Thursday, April 2, 2015

Pearson is exploiting our children by using them to verify the validity of the SBAC | Seattle Education

Pearson is exploiting our children by using them to verify the validity of the SBAC | Seattle Education:



Pearson is exploiting our children by using them to verify the validity of the SBAC

Shame
The Wall of Shame
The state and school district are spending millions of dollars to buy the copyrighted tests, texts and teaching materials, purchasing computers and setting up the technology to administer the SBAC.
We are not only paying in terms of cash but also in terms of our children’s time in school spending three days in a row this week taking the first part of the SBAC along with eliminating resources such as library and computer time for students.
A call to the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)confirmed that the SBAC has not been deemed reliable or valid. The office of the OSPI then referred to a memorandum produced by Smarter Balanced that proves the test is being used this year for the purpose of, hopefully for Pearson, establishing reliability and validity of the tests.
People, we have been had.
Some of our legislators, school board members and the superintendent have led us down the path. School Board Directors Sue Peters and Betty Patu requested a hearing on a resolution that states the SBAC has not been deemed valid but did not receive the vote to be heard. They understand what is happening and kudos to them for getting the word out. You can read Sue Peters’ introduction to the resolution below.
The ramifications of using our students as guinea pigs to validate the SBAC for Pearson are huge.
Graduation is now being determined by a student’s performance on the SBAC. The grade of a school and, according to the defenders of the test, Title I funding is being predicated on the results of the SBAC tests.
The time is now to take a careful look at what we are doing to our children and teachers and consider opting out of this SBAC testing immediately.
Also, contact OSPI, your state legislators and school board members about this situation.
The OSPI and the Superintendent Nyland coercing our students into taking the SBAC is wrong on so many levels.
Dora Taylor

School Board Director Sue Peters’ introduction to the resolution:
We are asking our colleagues on the board to allow an addition to the agenda of a Pearson is exploiting our children by using them to verify the validity of the SBAC | Seattle Education: