Review the prepared documents on the assessments found at the Truth in American Education website:
www.truthinamericaneducation.com

Would you be able to use it, reference it, keep a copy in your car?

Today I wished i had one. I work in a cubicle world. A co-worker with kids has no idea what is going on, but I mention stuff regularly. Zero co-workers are aware. I talk to my hairdresser who has kids in school and she now expects to hear something. I talk about stuff whenever I can.

There may be other groups who have prepared stuff. Why reinvent the wheel?

I like this one that Sahila offered. Let's talk about it. I'm a little worried about the ed reform events given the new law Congress passed and Obama signed about "trespassing." BUT contacting PTAs and PTOs is a great idea.

"Hand out flyers at school gates; at ed deform events... especially at
PTAs/PTSAs.... get email addresses of PTA committee parents, teachers,
principals at all the schools and send a letter drawiing attention to ed
deform and what its doing, especially in your own district, to kids
and teachers ... you can often find the email addresses on school and
PTA websites... some will be pissy at you doing this, others will
welcome your reaching out... we did this in Seattle (coming from
parents, urging teachers to join in a vote of no confidence of our late
departed ed deform superintendent - our actions helped get rid of her)
and got a huge positive response..."

@George03-

The Pioneer Institute Study is the most comprehensive cost study I have seen for implementing the Common Core Standards.  You can access the pdf file here:  http://truthinamericaneducation.com/common-core-state-standards/ccss-state-costs-for-adoption-and-implementation/common-core-standards-16-billion-cost-exceeds-race-top-stimulus-funds/

@JustMerry:  Thanks for the report.  As you think of ways to fight back, please post them here.  As you mention, the use of statistics or other hard data you have researched is a powerful weapon, especially in an open meeting because your opponent rarely comes ready for armed conflict. 

YES GARY, I agree! I will wait.

Stand by.

Sounds good, rgary.  Let's talk in person.

1. Be informed.
Pretty complete research on data collection and privacy concerns. The figures starting on pg. 8 are powerful.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/94149078/An-Analysis-of-Recent-Education-Reforms-and-the-Resulting-Impact-on-Student-Privacy

Here are some organizing principles from Saul Alinsky:

“Saul Alinsky comes to the Tea Party”: by Roger Ebert

* Rule 1: Power is not only what you have, but what an opponent
thinks you have. If your organization is small, hide your numbers in the
dark and raise a din that will make everyone think you have many more
people than you do.

* Rule 2: Never go outside the experience of your people. The result is confusion, fear, and retreat.

* Rule 3: Whenever possible, go outside the experience of an opponent. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat.

* Rule 4: Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. “You can
kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the
Christian church can live up to Christianity.”

* Rule 5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to
counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then
reacts to your advantage.

* Rule 6: A good tactic is one your people enjoy. “If your people
aren’t having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the
tactic.”

* Rule 7: A tactic that drags on for too long becomes a drag. Commitment may become ritualistic as people turn to other issues.

* Rule 8: Keep the pressure on. Use different tactics and actions and
use all events of the period for your purpose. “The major premise for
tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant
pressure upon the opposition. It is this that will cause the opposition
to react to your advantage.”

* Rule 9: The threat is more terrifying than the thing itself.

* Rule 10: The price of a successful attack is a constructive
alternative. Avoid being trapped by an opponent or an interviewer who
says, “Okay, what would you do?”

* Rule 11: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it.
Don’t try to attack abstract corporations or bureaucracies. Identify a
responsible individual. Ignore attempts to shift or spread the blame.

Did you know every US Senator and Representative has a Facebook page?  We could generate quite a bit of heat by organizing these by state so we could inundate individual legislators on specific issues.

Here is the Idaho list:







Idaho:

Senators

• Sen.
  Michael Crapo [R] http://www.facebook.com/mikecrapo

  
  

• Sen.
  James Risch
  [R] http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-Risch/10148632367

  
  

Representatives

• 1st
  District (map)

  
  

  Rep.
  Raúl
  Labrador [R] http://www.facebook.com/raul.r.labrador

  
  

• 2nd
  District (map)

  
  

  Rep.
  Michael “Mike” Simpson
  [R] http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Simpson/96007744606

  
  
• 
  
  

Nevada:

Senators

• 
  Harry Reid http://www.facebook.com/SenatorReid

  
  

• 
  John Ensign 
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Ensign/108146125872636

  
  

Representatives

• 
  Berkley, Shelley
  http://www.facebook.com/shelley.berkley1

  
  

• 
  Heller, Dean
  http://www.facebook.com/DeanHeller

  
  

• 
  Titus, Dina
  http://www.facebook.com/titusforcongress

  
  

High stakes tests & charter schools make public schools less effective:

  
A) High stakes tests do not effectively gauge student ability, are
harmful to children, and make public schools less effective.

  
B) Less than 20% of privately-managed public schools (charter schools)
are successful; they also segregate children and minimize
the decision-making power of parents & the community, ultimately
making public schools less effective.

 

High-stakes tests do not effectively gauge student ability:

• *Constrict wide expanses of knowledge into only what can be measured by a multiple choice test.
• *Many contain nonsensical questions, have multiple correct answers, or have no right answers at all (look up Pineapplegate).
• *With
  hundreds of millions of American kids taking the same test, ethnic
  & regional differences aren't considered, making them unavoidably
  culturally biased.
• *Unduly reward the superficial ability to retrieve info from the short-term memory.
• *Pass/Fail status is often determined by politicians while test scores are often manipulated for political purposes.
• National Academy of Sciences, 2011 report to Congress: "Standardized tests have not increased student achievement.”
• Measure only low-level thought processes, trivializing true learning.
• Hide problems created by margin-of-error computations in scoring; scoring errors can have life-changing consequences.
• Curricula
  constructed from high-stakes tests are based on what legislators assume
  children will need to know in the future. Countless previous attempts
  at predicting the future have ended in failure.
• Are often only marginally aligned with curricular standards.
• Provide minimal feedback that is useful to classroom teachers.
• Penalize test-takers who think in non-standard ways (common in children).
• Test results are not able to predict future success.
• Claimed
  to be used as a diagnostic tool to maximize student learning, but are
  actually used to punish students, teachers, & schools.

High-stakes tests are harmful to children:

• *Minimal
  time for socializing & physical activity b/c recess & PE are
  cut in favor of test prep, particularly affecting low-scoring students.
• *Testing anxiety has lead to sickness, vomiting, & even incontinence in the classroom.
• *Excessive testing stifles the love of learning.
• *Year-end tests require sitting still & staying focused for 3.5 hours, which leads to behavior problems.
• *Encourage
  the promise of extrinsic motivators such as rewards for high scores
  (bribes) & punishments for low scores (threats).
• Pressure to pass tests has lead to stimulant abuse in teenagers.

High stakes tests make public schools less effective:

• *The
  lowest & highest achievers are left out as instructional resources
  are focused on learners at or near the pass/fail threshold.
• *Fewer opportunities for kids to enjoy creative classes that make them love school.
• *Arts
  & other electives are cut in favor of test prep & testing,
  particularly affecting students from low-income families.
• *Children don't receive adequate instruction in non-tested areas like science, history, geography, government, etc.
• *Divert
  billions of state taxpayer funds from public schools to pay huge
  testing firms like Pearson & ETS (Educational Testing Services).
• *Divert precious time resources to test facilitation, preparation (such as begging proctors to volunteer), & administration.
• *As
  top private schools have rejected high stakes testing, more affluent
  families have moved their children out of public & charter schools,
  where high stakes tests are unavoidable.
• When test scores trigger automatic retentions, much older students in classrooms can cause additional behavior problems
• On
  norm-referenced tests, nationally, 50% of students are below average,
  by definition.  Thus, requiring all students to be at or above "grade
  level" is statistically impossible. 
• Give testing firms control of the curriculum
• Test scores are used to evaluate teacher effectiveness in lieu of more effective administrator observations
• Reduces teacher creativity & autonomy, thereby reducing the appeal of teaching as a profession
• Minimize teachers' ability to accomodate multiple learning styles and provide adequate differentiation
• Create
  unreasonable pressure on students & teachers to cheat as well as
  on administrators & school districts to "game the system"

Less than 20% of charter schools are successful:

• *Even the pro-charter documentary "Waiting for Superman" notes that only 1 in 6 charter schools succeed.
• *Charter
  schools can artificially inflate their published success rate by
  deflecting low-scoring kids back to public schools, usually

Charter schools segregate children:

• *Most charter schools are racially homogenous.
• *Without diversity requirements, charter schools can market to specific demographics, ultimately segregating communities.
• *Children
  from the same neighborhood often go to different schools, don't know
  each other, & don't play outside together. Alienation negatively
  impacts neighborhood communities.

Charter schools minimize the decision-making power of parents & the community:

• *Private control, as opposed to elected control via school board, leaves curricula to be defined by a corporate agenda.
• *Corporate-controlled charter school home offices are often centralized out of state.
• *One more thing for parents & kids to worry about as they wait for acceptance letters.
• *Undermine
  a fundamental democratic principle that the people closest to (&
  therefore most knowledgeable about) problems are the best positioned to
  deal with them.

Charter schools make public schools less effective:

• *Taxpayer
  dollars are deflected from public schools into charter schools where
  they're utilized w/o transparency or accountability.
• *Charter
  schools have the freedom to select high-achieving kids w/ few needs so
  low-achieving kids w/ high needs get deflected & ultimately
  concentrated into an underfunded local public school.
• *Charter
  schools aren't obligated to provide special services for high-needs kids
  so they often get deflected & ultimately concentrated into an
  underfunded local public school.
• *Only families who can navigate
  application processes can apply to a charter. Families w/o the time or
  know-how to "work the system" (often very poor and/or immigrant
  families) are ultimately concentrated into an underfunded local public
  school.
• Private entities have already tried running school districts according to corporate models & seen disastrous results.

FAQs on Parent Trigger Law from Dov Rosenberg:

Why is there controversy surrounding the movie “Won’t Back Down”? Many
people believe that the film “Won’t Back Down” promotes the idea that
privatizing public schools will improve them, inflaming a political
climate in which teachers are unjustly disparaged and blamed for the
effects of poverty and the inequality of educational resources &
opportunities for children across the United States. What is “Won’t Back Down” about?The
film tells a story about a group of parents and teachers who use a law
often referred to as the Parent Trigger, in order to take over a school
that is failing their children. Parent Trigger legislation, promoted by
conservative organizations like the American Legislative Exchange
Council (ALEC), has been passed in several states, including California,
Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, (NOT Pennsylvania, where the film takes
place) and is being considered in others
(theparenttrigger.com/in-your-state). While the movie is billed as being
“Inspired By Actual Events,” it is nothing more than an inspiring work
of fiction. Actual efforts to use the Parent Trigger have been driven by
billionaire-funded supporters of public school privatization, and have
sparked acrimony and division. None of these efforts has actually
improved a school
(parentsacrossamerica.org/2012/08/beyond-the-parent-trigger-hype-and-propaganda-just-the-facts).
Some consider the film to be a publicity campaign for "Parent Trigger"
legislation to the many state legislatures that have yet to introduce a
version of this bill, which exists as law in only a few US states. The
Parent Trigger does not improve the educational opportunities for
children, it only improves the financial opportunities for charter
school management organizations. Who Is Behind “Won’t Back Down”?“Won’t
Back Down” is produced by Walden Media (owned by Philip Anschutz) and
is distributed by 20th Century Fox (owned by Rupert Murdoch). Mr.
Anschutz also co-produced the controversial film “Waiting for
'Superman'” in 2010, which is often derided by educators as being
“anti-teacher.” After taking over his father’s drilling business in
1961, he became a natural gas billionaire and major proponent of laws
that permit hydraulic fracturing (commonly called “fracking”) across the
nation. He also contributes to organizations that oppose rights for gay
people and support the teaching of creationism in schools. What does the Parent Trigger law say?The
Parent Trigger Law enables parents, when they present a petition to
local authorities with at least 51% of parent signatures, to force one
or more of the following actions:The school district replaces the leadership & half the staff (district turnaround):
This process has yet to show any results. Firing our way to the top
does not work, especially without any protocols in place for replacing
fired teachers. And what if teacher quality isn't the central problem?The school is closed:
This is tragic for students and the community at large. Schools are
places where all of the children in a community come together for a
common civic purpose. When the school is closed, kids become confused
and worried. Parents have to figure out where to send their kids instead
and what additional transportation and social problems come with a new
school.An outside agency is hired to convert the public school into a charter school:
According to a major study, only one in six charter schools are more
successful than nearby public schools and have even less accountability
to parents. If a parent is unhappy at a public school, they can go to
the principal, or the superintendent, or the school board, or the media.
At a charter school, parents can go no higher than the charter school
board. If a child is being treated or has been expelled unjustly (which
sometimes happens in anticipation of state tests to ensure higher
scores), the parent must either return the child to the local public
school or search for another charter school. Either way, the parent is
alone. How did the Parent Trigger law originate?The
Parent Trigger was first conceived by a LA-based organization called
the Parent Revolution, founded by a charter school operator and funded
by the Broad, Walton, and Gates Foundations. The legislation was
introduced in California by then-State Senator Gloria Romero, who now
heads the California branch of the pro-privatization organization,
Democrats for Education Reform. Have Parent Trigger laws worked in the past?The
first time the “parent trigger” was tried, Parent Revolution sent
operatives into Compton CA, to ask parents to sign a petition saying
that their local elementary school should be turned into a charter
school. Some parents who signed the petition later said they been
misled, the effort was mired in lawsuits and ultimately fizzled
(nytimes.com/2011/09/24/education/24trigger.html?pagewanted=all). More
recently, operatives trained and paid by the Parent Revolution urged
parents at the Desert Trails School in Adelanto CA to sign two different
petitions: one calling for smaller classes and other positive reforms,
the other demanding that the school be turned over to a charter
operator. After the organizers submitted only the charter petition to
the authorities, nearly 100 parents asked to withdraw their signatures.
Yet a judge has ruled that parents cannot rescind their signatures and
the conversion to a charter school should go forward. Even Gloria
Romero, the author of the Parent Trigger law, has criticized the
organization’s tactics, and said that presenting Adelanto parents with
two different petitions to sign was “needlessly confusing”
(news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2012/02/24/california-school-district-rejects-parent-trigger-petition).  What’s wrong with the Parent Trigger?The
idea of “choice” has been used by groups like ALEC, who seek to use
methods such as the Parent Trigger to turn public schools over to
privately-managed charters. This is not real choice and it is not parent
empowerment. Most parents want to see their neighborhood public schools
strengthened, with small classes and less emphasis on standardized
testing. Even Ben Austin, head of the Parent Revolution, has admitted
that most parents are not interested in turning their school into a
charter, but would rather focus on improving their existing public
schools
(edsource.org/today/2012/new-year-brings-new-expectations-for-parent-trigger-law/4479).
But there are many ways that districts can provide more and better
choices within the existing public school system. Should a public school
that is built with taxpayer funds be handed over to a private concern
because 51% of current parents signed a petition? If a local firehouse
was ineffective at putting out fires, or a police station at fighting
crime, would we choose to hand these public services over to a private
company, or would we demand that our elected leaders improve them? What about Teachers Unions? NC
is a right-to-work state, which means that there is no collective
bargaining or striking allowed. It is frustrating for teachers in states
where unions are not even allowed to hear the media’s narrative
regarding public education as though the parents are fighting the
teacher’s unions to save their kids. Union disputes are generally
characterized by labor vs. management scenarios where labor demands
higher pay and better benefits while management is concerned only with
the bottom line. For teachers, management means the school district,
state, or US Dept. of Ed. Labor represents teachers and they want the
same thing as management; the success of every child in his or her
classroom. We cannot help our children with more “us vs. them” rhetoric.
Most teachers want to work with parents and “management” in order to
best support and educate their students. All of us want our schools to
improve, but the Parent Trigger will not accomplish this. The film,
“Won’t Back Down” is a deceptive attempt to promote a legislative agenda
that will hurt students and teachers without improving the quality of
schools." What about Parent Empowerment?Parents
usually have less input into charter schools than public schools.
Moreover, a major study shows that most charters do not get better
academic results. Many impose harsh disciplinary procedures and
frequently push out students who need extra help, often just a month or
two before state tests are administered. Organizations like Save Our
Schools, Parents Across America, and United Opt Out support true parent
empowerment with real solutions devised from the ground up, not imposed
from on high
(parentsacrossamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LSCmodel1-28-12.pdf). How Can I Help?Last
spring, Florida parent groups, including Parents Across America, banded
together to fight Parent Trigger legislation that had been introduced
in the state legislature. By holding rallies and press conferences,
calling elected representatives, and speaking out about how the Parent
Trigger benefits charter operators and not children, Florida parents
prevented the legislation from being passed
(miamiherald.com/2012/03/09/2685824/tense-fight-over-parent-trigger.html).
Speak out in your state to give real parents a real voice. We need real
change in our schools, not false solutions.  Originally prepared by Leonie Haimson for Parents Across America, August 2012

Hoosier Voices has some tips for writing to your legislator.  This makes it pretty simple:  

Writing a letter to your elected representative can seem like a daunting and unproductive task. Yet, letter writing is one of the most important communication tools on which your representative counts. Here is a quick and easy 4-step method to follow when writing letters to your representative.
Dear Rep. _______,

    The first sentence should identify who you are and what relation you have to your representative. This takes a little more than saying “Hi, my name is _______”. Here is your opportunity to say whether you are his constituent or not, your job and or family role, etc.
    The next sentence specifically identifies the ONE bill that you are contacting your representative to discuss. Include the bill number and the common name of the bill. It is important to keep this part simple and stick to the concept of ‘one letter, one bill’.
    The next sentence describes the action you wish your representative to take and why you want them to vote for or against the bill. Remember two or at the most three well-defined reasons are more than enough in your letter.
    The last sentence is to thank them for their time and for reading your letter.

Sincerely,
Your name
Your address, city, state, and zip code

By following this 4-step method, letter writing to your representative can be highly effective for very little time investment, Just remember to keep your letter as simple and clear as possible so your letter can have the maximum impact.

Voice your opinion with one click:  http://reclaimreform.com/2013/03/20/voice-your-opinion-on-issues-important-to-you-how-with-one-click/

How to Investigate a Public Official:  http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/npe-tool-kit/how-to-investigate-the-actions-of-public-officials/

Assessment that supports learning

From Monty Neill

We have a short blog on "Seeing the Learning," segment 9 of the wonderful video, A Year at Mission Hill, http://www.fairtest.org/assessment-supports-education-short-video-mission.
This segment is on authentic portfolio assessment. The film beautifully
documents the rich, student center, project-based teaching and learning
at a Boston K-8 public school.