UPDATE: What should we do about #edweek + College Board to revamp SAT, from @washingtonpost – @ the chalk face

College Board to revamp SAT, from @washingtonpost – @ the chalk face:

What should we do about #edweek ?

by Timothy D. Slekar

Yesterday Diane Ravitch said,

I have come to the conclusion that the Common Core standards effort is fundamentally flawed by the process with which they have been foisted upon the nation.
The Common Core standards have been adopted in 46 states and the District of Columbia without any field test. They are being imposed on the children of this nation despite the fact that no one has any idea how they will affect students, teachers, or schools. We are a nation of guinea pigs, almost all trying an unknown new program at the same time.

Later Diane posted a letter from NY principal Carol Burris.  Carol said,

I am coming to the same conclusion regarding the CCSS despite the fact that I have advocated college readiness for students during my entire professional career. The CCSS, as they are being implemented, are not about college readiness for all–they are about a testing system that will sort 

On WTDY the other day, talked Walker’s new #edreform proposals, opposite of free-market

by Chalk Face, PhD

Tim and I recorded an impromptu At the Chalk Face episode on WTDY in Madison yesterday. Tim was in Madison on business, I was at home in my pajamas. I’m guessing it will be broadcast this Saturday to keep up with current events in Wisconsin, like Gov. Walker’s new proposals for education. That’s what we discussed, like this for example.

Governor Walker is also announcing today that, in addition to new and expanded educational choice options, his proposed 2013-15 biennial budget will provide per-pupil funding increases for students in private school choice and independent charter school programs.  Per-pupil funding for private school choice and independent charter school students has remained unchanged for many years, and low-income choice students even saw their funding cut in the 2009-11 biennial budget.

This is where the free-market arguments for faith-based education reforms go completely wrong. In a market with perfect competition, you’d have three potential operators-public, private, and charter-with the same amount of funding. So, let’s say they all get roughly $10,000 PPE. The market would then decide, with its magic invisible hand, what provider offers the best education for the money, or $10K PPE.
But in Walker’s system, it’s not a free-market, not in the slightest. He is picking winners and losers here. He is

Great article in emPower on #HSST by friend and colleague Denisha Jones, Go Hoosiers!

by Chalk Face, PhD

Fighting High Stakes Testing. Enjoy.

College Board to revamp SAT, from @washingtonpost

by Chalk Face, PhD

As the title says. But this, to justify:

As soon as Coleman became president of the College Board in October, he said the SAT could be improved. Before joining the board, he helped write the Common Core standards in English for kindergarten through grade 12 that have been adopted by 46 states and the District. The new standards will be rolled out by 2014.

You have someone at both ends of K-12. Is that not a conflict of interest, or a homogenization of what is and is not important in education? Here’s a man who spearheaded an effort to transform K-12 curriculum, to standardize it. Then, the same individual is going to transform one of the two central gatekeepers to higher education. If schools buckle to the pressure to only prepare students for college readiness, or at least Coleman’s

Nice sentiment from AFT, but…

by Chalk Face, PhD

Great quote. I totally agree. But what will AFT do about its support of the CCSS, which is diverting millions of dollars from supporting low-income schools to tests. a