Update on state tests, opt outs, meeting with Commissioner and last chance to sign our petition! NYC Public School Parents:

NYC Public School Parents: Update on state tests, opt outs, meeting with Commissioner and last chance to sign our petition!:

NYC Public School Parents: Update on state tests, opt outs, meeting with Commissioner and last chance to sign our petition!

The state test scores were released yesterday and they were nothing to brag about.  As before, the vast majority of students scored at Level 1 or 2, and there was only a very small uptick in those scoring Level 3 or 4 (supposedly proficient.)  The big story was the number of opt outs, which statewide reached 20%, meaning  there were about 225,000 students who refused to take the tests.   In NYC, the percent of opt outs were far fewer – between 1.4-1.8%, but even there the number tripled compared to the year before.  
  

There are real questions as to whether the results have any validity, given the large number of opt outs and the flawed nature of these exams.  If those students who opted out were included, there might have been no improvement at all in the overall proficiency rate, as the state admitted that the opt-outs were more likely to have scored Level 1 or 2 in 2014.   In any case, the percent of Level 1 students in ELA increased and stayed the same in math, giving little support to the claim that our high-stakes testing regime is helping our neediest students succeed.     

Even if the numbers and scoring methodology were reliable, which is doubtful, we know these exams are designed to confuse students.  See my blog about a passage on the 3^rdgrade exam involving a talking snake, with questions that even the author of the story could not answer.  Also, you can check out Carol Burris’ analysis showing that the achievement gap between racial and ethnic groups increased, theNYSED website for the test score and opt out data by district and school, and NY Times maps of the amazing opt out numbers across the state.

Also, on August 4, we met with the new State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, along with other members of the steering committee ofNYS Allies for Education.  Though most of the discussion revolved around the defective state exams and Common Core standards and their damaging impact on our schools, I briefed her on three areas in which the state has failed to comply with the law:  Ensuring that charter schools enroll and retain equal numbers of high-needs students, as required by the 2010 amendments to the charter law;  that student data is protected, according to the 2014 student privacy law; and that NYC is lowering class size according to the 2007 Contracts for Excellence law. The Commissioner seemed interested and took notes; only time will tell if she improves the poor record of our previous Commissioner in fulfilling the state’s legal obligations to our children.

Speaking of class size, please sign our petition, also posted to the right, urging the NYC Chancellor to comply with  the C4E law and reduce class size.  The legal deadline for submitting our comments is Saturday, August 15, which is the day after tomorrow – so this is your last chance!NYC Public School Parents: Update on state tests, opt outs, meeting with Commissioner and last chance to sign our petition!: