Let Your House Rep Know What You Think
The nonsense that is SB 5328 - the bill for letter grades for schools - passed the Senate. Please, please let your House representatives know that you do not support this.
On the face of it, why? If this is so important, why not grade ALL public institutions, starting with the Legislature and the elected officials there? Even Stand says that "schools are already being graded by the Achievement Index" so exactly why do we need this? In fact, the Achievement Index would be what the grade is based on. I note that the Index does not account for Special Education and ELL students within a school which could weigh on a ranking.
I spoke to Superintendent Dorn's office and he does not support it. Why? Because OSPI was charged with an adjustment to the Achievement Index anyway by the Legislature (I believe for rollout this fall).
While you're at it, let the Governor know your feelings as well. What is interesting is that while the Governor
On the face of it, why? If this is so important, why not grade ALL public institutions, starting with the Legislature and the elected officials there? Even Stand says that "schools are already being graded by the Achievement Index" so exactly why do we need this? In fact, the Achievement Index would be what the grade is based on. I note that the Index does not account for Special Education and ELL students within a school which could weigh on a ranking.
I spoke to Superintendent Dorn's office and he does not support it. Why? Because OSPI was charged with an adjustment to the Achievement Index anyway by the Legislature (I believe for rollout this fall).
While you're at it, let the Governor know your feelings as well. What is interesting is that while the Governor
Education News Roundup
Common Core and assessments and a new group, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.
More on assessments from The New Yorker; its story covers the Garfield assessment boycott.
As the author and relapsed educator Garret Keizer observed in his return to teaching, of which he writes in the September 2011 issue of Harper’s, “No student I meet seems to believe that the universe formed in six days but a disturbing number insist that an essay is always formed in five paragraphs.”
Charter Schools
The group that 1240 is following for authorizing guideline, The National Association of Charter School Authorizers, released a 12-step "Index of Essential Practices" for charter school authorizers. Looking over them, it does not appear that 1240 meets them but then:
The report found that only a small percentage of those who responded have all 12 practices in place, but the majority are using at least nine.
Also from Ed Week, a study about the early years of new charter schools:
There is currently an assumption within the charter sector that even if "the first few years are rocky" at a school,
More on assessments from The New Yorker; its story covers the Garfield assessment boycott.
As the author and relapsed educator Garret Keizer observed in his return to teaching, of which he writes in the September 2011 issue of Harper’s, “No student I meet seems to believe that the universe formed in six days but a disturbing number insist that an essay is always formed in five paragraphs.”
Charter Schools
The group that 1240 is following for authorizing guideline, The National Association of Charter School Authorizers, released a 12-step "Index of Essential Practices" for charter school authorizers. Looking over them, it does not appear that 1240 meets them but then:
The report found that only a small percentage of those who responded have all 12 practices in place, but the majority are using at least nine.
Also from Ed Week, a study about the early years of new charter schools:
There is currently an assumption within the charter sector that even if "the first few years are rocky" at a school,
