrators in the building or from the program she went through to get a job (TNTP). She said she broke away from the teacher placement agency as soon as she could, and continued to teach for several years. She told of the bad leadership at the charter school she worked for, and the extremely strict discipline. She said she tried to talk to students, to relate with them on a personal level, and she believes that because she did that, she didn't have the behavior problems like other teachers seemed to have. Even so, she said students at that charter school were not allowed to talk, it was like they were little prisoners. She told me how kindergartners in the charter school were held back a grade level due to mediocre test scores, but how those kindergartners were really ready for first grade. She suspected the charter school just did it to boost their test scores.

Her eyes lit up when she talked about wanting to help students with special needs, just like her nephew. I felt her pain when she told about how frustrated she was that she couldn't get the help for students that she knew they needed. I wanted to give her a high-five when she told me how she secretly talked to parents after IEP meetings and told them they needed to keep fighting and what to do to help their child... because parents just don't know the system or what their child is entitled to.

After 5 years of teaching and high evaluation scores, she was just burned out. She was moving north to accept a job working as a consultant, and she was also seriously considering returning to law school to become a lawyer to fight for SPED students. I hope she does. They need her voice. And I hope our paths cross again someday. I believe it wasn't a coincidence that she was on that flight in that seat next to me.

If you'd like to see the Powerpoint presentation,
here is the link to download it:

listen_to_your_mommas.pptx
File Size:	10226 kb
File Type:	pptx

Download File

These two videos were embedded in the presentation:

2 Comments

Call to action: Blitz Gov. Haslam

5/21/2014

This is it. We have had enough. We have dealt with enough nonsense from Kevin Huffman and the Tennessee Department of Education. He has promoted the excessive testing in our schools (including harmful testing of Kindergarten - 2nd grade children), promoted common core, supported policies that will destroy neighborhood schools, demeaned and disrespected teachers, etc., etc., etc.

We have tried to speak up. We have "liked" and "shared" anti-Huffman Facebook pages, signed petitions, and spoken to our legislators. But the recent mess with the TDOE not having TCAP scores ready in time for final report card grades is the last straw.

It’s time to do this, Momma Bears:

1) Contact your legislators and let them know how you feel about Kevin Huffman and the DOE. (Click here to find the contact information for your legislators.) Be sure to CC it on to Governor Haslam too. (bill.haslam@tn.gov) Feel free to use the following text in your email:

Dear Gov. Haslam, Sen.__________, and Rep. _____________,

I am incredibly disappointed that our appointed Education Commissioner and the DOE did not have TCAP quick scores ready on time to be used in my child’s grades. I am also upset that the DOE did not notify districts until the last minute, and that all of the test anxiety my child experienced meant nothing. This delay and failure to notify districts makes parents speculate if the test results are being manipulated.

Kevin Huffman’s incompetency is an embarrassment to our state and I am requesting that he be immediately removed from his position as commissioner. A qualified educator should be appointed as Tennessee's Commissioner of Education. Our children deserve no less.

Furthermore, we request a full audit of the funds for the state education department... particularly the spending done by Huffman, including who received the funds through no-bid contracts.

Sincerely,
(include your town)

2) Call Governor Haslam’s office at least once a day, if not more, and let them know that you believe that Huffman is incompetent and you want him fired immediately. His phone number is: 615-741-2001

3) Share this with your friends and ask them to do the same thing.

4) Keep calling Haslam’s office until Huffman is fired or resigns.

We must flood Governor Haslam’s office with calls and emails. If we keep speaking up, we will be heard. Don't be afraid to use your Momma Bear voices. You could even use his full birth name, just like you do on your kids so they know Momma means business!

"William Edward Haslam, you know better!"

Oops. We Changed Our Minds.

4/28/2014

We Momma Bears recently had a chance to climb out of our caves and do some reading in the bright, spring sun. We finally had a chance to read through all those SCORE emails about Common Core--and we are here to announce that we have officially changed our minds:

We now believe that our children will only reach the highest levels of self-actualization if they are exposed to the wonders of these miraculous standards. You may be thinking "What the heck? Seriously? Am I being punked? Is it the end of the world as we know it?" but please hear us out....

Here is our ever-so-insightful reasoning:

1) We have on good authority that Common Core standards are so potent that they will counteract any and all of the negative affects that child poverty may have on learning. Your student didn't sleep last night because he/she was too hungry? Don't worry! Teach them to decompose a number and all will be well.

2) We now understand that the best way to teach a child grit and tenacity--character traits developed by CCSS--is by throwing them into the proverbial pool because they will teach themselves to swim! No typing courses required in the state of Tennessee? No problem. After countless hours of testing on computers, they will eventually train themselves to tearfully hunt and peck their way to a 3-sentence paragraph in kindergarten before they can even read! And they will have developed grit and tenacity. And all will be well... unless they score poorly on the test... because if they score basic or below, they'll sadly finish kindergarten designated one or two years behind grade level. So, the big question is: When will pre-k testing start to better quantify that all kids should learn at the same pace? Better yet, can you start testing them as toddlers? Surely there is a way to rate a toddler's grit and tenacity based on their tantrums.

3) Common Core is going to close the learning gap! Even though the standards were raised and the gap might be wider, inspirational rubrics will overcome closing grade level performance. But, not to worry... your failing scores will put you in the bottom 5% of performing schools and your school can be closed, leaving you all sorts of charter school choices (who all do the same scripted Common Core lessons, give lots of tests, and are staffed by cheap, unqualified, temporary teachers with no experience so it really doesn't matter which one you pick... or which one picks you, because the charter schools can legally kick out the kids they don't want and there is nothing you can do about it).

4) Your child is disabled? Learning English as a second language? Well, finally your child will be tested and be instructed just like all of their peers! No more accommodations for the weaklings! Sink or swim. Hey, it is a dog eat dog world. Kids that can't cut it will be called "factionless" and left to live outside the 4 pillars of our society (just like in the novel & movie, Divergent).

5) Please bring us even more CCSS! Please tell us you haven't forgotten Science and Social Studies! We need some new and harder ways to learn these subjects too. Because right now nobody cares about the untested subjects. Testing can return a focus on the entire educational experience (if tied to teacher evaluations, of course). Everything needs an aligned to a test! Be sure to include art, music, and physical education! Can you please figure out a way to test recess? We bet the government can even figure out some method to test how our kids eat lunch and then use their scores to fire cafeteria workers. Oh, and don't forget Sex Ed! Make it as graphic as possible, we don't even care how young the kids are when they learn it.

6) We want brand new untrained teachers to teach it. We know it is tough trying to squeeze that budget tighter each year and still pay the executive salaries & benefits for the administration at the top of the food chain. Get rid of all those hard-working, stay-in-the-profession-forever types. Who needs them? Bring us the Teach for America robot drones. Five weeks of training is more than enough to prepare new college grads without education degrees how to be the excellent teachers that children deserve. Never mind their classroom management is the pits. Kids will overcome with grit and tenacity. Those Teach for America drones are climbing their career ladders, bless their hearts, and we are happy to let our kids be stepping stones for them as they aspire to greatness as future charter school operators with unlimited salaries, or as well-paid administrators in the TN Department of Education or U.S.Department of Education making decisions for lots and lots of children because a mere 2 year stint as a classroom teacher magically qualifies them for that.

7) Please, give our kids the PARCC test AND the SBAC test. Yes, let's do BOTH of the new Common Core tests in our state! Arne Duncan will be so happy with us that he will wet his pants!!! We know we don't have the money for all this expensive testing, but do it anyway. It will be worth it. Also, force our school systems to buy lots of new Microsoft computers and software for these tests. We'll afford it somehow. You must force these national common standards on our offspring and future generations. Cram it down our throats with expensive advertising through TV commercials and radio ads paid for with our own tax dollars. Would it be too blatant to plan for a Superbowl commercial? You're right, maybe that is too over-the-top. Here's a money-maker idea, advertise to our kids in the tests! Put brand name products in the test questions, we don't mind if you market to our kids because they are future customers in the global economy. Our kids need to know what brand of shoes, beverages, or toys to beg us for.

8) Please spy on our kids through the Common Core tests, benchmark assessments, and surveys. Sneak them in while they are on the computer so parents won't know and it is a big, happy surprise to parents if they find out. Track how frustrated our kids get with questions that are obviously trick questions. Count how many clicks they make with the mouse before they give up. Use the laptop camera and video them to look at their facial expressions. Don't be sneaky about it, go ahead and just blatantly ask our kids personal questions about their lives. Heck, ask them personal questions about OUR lives. We parents just love to spit our milk out at the dinner table when our kids tell us how they were asked non-educational questions that day at school like: who lives with us, how many bedrooms our house has, if our child has a TV or computer in their bedroom, if our child is bullied because of their sexuality, if they have used cigarettes or drugs, if they drink alcohol, and so forth. No question is off-limits when you label it "data." And even though some Americans may say those questions are a violation of privacy or that it is "nunya beeswax," we know that it really means that the government loves us.

9) Be sure to keep track of our children's personal information in a giant database. Transfer and store it on "clouds" because clouds sound safe and happy (like that bonus land in Super Mario where Mario can't get killed, he just jumps around getting coins). Internet safety doesn't worry parents one bit. We don't mind that our bank accounts were hacked through Target and that nothing is ever truly secure on the internet. Hackers wouldn't want innocent kids social security numbers, would they? Why would future employers or colleges or marketing companies want our children's information, anyway? Well, we're positive the government and these corporations that have lucrative contracts with the government will keep our children's personal information safe because they love us and our kids. Besides, if there is a security breach, we'll never know. Ignorance is bliss. Share our kids information with whoever you want without parental consent. We Momma Bears have read the Race to the Top Application to the Federal Government, so we know companies contracted with government are already legally tracking our kids all the way from their "cradle to career." The FERPA law protects the government and those businesses and makes it all perfectly legal to do it without parents even knowing about it. So, go right ahead and stalk our kids. Parents won't think it is creepy. We know you love us.

Please make all of this as hard as possible on everyone. Keep pushing all of these awful reforms on our children despite the many parents and teachers who are freaking out and complaining...
...because if you do, the wheels will continue to come off.

And Momma Bears can continue to get electorate buy-in that TN Governor Haslam's education policies are rotten and based on greed. More immersion in our children's classrooms will convince more voters that Haslam and his appointed Commissioner of Education, Kevin Huffman, both need to go. More complaints from parents, teachers, and students will open more eyes, and we can get people to the voting booths in November to get the politicians who have voted against our children and our public schools out of office. It could be the best thing politicians & reformers have done for our state. Truly.

Update: Huffman Agreement Axed by Huffman

4/17/2014

When the Momma Bear post on the 1-year PARCC delay was written Wednesday morning, there were many events in play and messages being shared. During this time, the Momma Bear who wrote this post heard from reliable sources that the Conference Committee (CC) Report--that had not yet been released to the public--would negate the 1-year PARCC hiatus. Because the House was going to hear the bill in just a few hours, the Momma Bear blogger wrote the post, attached the CC report as soon as it came across "the wire", and immediately posted the blog. Hindsight being 20/20, she should have read the CC report before posting it. If she had read it, she would have noticed that there is still a 1-year hiatus of PARCC in the bill. We apologize for that major error in reporting, but we hope you will forgive us: Our blogger was working within serious time constraints and, as you know, inaccurate information can sometimes be shared during such situations.

Despite this technicality, we here at Momma Bears do believe that, as written, the Conference Committee bill that was approved by the full House on Wednesday does essentially ax the effectiveness of the 1-year PARCC hiatus. The TN Board of Education (BOE) will seek out bids for Common Core-compliant tests from other testing companies for the 2015-2016 test; however, the CC report/bill requires that these tests must be field tested prior to the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year to even be considered. That appears to leave the BOE with two test choices: the PARCC test and the Smarter Balanced Assessment--a.k.a., the "other" Common Core test that is currently being developed. (Don't forget that Ed Commish Huffman is on the Executive Committee of PARCC, so we have no doubt he will be lobbying hard for PARCC.)

So, instead of using the hiatus as an opportunity to examine other test options that could save the state much money, teachers much hassle, and children much heartache; we are basically stuck with an extra year of twiddling our thumbs as the PARCC continues to barrel down on us like an out of control locomotive.

Oh, and we are pretty sure that this 1-year break actually helps Huffman save face because it is clear from reports across the state that TN would have been nowhere near ready to adequately administer PARCC a year from now. So now Huffman, Haslam, and the leadership in the legislature look like they actually give a hoot about the desires of the electorate/legislature, when we are pretty sure they are just relieved that they now have an extra year to try and get our state "ready" for the PARCC.

We have news for Mr. Huffman and his buddies: As long as you and your cohorts continue to disrespect teachers and parents, starve school districts of resources, and treat our children like products rather than human beings, Tennessee students, as a whole, will never "succeed" at any high-stakes test. Raising the proverbial bar to 6 feet and then telling children who can only jump 3 feet to clear it is nothing short of insanity. But we strongly believe that, if you implement some of the following suggestions, TN students could easily clear that 6-foot bar:

1) Fully fund our schools.
2) Implement wrap-around services that will help ameliorate the impact of poverty on learning.
2) Pay our teachers what they are worth.
3) Allow teachers to actually teach instead of test.
4) Respect a child's need for play, exercise, and the arts.
5) Encourage parents to be active participants in their children's education.

Until then, Tennessee students will never reach their fullest potential because, contrary to your beliefs, simply expecting more won't make children achieve more.

Demon Barber, Take 2

4/12/2014

When Momma Bears last left off…

We told you all about the Demon Barber of Downing Street, the mastermind behind all the nasty Labour Party education reforms in England. Just before Tony Blair bid adieu as Prime Minister, Sir Michael went worldwide with his ideas for education reform. He took a consultant position with McKinsey Global Practices and landed a new gig in Ohio. Bill Gates paid McKinsey & company BIG money for a WORLD class Ohio education system.

"Pip pip, Prime Minister Tony Blair! I'm heading across the pond to throw a Spanner in the Works"

"Cheerio, old Duff! Best of luck waffling your beastly rubbish."

Only things didn’t go so well for Sir Michael in the Buckeye state. Reforming education in Ohio “…would require an unlikely alignment of galaxies: The Ohio State Board of Education, the state’s new Democratic governor and its Republican-dominated Legislature would all have to cooperate closely. And that’s not to mention Ohio’s 613 school districts. So, it’s a real challenge to align all these actors behind that reform,” he complained.

Which just goes to show you that even a swanky British accent can’t fool everybody all the time. (And don’t even think about pulling that world class stuff on Momma Bears. We are worldwide, too, and our Momma Bears in Wales tell us that England’s interference in education matters is not pretty.)

So, what’s a Brit with a degree from Oxford in American History supposed to do when faced with defeat?

Blame America, of course!

“One worry I have is the sheer difficulty of getting things done in this country.” Specifically he complains about America’s Constitution, which provides for separation of powers and local control over education.

“[Y]our Founding Fathers separated powers between the three branches and two levels," he stated. “In England, we don’t have federal-state separation or the separation of powers between the legislature and the executive…” Barber further explains , “In Mr. Blair’s Britain, it was possible to impose new policy quickly” because “Britain’s political system endows its prime ministers with greater powers to impose new practices than any corresponding American official enjoys, since basic education policies in the United States are set in the 50 states and in the nation’s 15,000 local school districts.” So, in comparison, Barber says, “Once Britain’s prime minister is elected, he has a majority in Parliament and its much easier to change things. In contrast, the founding fathers created a political culture where you have to get a consensus from competing factions.”

Hmmmm…we’re thinking Sir Michael might need to get his money back on that American History degree from Oxford and take a history class in an American public school. He needs a better appreciation for the government created by our Founding Fathers and their reasons for creating it. “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” says the Declaration of Independence. We like our American ways with separation of powers, states control over education, and local school boards. Americans do not want a centralized power structure like the U.K.

Besides who could stand all that wig wearing, hopping up and down, and shouting like they do in British parliament? If there is going to be any wig wearing, hopping and shouting to be done then let the kids do it. Remember when kindergarten used to have dress up centers, recess, gym class, and games? ***sigh***

Back to the demon…

His very British education on American History might explain his skewed way of thinking about the history of America’s public education. In 2008, Sir Michael gave the keynote address at a Washington, D.C. national education summit sponsored by the Aspen Institute. His address, full of references to the 1960’s and civil rights, applauds Dr. King and other civil rights leaders. And as an homage to Dr. King’s 1963 “I have a Dream” speech, he even titles his speech, “Neither Rest Nor the Tranquility: Education and the American Dream in the 21st Century.”

But underneath the platitudes is a darkness that is just plain ugly.
Sir Michael Barber seemingly blames the fall of American education on Brown v. The Board of Education, the landmark Supreme Court decision to integrate public schools. These are his exact words:

“In 1955, the year General Motors achieved a US market share of 50 percent and two years before the launch of Sputnik undermined America’s post-war confidence, the American high school reached its zenith--at least for white kids. A year earlier the Supreme Court had momentously decided that the education those white kids received should ultimately be available to all, setting the terms of debate for the ensuing decades. Up to that time--and indeed beyond--the US had a huge comparative advantage over all other countries in the provision of universal, general education...”

Sir Michael goes on to explain how American education has stagnated in the last quarter of the 20th century and what a tremendous economic impact that will have on our country. And how we must not be complacent in education reforms. Ya-da Ya-da Ya-da…

But when it comes time to point the finger at the causes for the decline, Barber clearly points it at the kids. “The slippage is not the result of a lack of investment which remains relatively high in the US. Rather it reflects--to use hard economic terms--a lack of productivity.”

“The problem is that, as they get older, children make less progress each year than children in the best performing countries. Here we’re not just talking about poor kids in poor neighbourhoods; we’re talking about most kids in most neighbourhoods.”

In other words... kids in integrated schools.

So, now we know who we are dealing with…

Follow Momma Bear’s next blog and we will tell you about Sir Michael’s involvement in Race to the Top and how he kicked off Common Core in Tennessee.

Click HERE to subscribe to Momma Bears so you won't miss it!

Sir Michael... the Demon Barber of Downing Street

4/7/2014

Sir Michael Barber, the British knight who once occupied offices at Number 10 Downing Street, has been called a mad professor and one of the scariest people in education reform. But most Americans have never heard of him. So, Momma Bears think its time to introduce you.

Who is Sir Michael Barber?
Quite literally, he can be described as an English NUT. In fact, he is an English NUT head because the National Union of Teacher in England is called “NUT” and Barber was once their head. We think NUT head is a pretty accurate description of this former accountant turned history teacher.

He started off in the teachers union leading a national boycott against standardized testing. But that was short-lived and he soon parlayed his position as spokesperson for British teacher unions into a university professorship and authored “The Learning Game.” During that time, Barber became Tony Blair’s speech writer on education issues. By the mid 1990’s, this daft, middle aged NUT head who loves his charts and graphs was emerging as a serious behind the scenes force in education. By 1995, Barber was selected to collaborate on the Labour Party’s education policies.

When Tony Blair became Great Britain’s Prime Minister in 1997, he made Barber the head of Standards and Effectiveness and Chief Advisor to the Secretary of State for School Standards. Barber later led the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. Momma Bears will explain “delivery” to you later. But for now, think of it as something really bad that earned Barber the title as one of the scariest reformers in education.

In public office , Barber was the key architect in the U.K.’s public education reform.

He developed a three pronged plan:

1) National Standards & Accountability
2) Teacher Effectiveness
3) Market Reform (aka = School Choice)

Sound familiar??? Keep reading, there’s more…

From 1997 to 1999, the Labour Party implemented the first prong of Barber’s “Investment for Reform” plan by instituting “Large-scale reform driven from the top down; designing all the materials at the national level and training everybody in a cascade out; using accountability to publish results and school inspection to check that people were adopting better practices.” That is a direct quote from Sir Michael who goes on to brag that Prime Minister Tony Blair’s administration dealt swiftly with under-performing schools.

Schools that were unable to live up to the new British national standards were shut down without mercy. Many of which were located in Liverpool and low income neighborhoods in London. When the Brits complained that Barber went too far, too fast, he responded, "too bad." Critics suggested that Barber should have made more of an effort to get buy-in but he rebuffed their criticism. “I personally don’t believe that,” said Barber, “you have to be very clear what’s non-negotiable and be absolutely unapologetic.” Barber’s unapologetic slice & dice philosophy on public education reform earns him the title of:

"Demon Barber of Downing Street"

But Barber traded that title in 2005 for “Sir” when the Queen knighted him and he gave up his posh offices on Downing Street to join McKinsey Global Practices. Ethically prohibited from working on British projects for at least six months, Sir Michael turned his attention from the U.K. to Ohio. Yes, Ohio, the buckeye state in America...

In 2006, the Ohio State Board of Education asked Achieve, Inc. to evaluate and benchmark Ohio’s K-12 policies & practices against the best international standards. So, Achieve hired McKinsey & Company to perform the research and Bill Gates paid for it. The McKinsey team, led by Sir Michael Barber, produced a research report entitled, Creating a World-Class Education System in Ohio.

World Class Education???
That rings a bell -- Cha-ching!!!

According to the report, “The world’s highest-performing educational systems exhibit three common attributes, which reinforce each other to ensure system alignment and focus on delivering high levels of student achievement.”

High (Dollar) Challenge
+
High (Dollar) Support
+
Aligned (Corporate Tax) Incentives

Okay... So Momma Bears added the information in parenthesis,
but you know it is true!!!

Not too long ago, Bill Gates bought one of those World-Class systems for Memphis too. But instead of getting the fancy British model, Memphis got a knock-off version from Boston. Find out more in Momma Bears next blog when we will tell you all about how the Demon Barber of Downing Street came to Tennessee.

(Cliff Hanger)

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Governor Is Gettin Desperate

3/17/2014

Surprise! Governor Haslam is coming to Indian Trail Intermediate School in Johnson City, on Tuesday, March 18. He is expected to arrive around 11:30 and be at the school for about an hour.

This is an invitation-only event. The list will include superintendents, school board members, Common Core Coaches, and the media. The assumption that unless you fit into one of those categories, that we will not be able to attend. This saddens us to know that the meeting is restricted. To our knowledge, teachers and parents have not been invited.

What that also tells us is that this visit has a political reason behind it. A Representative in Nashville said that Haslam is trying to drum up support for Common Core State Standards given the bill that was passed last week to delay further implementation of CCSS and PARCC for two years.

Supposedly a group of community members are going to be at the corner of Lambeth and Roan St. (by the parking lot near the football field) to protest common core. This is public property. We know this is late notice, and it is hard to be spontaneous when you have children, but if you can, join them.

If you have it in your closet, wear red clothing. It is part of the "Wear Red for Public Ed" campaign. It is a small, non-aggressive, non-obtrusive way to send a message that you are in favor of public education. Signage can include: No Common Core, No PARCC, or I am not a Faux Parent.

We have also heard that the Governor is going to be at Cedar Grove Elementary at 8:45 AM in Smyrna (near Murfreesboro) tomorrow.

And we heard there is a third school site scheduled for tomorrow but we aren't sure where in the state it is.

UPDATE on 3/18/14:

Lexington Middle School is the 3rd school Governor Haslam is gracing with his presence, disrupting learning to push his political agenda.

Did you notice that all 3 schools are in districts where there was a push from legislators against Common Core? Yep, not a coincidence.

Did you notice that there has been no notice given? Teachers found out late yesterday about these visits to their schools. Yep, not a coincidence either. It is hard to stage a protest if nobody knows he's coming. This is a very deliberate, very desperate attempt to save Common Core.

Schools need VIGOR, not Rigor

3/6/2014

This world can be a cold, cruel place, but our children's classrooms shouldn't be. Schools should be a place of warmth, of joyful learning, and of respect for each unique child and their needs. Rigor is not a nice word, but reformers keep saying "rigor" as if it is. Which definition do you like best:

www.Dictionary.com: rig·or [rig-er] (noun)
1. strictness, severity, or harshness, as in dealing with people.
2. the full or extreme severity of laws, rules, etc.
3. severity of living conditions; hardship; austerity: the rigor of wartime existence.
4. a severe or harsh act, circumstance, etc.
5. scrupulous or inflexible accuracy or adherence: the logical rigor of mathematics.
World English Dictionary: rigor (ˈraɪɡɔː, ˈrɪɡə) — n
1. med a sudden feeling of chilliness, often accompanied by shivering: it sometimes precedes a fever
2. pathol rigidity of a muscle; muscular cramp
3. a state of rigidity assumed by some animals in reaction to sudden shock
4. the inertia assumed by some plants in conditions unfavourable to growth
Synonyms: 1. inflexibility, stringency. 4. cruelty.

None of these definitions sound pleasant, do they? In fact, if you, as an adult, had to attend a training course with any of the above descriptions, I bet you'd not wake up energized in the morning looking forward to learning, would you?

How about using the word, "VIGOR," instead?

www.Dictionary.com: vig·or [vig-er] noun
1.active strength or force.
2.healthy physical or mental energy or power; vitality.
3.energetic activity; energy; intensity: The economic recovery has given the country a new vigor.
4.force of healthy growth in any living matter or organism, as a plant.
5.active or effective force, especially legal validity.
World English Dictionary: vigour or ( US ) vigor (ˈvɪɡə) — n
1.exuberant and resilient strength of body or mind; vitality
2.substantial effective energy or force: the vigour of the tempest
3.forcefulness; intensity: the vigour of her complaints
4.the capacity for survival or strong healthy growth in a plant or animal: hybrid vigour
5.the most active period or stage of life, manhood, etc; prime

Those definitions are much, much better, aren't they?

Here are some better words we'd like to hear to describe our children's schools:

joy
enthusiasm
respect
creativity
flexibility
human
valuable
worthwhile

Standardized testing and common core don't align with any of those nice words. Common Core does not RESPECT our children, it respects the corporations who are making a money from selling their curriculum, their assessments, and their standardized tests.

Therein lies the problem: Corporations respect money, not children.
Just consider the words they use to refer to people:

"Human Capital"

It de-humanizes and corporatizes our children, their teachers, and their learning environments. So cold and unpersonal.

Don't believe us? Look what was just announced this week:

Bill Gates' Microsoft is partnering with the Pearson Publishing Giant to create a Common Core curriculum. (Click HERE to see the article about it). It will be for "a digital personalized learning environment that is 100 percent aligned to the new standards for college and career readiness."
And it is going to "reduce costs." How??? by removing the real, human teacher from the equation because, after all, it is much cheaper to buy a Microsoft computer program than to pay the salary & benefits of a professional teacher. (Of course, Bill Gates' children won't do this program... They attend the best private school money can buy in Seattle that has a low student:teacher ratio, rich and varied Arts programs, and plenty of hands-on learning opportunities). Another case of profiting from Other People's Children...

Momma Bears aren't happy about this destruction and depersonalization of our children's education... Be prepared to face OUR "Rigor" as we fight for "Vigor" in our children's schools.

Danger: Inappropriate education website for kids

2/28/2014

Momma Bears received this info from a Mom:

My 11 year daughter informed me of a Common Core website that her class has to get on to read an article and take a quiz on afterwards. The assigned articles are harmless however the teacher allowed them to read other articles when they were done testing. She happened upon an article about a transgender boy winning homecoming queen. It explained that he was taking medicine to change his hormones without his parents knowing. I am in the process of talking to the school about this. My fear is that this will become mandatory and the articles tested on will be up to the teachers or worse the government. I try to keep my kids "kids" as long as possible. I am outraged at the whole idea of Common Core. It seems to take our children's childhood away. So much time frustration, testing, and stress. Not to mention the material they see that we as parents don't get the opportunity to read. Is this a slow indoctrination? The website is called: www.newsela.com and, by the way, this article that she read was under the kids section. Crazy huh?

Momma Bears checked it out...
Newsela is a website that has news articles for students grades 3-12. Students can change the Lexile score of each article for different reading level. It is all Common Core aligned, of course. There are even quizzes for students to take about each article after they read it, and the score is sent to their teacher. Students must create a username and password, or students may use their Google Apps for Education login information. You don't have to register to view the articles (the first 4 are free), just to take the quizzes.

Sure enough, that article is right there in the KIDS section if you scroll to the bottom:

And here's another one you might not want your 3rd grade child reading:

And, if that's not bad enough, this article bashes parents:

The NewsELA website tells children to:

Read closely.
Think critically.
Be worldly.

There are plenty of articles about global warming, some about legalizing marijuana, a few others about gay rights, and lots of articles praising President Obama. Momma Bears do not believe issues such as these are appropriate for elementary or middle school children.

How does Newsela choose the articles?
Their website says: "Our editorial team chooses articles that are timely (often breaking news), worldly (we balance domestic US stories with international coverage), and substantial (you won’t find Justin Beiber and his pet monkey in Newsela). We are very deliberate in distributing alignment of articles across a range of Common Core standards."

Did you catch that last sentence??? They are "VERY DELIBERATE in DISTRIBUTING alignment of articles across a range of COMMON CORE standards." Gee, ya think???

And if distributing isn't enough, they QUIZ the kids after they've read it to reinforce the biased, inappropriate material they just read.

So, who is funding this "educational courseware" that is "transforming the way learners access the world through words" and is, of course, aligned with common core?

Go ahead, we'll give you 1 guess...

Bingo! Bill Gates
Newela "won" a $100,000 Literary Coursework Challenge grant. "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is investing $6 million in web-based courseware to support students in mastering the Common Core State Standards for literacy at the 4th–8th grade levels."
(Click HERE to visit the Bill & Melinda Gates website that proudly shows how they're throwing their money at common core, including this company.) Bill Gates isn't the only source of revenue, there are lots of sugar-daddy foundations wanting a piece of this profitable pie.

Momma bears kept digging and turned up this dirt...
Newsela's founder, Matthew Gross, "led the development of EngageNY.org, a web application providing teachers and administrators with resources for implementation of Common Core state standards and teacher and principal evaluations." Congratulations, Matthew Gross, for the worst and most perverted implementation of Common Core in the entire nation! Parents are furious to learn that the www.engageny.org website (a website you developed for the NY Education Department with tax dollars, and which your commissioner John King bragged about for all the high traffic it was getting) contained horribly inappropriate links for students to "quizzes" to find out if they are a "slut," "a se*y b***h," "a freak," or "losers." Who knows how many children innocently clicked on those links and were asked questions we won't even print here. You'll have to click on the link to read them yourself. (That would explain the insanely high website traffic on the State of NY's website.)

WHO IS PROTECTING OUR KIDS???
Certainly not these profit-seeking creeps.

NOTE: Please don't write Momma Bears about gay bashing, global warming, or Obama. We actually are quite open-minded people with friends who are gay. We respect that. As parents, our choice is how we shelter our kids and introduce adult concepts. We don't want our young children exposed to those topics about sexuality at school, especially not in elementary school. These internet-based educational websites are circumventing parents, and THAT is what we have the biggest issue with.

What can you do about it, Momma Bears & Daddy Bears?

Ask your children's teachers if they use the Newsela website. If so, send a polite note to them saying your child is not permitted to use it.
Talk to your school board members to tell them of this inappropriate "educational tool" and make sure it isn't being used in your district.
Contact your legislators. Forward them this blog if you want. Tell them you sure don't like this common core crap. But don't use the word "crap" (even though it is the truth).
Ask your kids what they are doing in school. We're sure this isn't the only biased "educational tool" out there. School districts are pinching pennies to make ends meet, so free or cheap "tools" like Newsela are awfully tempting, especially when everything is required to be aligned with the common core corporate standards.
Be vigilant. Always watching. Pay attention to what your kids are being exposed to. Don't trust that they're safe just because they are at school or that a teacher is monitoring these online websites.

Time to use your PARENT power:
Call and/or email legislators as soon as possible and let them know that you support these bills:

Testing Opt-Out (HB1841/SB2221): “This bill permits parents to opt their children out of participation in high-stakes testing.”
Repeal Common Core (HB 2332/SB 2405) This bill would Repeal Common Core Standards in TN!!!
Postpone Common Core (HB 1825 /SB 1985) requires the state board of education and the department of education to postpone any further implementation of Common Core State Standards beyond those standards implemented as of June 30, 2013, until further implementation is approved by the general assembly.

A Creepy test --- PARCC

2/26/2014

Someone sent this video to Momma Bears and it freaked us out. We transcribed the video for you below.

Feb. 5, 2014 - Dr. Peg Luksik explains how Common Core testing can embed questions that result in behavior change without protest from the children. Poughkeepsie, New York

Question from a Mom in the audience:
"I'm trying to understand because I thought that PARCC and the Smarter Balance, with both, it sounds like as the student is taking it, the test will actually modify itself to how the student is doing? And when the test results comes back, that would be to the benefit of the student? So why is it then that the teachers don't like it if it is self-paced? Wouldn't you think that would be wonderful?"

Dr. Peg Luksik's response (as transcribed by a fast-typing Momma Bear):

"The problem isn't that it is self-paced, the problem is that the test is open to manipulation."

So if I wanted to look like the students are doing poorly, I can adapt it to make the test harder. If I wanted to make it look like the students are doing well, it can be adapted to make the test easier. And you, as parents, or taxpayers, or policy-setters, will never know which way the test was adapted because it is an internal mechanism so it is not a valid assessment, and that is the fundamental problem with it. The test is being manipulated as the test is being taken. In other cases, when you're not in math but some of the other areas, history or where it is more philosophy-driven, you have to comply before you can move on. So the child is put in the position of: "you must agree."

"I don't agree with the global warming." (giving an example) But you have to because the test won't let you move on unless you comply.

So the test-makers can make the test adaptive: we can make it easier... we can make it harder... or we can make it so that we force compliance. You can't take the next step unless you comply with whatever is being taught or presented in the test. So even if you don't agree with it, you are gonna have to write it, you're gonna have to say so.

Perhaps an example that is older will help you... I have a long history in this movement. This is not the first time that the federal government has attempted to take over education. So in the 1990s, it was called "Outcome based education" and then called "School to Work." I was one of the leading national opponents then, too. I got involved because a woman showed me a test. It was given in Pennsylvania and was called the Educational Quality Assessment (EQA). It was originally given back in the 70's and early 80's. The test said "Citizenship" so parents thought they were testing things like George Washington and the Declaration of Independence... but when you looked at the internal documents of the test, which I did, it said "we're not testing objective knowledge," it said "we are testing and SCORING for the child's threshold for behavior change without protest" and that was in the test!

A sample question said: "There's a group called Midnight Marauders and they went out at midnight and did vandalism. I, the child, would join the group IF..."
... "my best friend was in the group."
... "my mother wouldn't find out."
There was no place to say they would NOT join the group. They had to say they would join the group.

Another sample question was, "Your parents just found out that they are moving to outer Mongolia, how much time would you spend on each of the following:"
..."being upset"
..."crying"
..."arguing"
So, how adaptable are you to change?

Based on the results of the EQA, districts were given curriculum packets to modify their curriculum so that the children would do better on the EQA the next time. So they were using the test to get a threshold for behavior and then adapting.

Now that was a paper and pencil test, so to say that it was easy to track is a gross overstatement of the level of difficulty that it was to get the information, but compared to a computer adaptive test... much easier.

And when we were fighting Outcome Based Education, I was in every state but Hawaii. And in one state I was reading the Assessments, it was a Reading Assessment, and it was a story about a child who found a wallet and there was money in the wallet, and what do you do with the money. I'm sitting in the Department of Education, reading it in front of the other Secretary, because they didn't want me to make a copy and take it anywhere, which was fine, and the question was to the child:

"If you found a wallet with money in it, would you take it?"

(pause) Do you read better if you say "yes"? or do you read better if you say "no"?

Or were they testing a child's honesty on a State assessment with their name on it that was computerized? Because, with paper and pencil, I could find it.

What if they put that in a computer test? and if they don't give the right answer, I can change the computer to move them in the next direction.

So, the computer adaptive testing is REALLY dangerous for our children. Because the State can manipulate achievement data by making the test harder if they want, or easier if they want, but you won't know... you'll just get "proficient" results.

Or they can use the test to test for, and then influence, what your child thinks and how your child thinks about a variety of topics. And, again, parents thought that was a Reading test. They didn't know that "honesty" was being tested on a paper and pencil State Assessment with their child's name on it that is now part of their record.

And no child would think to say (raising hand), "Is that a Reading question?" Children just answer the questions in front of them because they're KIDS. They just take the test. THAT is what they are using the test for. Computer Adaptive makes that so much easier, and, therefore, so much more dangerous.
(end transcription, emphasis added by Momma Bears)

The PARCC test will be a State mandated test for Tennessee students in 2014-15. Some unlucky students will get to take the "pilot" PARCC this spring. No, they aren't flying an airplane... it means those students gets to be unpaid guinea pigs for the testing company (Pearson). Parents probably won't be asked permission for their children to take the trial test, so unless they ask, parents won't even know their child is being given this pilot PARCC test. Their children will miss precious class time to take a test that doesn't count for anything (except to help Pearson profit).

Will the PARCC have questions about honesty or character?
We don't know. We will never know. Parents and teachers are never allowed to see the questions. Test security is tougher than Fort Knox. In fact, a teacher in Memphis was fired last year because a high school student snapped a picture of a test question and put it on facebook. So, unless children mention the strange test questions to their parents, we have no clue. That's how Momma Bears found out about the awful Climate Surveys in TN (which, thanks to parents raising heck, have been stopped this year until parents give written consent. Go, Momma Bears!!!) And that's how parents in New York found out that the PARCC included questions with name brand products embedded in them.

Why does the government want to know this stuff about my child?
Admit it, you think Momma Bears are a little cuckoo for thinking that the government is spying on your children's brains and wanting to know their character traits. It does sound like something you'd see in a sci-fi movie. But you cannot argue with official government documents. We didn't write it, the government did. So, we give you facts. This document published by the U.S. Department of Education says:

"What will it take to shift educational priorities to promote not only content knowledge, but also grit, tenacity, and perseverance? This is an important and exciting time to stop, take stock, and prepare to move forward. New and emerging trends in research, policy, programs, and technology are providing unprecedented opportunities... new research programs are exploring ways to promote these factors. Several private foundations have recently initiated programs to push the frontiers of theory, measurement, and practice around these and related factors, particularly for at-risk and vulnerable students. In national policy, there is increasing attention on 21st-century competencies (which encompass a range of noncognitive factors, including grit), and persistence is now part of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.(page V)

Take the time to read that government document from the U.S. Department of Education. It is super-creepy!
p.39 has a Character Report Card
p.44 has pictures of the student sensors (facial cameras, pressure monitors, wrist straps, etc.)

And also take time to read the TN Race to the Top Application, Appendix C
(It is also an official government document, but it was written by consultants paid for by Bill Gates). It, too, will freak you out majorly to learn that they are compiling a 360 degree view on every child in public schools in TN, and they will share that information with the Federal Government and 3rd parties.

What if I don't want my child to take the PARCC, SBAC, State Mandated tests, or District tests?
Currently, there is no "Opt-out" law in TN. There is a proposed bill sponsored by the very awesome Knoxville Representative Gloria Johnson (she is also a teacher). If that bill passes the Legislature and becomes Law, parents would have the right to make the decision for their child (Ummm... so the government owns our kids, and parents have to get legal permission to prevent them from taking a test that could be harmful??? Momma Bears disagree with that!). The Pearson testing company sure doesn't want Rep. Johnson's Opt-Out bill to pass, and their 8 well-paid lobbyists are pushing hard to prevent it from passing. Now a half-a-billion dollar fiscal note has been added to the bill, because if students don't take the test, the federal government won't be happy and will want the $500 million back from the Race to the Top grant (which is really our tax dollars in the first place!) Crazy. Our kids in TN have a half-a-billion-dollar testing bounty over their heads. Crazy, crazy, crazy.

Use the magic word:
If you want to "opt-out" of testing for your child, be sure to use the word "REFUSE" instead. It seems to work for parents who have used it in TN. If you use the word, "opt-out," you'll be told the Attorney General says you cannot legally opt-out (which is true because TN does not have an Opt-out law. Yet.). Crazy, huh? Refuse is the magic word.

What if I keep my child home on testing days?
Some parents do that and it works. However, the testing windows to administer state mandated tests last a few weeks because there aren't enough computers to test every child at once. Testing must be done in shifts and this takes a long time. Plus, there are make-up test days following the test window weeks. That's a LOT of unexcused absences for a student.
Note: We're not saying you should lie and say your child is sick those days, because lying is dishonest, but your child could possibly be reported for truancy for having that unexcused absences. Crazy, huh?
Another negative: the State mandates that the test count as 15%-25% of the child's grade on his/her final report card. So, depending on your district, your child will be given a zero averaged in with his other grades. In most districts, this means 10% of their English grade will be counted as a zero, and 10% of their math grade will be a zero, averaged in with their semester grades.

Some parents in other states have had success with this method of "opting out":
Withdraw your child from school the day of testing. After the testing window is complete, re-enroll them in school. This method is a big hassle both for the parent and for the school personnel. And you'll need to figure out childcare arrangements since they won't be at school. But it prevents the test from being given to your child, prevents the zero being a part of his/her final grade, and means you won't be reported to DHS for truancy or unexcused absences.

Time to use your Superhero power:
Call and/or email legislators as soon as possible and let them know that you support these bills:

Testing Opt-Out (HB1841/SB2221): “This bill permits parents to opt their children out of participation in high-stakes testing.”
Repeal Common Core (HB 2332/SB 2405) This bill would Repeal Common Core Standards in TN!!!
Postpone Common Core (HB 1825 /SB 1985) requires the state board of education and the department of education to postpone any further implementation of Common Core State Standards beyond those standards implemented as of June 30, 2013, until further implementation is approved by the general assembly.

Paid Common Core Cheerleaders???

2/25/2014

Momma Bears just got an email from TN Parents and we agreed we need to share it with our followers:

Who is picking up the tab for the Common Core Cheerleaders?

The Common Core coaches in TN have all been summoned to the Capitol to support Common Core and the PARCC test.

These Common Core coaches (who all received a very nice bump in salary and job title) will be absent from their teaching jobs with their students during the school day to be in Nashville. How many days? We are not sure. We do know that substitute teachers have been booked to cover their classrooms. We are unable to find out who is paying for the cost of the substitutes, but we have a feeling that it is our tax dollars footing the bill.

Like the atmosphere of the Senate Common Core hearings in September, seats will be reserved in the committee chambers for these Common Core Coaches. Ordinary citizens will be stuck in the remaining seats on the back rows or watching the committee broadcast on the screens in the hallway.

It is important to note that the jobs and big salaries of these cheerleaders, as those of the corporately-funded and well-paid SCORE organization, and the Chamber of Commerce businesses who stand to profit from Common Core (like Ingram) all depend upon Common Core and PARCC happening in TN. They are there for the money.

It is also important to note that the parents and teachers stuck in the hallways and/or those who couldn't get a paid day off from work to be there but are watching online, are very much against Common Core and PARCC. They are fighting for the children.

Just keep that in mind, Legislators, when you see all those glossy stickers across their chests from SCORE and hear their cheers of "rigor." They do not cheer for our children.

from: http://www.tnparents.com/2/post/2014/02/paid-common-core-cheerleaders.html

Last year, some of us Momma Bears attended the 2 days of Senate Education Committee hearings about Common Core. It was a wild story (you can read about it HERE if you'd like). We Momma Bears felt so out of place, having never been to anything political like that before. We learned a lot and we sure saw a whole lot of generously paid Common Core cheerleaders wearing those "glossy stickers" (TN Parents got those words from our Momma Bear blog!) Anyway, that trip was before our blog really took off and before we'd recruited more Momma Bears.
(Can you believe our last week's blog post got 245,000 hits over the past 5 days? and 20,000 likes on facebook?? We're thrilled! Thanks for reading and sharing, everyone!)

One of our Momma Bear teacher friends has some friends who were hired as Common Core Coaches. They told her that they make at least $10,000 more per year, plus travel expenses. And they also told her that "coaches who attend training and express "unsavory" remarks about CCSS are quickly asked to leave, essentially "fired" from the position - no stipend."

WARNING: MOMMA BEAR RANT:
GRRRRRR!!!! That is NOT the kind of atmosphere we want for our children's teachers. We want teachers who are leaders, not followers! We want teachers who are unafraid to speak up to do what is right for our children. This Common Core garbage is being forced on our children because of MONEY. We must get it out of our schools!!! They are picking on the wrong Mommas here in Tennessee!!!!

We gotta do something about this, Momma Bears!
Now, we know most of us are well past the acceptable age to wear any type of cheerleader attire, but it is time for Momma Bears to take action and root for our children:

Please call and/or email legislators as soon as possible and let them know that you support these bills:

Testing Opt-Out (HB1841/SB2221): “This bill permits parents to opt their children out of participation in high-stakes testing.”
Funding for State-Mandated Tests (HB1826/SB1986): This bill requires that the state pay for any future state-mandated tests. This is important because many districts and schools are having problems finding the funds to pay for Common Core/PARCC testing.
1-year Waiver of PARCC High-Stakes for Teachers (HB2043/SB2122): This bill, “…prohibits use of results from the first year of student assessments based on common core standards to be used for teacher evaluations or for promotion, retention, termination, compensation, tenure or other teacher employment decisions.”
1-year Waiver of PARCC High-Stakes for Districts (HB 1975/SB 2102): This bill prohibits the use of scores on the PARCC/Common Core testing to evaluate districts during the 2014-2015 school year.
Reimbursement for Common Core Tests (HB 2290/SB 2057): This bill requires the state of TN to reimburse school districts for any costs related to purchasing and implementing Common Core testing (PARCC) and standards.
Repeal Common Core (HB 2332/SB 2405) This bill would Repeal Common Core Standards in TN!!!
Postpone Common Core (HB 1825 /SB 1985) requires the state board of education and the department of education to postpone any further implementation of Common Core State Standards beyond those standards implemented as of June 30, 2013, until further implementation is approved by the general assembly.

Not sure you have the guts to contact legislators?
They won't bite, we promise. The TN Parent website has some great tips on how to do it effectively. Click HERE to visit the TN Parents Take Action website

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