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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?"
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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.

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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.

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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.


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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.

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        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.

We will even put their email addresses here to make it easy for you:

HOUSE EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE PHONE & EMAIL:
Harry Brooks 615-741-6879 rep.harry.brooks@capitol.tn.gov 
John DeBerry 615-741-2239 rep.john.deberry@captiol.tn.gov 
John Forgety 615-741-1725 rep.john.forgety@capitol.tn.gov 
Roger Kane 615-741-4110 rep.roger.kane@capitol.tn.gov 
Harold Love 615-741-3831 rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov 
Debra Moody 615-741-3774 rep.debra.moody@capitol.tn.gov 
Joe Pitts 615-741-4575 rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov 
Dawn White 615-741-6849 rep.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov

FULL HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE EMAIL:
rep.harry.brooks@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.john.forgety@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.raumesh.akbari@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.jim.coley@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.john.deberry@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.bill.dunn@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.roger.kane@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.ron.lollar@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.debra.moody@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov 
rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov 

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE EMAIL:
sen.dolores.gresham@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.reginald.tate@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.steven.dickerson@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.charlotte.burks@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.stacey.campfield@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.rusty.crowe@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov 
sen.brian.kelsey@capitol.tn.gov 

Contacting your elected officials from your own District is a SUPERHERO power, too!
Click here to find YOUR Legislators:
 http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/  

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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Not with my kids, you don't!!!

1/28/2014

 
Some parents in Tennessee were SHOCKED to hear what their 5th grade children were asked at school.  And it wasn't asked by another student.  It was asked by the STATE of TENNESSEE!
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A furious TN mother tells this story:
My 5th grader took the PARCC practice today. Then she said they logged out of the PARCC writing and opened up a survey that asked if they have ever done drugs. One question we all were puzzled with - and I keep thinking- maybe she remembered wrong... "Have you ever been bullied for being nonsexual?" She did not even know what that meant.  It was awful. 

Our mouths were wide open as she poured out these grave details at dinner. The kids were all laughing and giggling and the teachers had to keep redirecting them to the survey. One girl was so struck by this question she fell out of her seat and rolled on the floor with giggles. They did not know what it meant. They thought it was funny. Then the questions - did you smoke pot? Do any drugs? Drink? They were all giggling and wondering what would happen if they all answered yes.  

My husband and I were horrified.

There were questions my child did not want to answer and tried to skip. But, the computer made them answer something before moving on.  This is troubling to me as well.  


So WHY were children asked these questions???
Well, the Tennessee Department of Education was awarded a discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Education to "support district and school measurement of, and targeted programmatic interventions to improve, conditions for learning." (Note: Momma Bears have come to realize that a "Government Grant" ALWAYS has strings attached.  It means they will do things that we wouldn't allow them to do without the grant money as bribery, like Racing to the Top, common core, and paying outrageous salaries to "consultants").  Tennessee is one of 11 states that were awarded this grant, but Tennessee is the only state that has developed its own survey to determine conditions for learning and that intend to "connect academic data to the conditions for learning data."  

Anyway, this grant awarded by the US Department of Education (that's important to note, file that in the back of your head) paid for a slick website, some people to create invasive surveys to anonymously collect personal information about our children, and staff to run the program.  Government wastefulness and invasion of privacy at its finest, ladies and gentlemen! (Click HERE to see the website for yourself)

What were those questions that had students giggling in embarrassment and parents blushing in horror? 
Momma Bears found the surveys.  There are 2 different surveys (Middle School & High School), each containing 88 personal questions.  We couldn't really tell a difference between the 2 surveys, other than the title page.  
Asked of 5th graders:
"During this school year, how often has anyone called you an insulting or bad name at school having to do with...
...your sexuality?"  (These are 10 year old children!!!)
...your religion?"  (None of the government's business!)
...your weight or physical appearance?"  (Are you trying to give the kids an inferiority complex?)
...how much money your family makes?"  (Again, none of your beeswax, government!)

"In the last 30 days, I...
...used or tried tobacco products"
...drank alcohol"
...drank five or more servings of alcohol in a row"
...used or tried maijuana"
...used or tried other drugs or substances to get high"

"I think that...
...students are sometimes distracted in class because they are drunk or high." (some children don't know what "high" means!)
...it makes me uncomfortable when other students bring drugs or alcohol to school or school-sponsored events."  (really? well, let's just plant some ideas in their young minds!)

And, in case students don't know what these terms mean, they go ahead and educate them by including all sorts of examples at the top of the survey.  If your child didn't know they could sniff products to get high, they sure know now...  Thank you, government!

NOTE:  Not every school district in TN is giving these climate surveys (Click HERE to see if your county does)  This climate survey is NOT a part of the common core PARCC testing.  It just happened that this school gave both the climate survey as the same day as the common core writing assessment.

Click HERE to download the Middle School Climate Survey
Click HERE to download the High School Climate Survey
Did we mention that PARENTS WERE NOT NOTIFIED OR EVEN ASKED FOR CONSENT BEFORE THEIR CHILDREN WERE GIVEN THESE SURVEYS?  Sorry, Momma Bears isn't yelling (although, we're pretty steaming mad over this!).  That part in capital letters is very important.  Because, you see, the State of TN and that school have broken a law.
(Note: The Mom above is unsure if she or her husband gave permission at the beginning of the year with all the registration forms they signed. If they did, they certainly did not understand the types of questions that would be asked of their child.)

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) clearly states that parents must give WRITTEN consent BEFORE any surveys funded by the U.S. Department of Education are given to minor children:
The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232h; 34 CFR Part 98) applies to programs that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). PPRA is intended to protect the rights of parents and students in two ways:

  • It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors make instructional materials available for inspection by parents if those materials will be used in connection with an ED-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation in which their children participate; and

    It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors obtain written parental consent before minor students are required to participate in any ED-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning:
    1. 1. Political affiliations;
      2. Mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student and his/her family;
      3. Sex behavior and attitudes;
      4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;
      5. Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;
      6. Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers; or
      7. Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).
Parents or students who believe their rights under PPRA may have been violated may file a complaint with ED by writing the Family Policy Compliance Office. Complaints must contain specific allegations of fact giving reasonable cause to believe that a violation of PPRA occurred.

For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202) 260-3887 (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. Or you may contact us at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920


(click HERE to visit the US Department of Education website where we found that law)

Okay, so some parents may be thinking... "What's the big deal?  It is a rough world out there. Those kids will learn about illegal drugs and sex soon enough."  Well, some parents have conservative values and we don't want our children exposed to these topics at this age or in this manner.  Parents should be the ones doing the educating about those issues, not the government.  Parents should be the ones to decide when that time is right for their child. 

And some parents may be thinking... "What's the big deal?  Those were anonymous surveys so they aren't really collecting personally identifiable data on my child."  Someone is collecting that information to use for some purpose.  And the time spent taking the 88 question survey is time that our kids could be learning.  Anonymous or not, Momma Bears are suspicious of surveys given to our kids.  Momma Bears has another personal Demographic Survey that we bet you didn't know about, and this one has each student's name directly tied to their answers:  


THE PLAN PRE-TEST ASSESSMENT:
The PLAN PRE-TEST is given to 10th graders in TN to predict how they will do on the all-important ACT college entrance exam.  These are definitely NOT anonymous.  When students take this PLAN test, they are asked about an hour's worth of demographic questions.  Parents aren't allowed to see those questions, but our children told us there are questions about: religious denomination, class schedule, address, GPA, Honors, if your parents are divorced, who do you live with, ethnicity/race, etc.  Like the computerized climate surveys above, students could not skip questions they didn't want to answer.  Not only are there personal questions, districts can also develop up to 30 local questions to add to the demographic survey part. (Click HERE to read more about the PLAN).  

It is important to note that:
  • A business could never ask those questions of someone applying for a job.
  • Adults have more protections than students do.
  • The penalty for breaking the PPRA law is a slap on the wrist.

Where is this information going?  Who knows.  Is it safe?  Nothing is safe these days.  Even major retail stores, like Target, and major Banks can't keep personal information secure.  In fact, click HERE to see some scary security violations with students' personal information recently here in Tennessee schools!  Yes, prisoners had access to private student information.

GAGGLE:
Another thing Momma Bears needs to warn you about is something called "Gaggle."  In some districts, students in TN are required to sign up for a Gaggle account.  This sounds like a neat program for safe online learning, but it gets a bit suspicious when they won't allow parents to have their child's password to see what is going on.  Even creepier, Gaggle has a "Human Monitoring Service."  Its website says that Gaggle's HMS team has "uncovered bullying, drug use, threats of school violence, teen depression, suicidal intentions, and abusive domestic situations."  So, strangers are snooping on our children's private information, but parents can't see it?  Unless a formal Law Enforcement Request is made, HMS data will be released only to the district contacts, and not parents.   (Click HERE to find out about Gaggle)


What can you do about it?
Be vigilant, Momma Bears!  Send a letter to your child's teacher and principal stating your child is not to be given any surveys or sign up for any online learning programs without your written permission.  Ask to see the survey or program before you give permission, and be sure to ask who has access to the information.  Before you sign anything, read the fine print.

Momma Bears, protect your babies!  It is a scary world out there!!!
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Added 1/30/14:

Has your child been given an inappropriate survey without your consent? or required to join websites that parents are not allowed access to?  If so, Momma Bears wants to hear from you.  Please contact us privately through our website's contact form:   http://www.mommabears.org/contact-us.html 
A group of TN parents are considering a class action lawsuit.


UPDATE BLOG to this inappropriate Climate Survey blog:
         http://www.mommabears.org/blog/update-inappropriate-climate-surveys-in-tn


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