The Common Core Costs Billions and Hurts Students - The New York Times

The Common Core Costs Billions and Hurts Students - The New York Times:

The Common Core Costs Billions and Hurts Students

FOR 15 years, since the passage of George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behindact, education reformers have promoted standardized testing, school choice, competition and accountability (meaning punishment of teachers and schools) as the primary means of improving education. For many years, I agreed with them. I was an assistant secretary of education in George H. W. Bush’s administration and a member of three conservative think tanks.

But as I watched the harmful effects of No Child Left Behind, I began to have doubts. The law required that all schools reach 100 percent proficiency as measured by state tests or face harsh punishments. This was an impossible goal. Standardized tests became the be-all and end-all of education, and states spent billions on them. Social scientists have long known that the best predictor of test scores is family income. Yet policy makers encouraged the firing of thousands of teachers and the closing of thousands of low-scoring public schools, mostly in poor black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

As the damage escalated, I renounced my support for high-stakes testing and charter schools. Nonetheless, I clung to the hope that we might agree on national standards and a national curriculum. Surely, I thought, they would promote equity since all children would study the same things and take the same tests. But now I realize that I was wrong about that, too.

Six years after the release of our first national standards, the Common Core, and the new federal tests that accompanied them, it seems clear that the pursuit of a national curriculum is yet another excuse to avoid making serious efforts to reduce the main causes of low student achievement: poverty and racial segregation.

The people who wrote the Common Core standards sold them as a way to improve achievement and reduce the gaps between rich and poor, and black and white. But the promises haven’t come true. Even in states with strong common standards and tests, racial achievement gaps persist. Last year, average math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progressdeclined for the first time since 1990; reading scores were flat or decreased compared with a decade earlier.

The development of the Common Core was funded almost entirely by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was a rush job, and the final product ignored the needs of children with disabilities, English-language learners and those in the early grades. It’s no surprise that there has been widespread pushback.

In 2009 President Obama announced Race to the Top, a competition for $4.35 billion in federal grant money. To qualify, states had to adopt “college and career ready standards,” a requirement that was used to pressure themThe Common Core Costs Billions and Hurts Students - The New York Times: 

Tim Kaine On Education: 7 Things The Vice Presidential Candidate Wants You To Know - Forbes

Tim Kaine On Education: 7 Things The Vice Presidential Candidate Wants You To Know - Forbes:

Tim Kaine On Education: 7 Things The Vice Presidential Candidate Wants You To Know

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., smiles as he takes the stage with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at a rally at Florida International University Panther Arena in Miami, Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Hillary Clinton heads to the Democratic convention this week with her pick for vice president, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, by her side. During her speech on Saturday in Miami, the presumptive presidential nominee praised Kaine for increasing education spending in the state while he was governor as well as increasing enrollment in pre-K programs. Education, he said, is “the key to everything we want to achieve as a nation.”

Kaine, who worked his way up in politics from Richmond city councilman, is married to fellow Harvard Law School class of 1983 graduate Anne Holton, who is the current Secretary of Education in Virginia.

Virginia is home to just nine charter schools and Kaine and Holton are no promoters of school choice. He did, however, sign legislation in 2006 that allows parents with high school diplomas, and not just those with college degrees, to home-school their children. As a governor and now senator, he has promoted career and technical education.

Here are some of his views on education:

Free college:

We will make college debt-free for everybody.

Introductory speech, Miami, July 23, 2016

Education spending:

We had to make tough decisions when I was in office (as governor) because it was the deepest recession since the 1930s. But that didn’t stop us from expanding early childhood education, from building more classrooms and facilities on our college campuses so that more could go to school. Because we knew that education was the key to everything we wanted to achieve as a state and it’s the key to everything we want to achieve as a nation.

Introductory speech, Miami, July 23, 2016

No Child Left Behind:

The administration’s No Child Left Behind Act is wreaking havoc on local school districts.  Despite the insistence of Democrats in Congress that the program should be funded as promised, the administration has opposed full funding and is refusing to let states try innovative alternatives.

Democratic response to President George Bush’s State of the Union, January 2006

Start school at age 4:

Someday soon, a governor will decide to lead a salutary change by adjusting K-12 education downward to begin at age 4, finishing at age 17, instead of the current 5 to 18 age norm that was set before we fully understood patterns of brain development. There is no question that there is a higher public return on investing in education for a student from age 4 to 5 than from age 17 to 18. I predict that we will eventually move to an earlier start to public education and experience great educational improvements as a result.

Education Week, November 2013

Teacher pay:

The pay of teachers is another issue that should be the focus of national discussion. Traditionally, this is a matter for states and local governments and not a federal issue. But, at the national level, we should show how teacher compensation practices in this country stack up to the “best in class” education systems worldwide…  Many teachers pursue a rigorous national certification process after they have a few years of classroom experience. The multi-year certification process is a powerful form of professional development. How about a federal Tim Kaine On Education: 7 Things The Vice Presidential Candidate Wants You To Know - Forbes:

Turkish rivalry comes to San Jose amid allegations about Magnolia charter schools - Mercury News

Turkish rivalry comes to San Jose amid allegations about Magnolia charter schools - Mercury News:

Turkish rivalry comes to San Jose amid allegations about Magnolia charter schools

Turkey's heavy-handed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed a onetime ally now in exile in Pennsylvania for allegedly instigating a failed coup this month. But even before Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency and arrested thousands, the Turkish government had been targeting imam Fethullah Gülen and his alleged followers in the U.S. -- including educators.

Gülen has been an outspoken critic of Erdogan but has denied involvement in the attempted coup. Still, Erdogan is seeking Gülen's extradition.

Erdogan also has gone after Magnolia Public Schools, which runs 10 high-performing charter schools focused on science, technology, engineering and math.

Earlier this year, when Magnolia applied to open a school in Fremont, Erdogan's government sent an attorney urging the school board to deny the request, alleging a nefarious link between charter-school groups, including Magnolia, and Gülen. Magnolia schools were founded by Turkish grad students in Los Angeles, and they have hired some teachers from Turkey. But Magnolia firmly denies any link to Gülen.

"He is fanning the flames of fear," said a Magnolia spokeswoman. "This is an attempt to firm up Erdogan's position in Turkey by discrediting opponents."

California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle just closed an audit of Magnolia and said that the group is financially sound. But earlier this summer, Magnolia announced it would close its successful Santa Clara charter school after a fruitless search for a new campus. The school just ended a tough year in East San Jose, unable to retain or attract enough students after being forced out last year from Santa Clara.

At the moment, Magnolia is not seeking to open more schools in the Bay Area. But in the fall, three of its 10 Southern California charter schools are up for renewal. Expect allegations of Gülen influence to resurface then.

Mike Honda tries to tie rival to Donald Trump

One of the speakers at last week's Republican National Convention caught the eye of Rep. Mike Honda, D-San Jose, who came in behind challenger Ro Khanna in the primary election and is now fighting to save the seat he's held for eight terms.

While the congressman didn't directly attack Silicon Valley billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel, he called on Khanna, a Fremont attorney, to explain why he accepts donations from such quarters.

"My question for Ro is will he denounce Donald Trump or continue aligning himself with Republican donors in order to get elected?" Honda asked in a statement the day Thiel gave a speech in Cleveland.

Thiel has donated $7,800 to Khanna since 2011, including $2,700 in the latest campaign. That doesn't make up much of the $1.5 million currently banked, but it's the thought that counts, said Honda's camp.

Honda has also accepted money from right-side donors, although perhaps none as high profile as Thiel. Hari Sevugan of the Khanna campaign called the attacks a sign that the incumbent is scraping the bottom.

"It's sad to see what desperate lengths Congressman Honda will go to now to keep his seat," said Sevugan, adding that Khanna has denounced Trump and endorsed and contributed to Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Khanna said in a statement that "it is true that Thiel has supported me and other Democrats such as Gavin Newsom." He added that "although I disagree with Peter on many issues, I am and will always be impressed by his founding PayPal and early backing of Facebook. I respect his courage tonight."

Sevugan slapped the Honda campaign for its reliance on political action committees, which account for about a quarter of the contributionsit has collected this season.

"If Mike Honda won't say 'no' to PACs and lobbyists," Sevugan said, "you know his attacks on Ro are as bankrupt as a Donald Trump casino."

CHARTER ASSOCIATION WALKS BACK K12 INC. SLAP

When a charter school advocacy group learned earlier this month that online school operator K12 Inc. had reached a big settlement with the state over claims it manipulated attendance records and overstated its students' success, the organization responded by Turkish rivalry comes to San Jose amid allegations about Magnolia charter schools - Mercury News:

 Big Education Ape: Apple Education Services Posts Its Privacy Policy… in Latin | deutsch29 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/apple-education-services-posts-its.html

Big Education Ape: What Would it Take for US to Extradite Muslim Cleric to Turkey? - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/what-would-it-take-for-us-to-extradite.html

Big Education Ape: Yo Campbell Brown Cat got your tongue? I Guess There is NO Talking Turkey w/ YOU! - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/yo-campbell-brown-cat-got-your-tongue-i.html

Big Education Ape: TBFURMAN: Who's Running These Schools? - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/tbfurman-whos-running-these-schools.html

Big Education Ape: Video shows Gülen urging followers to secretly infiltrate Turkish state institutions - Daily Sabah - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/video-shows-gulen-urging-followers-to.html



Big Education Ape: Video shows Gülen urging followers to secretly infiltrate Turkish state institutions - Daily Sabah - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/video-shows-gulen-urging-followers-to.html

Big Education Ape: Turkey seeks probes of American charter schools it says are linked to Fethullah Gulen - The Washington Post - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/turkey-seeks-probes-of-american-charter.html


Big Education Ape: The Republic of Turkey Wants the State of Texas to Investigate Gulen Charter Schools. | deutsch29 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-republic-of-turkey-wants-state-of.html


Big Education Ape: Gulen versus Erdogan battle spills over into Germany | DWCOM -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/gulen-versus-erdogan-battle-spills-over.html

Big Education Ape: What Do the Corporate Reformers and Campbell Brown Have to Say about The Gulen Charter School Scandal - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/what-do-corporate-reformers-and.html

Big Education Ape: Turkish exile sparks questions about Congress travel, charter schools -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/turkish-exile-sparks-questions-about.html

Big Education Ape: Turkey widens post-coup purge, demands Washington hand over cleric | Reuters -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/turkey-widens-post-coup-purge-demands.html

Big Education Ape: Fethullah Gulen Should Not Be Operating American Charter Schools. | deutsch29 -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/fethullah-gulen-should-not-be-operating.html

Big Education Ape: Reclusive Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, blamed for failed coup in Turkey - LA Times -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/reclusive-muslim-cleric-fethullah-gulen.html

Big Education Ape: US would consider extradition request for exiled cleric -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/us-would-consider-extradition-request.html

 Big Education Ape: Fethullah Gulen: The Islamic scholar Turkey blames for the failed coup - The Washington Post - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/fethullah-gulen-islamic-scholar-turkey.html

Big Education Ape: Jersey Jazzman: What We Don't Know About Gulen-Linked Charter Schools, And Why That's a Problem - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/jersey-jazzman-what-we-dont-know-about.html

Big Education Ape: Coup in Turkey: Is Fetullah Gulen Behind It? | Diane Ravitch's blog - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/07/coup-in-turkey-is-fetullah-gulen-behind.html

Big Education Ape: KILLING ED: 120 American Charter Schools and One Secretive Turkish Cleric -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/01/killing-ed-120-american-charter-schools.html

 Big Education Ape: Update: Gulen Harmony charter school network accused of bias and self-dealing Dallas Morning News - http://go.shr.lc/1qV85Hm

Big Education Ape: Turkey Links Texas Charter Schools to Dissident - WSJ - http://go.shr.lc/1OW1ZfV

Big Education Ape: Magnolia Science Academy - A Gulen Charter School: Gulen Magnolia Science Academy links discussed at LAUSD board meeting -http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/06/magnolia-science-academy-gulen-charter.html

WikilLeaks Common Core Email: DNC Believes It’s a “Political Third Rail” – Missouri Education Watchdog

WikilLeaks Common Core Email: DNC Believes It’s a “Political Third Rail” – Missouri Education Watchdog:

WikilLeaks Common Core Email: DNC Believes It’s a “Political Third Rail”

Twitter’s abuzzing about the thousands of The Democrat National Committee Wikileaked emails.  There were allegations that Twitter suppressed the hashtag #DNCLeaks and removed it from the trending bar:

Friday afternoon, users noted, “#DNCLeaks” was trending, with more than 250,000 tweets about it on the platform. By Friday evening, it vanished completely from the site’s “trending” bar for at least 20 minutes. It returned as “#DNCLeak” after users erupted, though it was too late to quell their rage.

The modified hashtag was pulled from the trending bar, too:

You can access Wikileak’s database of emails here:

Search the DNC email database

Today, Friday 22 July 2016 at 10:30am EDT, WikiLeaks releases 19,252 emails and 8,034 attachments from the top of the US Democratic National Committee — part one of our new Hillary Leaks series. The leaks come from the accounts of seven key figures in the DNC: Communications Director Luis Miranda (10770 emails), National Finance Director Jordon Kaplan (3797 emails), Finance Chief of Staff Scott Comer (3095 emails), Finanace Director of Data & Strategic Initiatives Daniel Parrish (1472 emails), Finance Director Allen Zachary (1611 emails), Senior Advisor WikilLeaks Common Core Email: DNC Believes It’s a “Political Third Rail” – Missouri Education Watchdog:

Tim Kaine Loves Public Schools. So Does His Wife Anne, Who is Virginia’s Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

Tim Kaine Loves Public Schools. So Does His Wife Anne, Who is Virginia’s Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog:

Tim Kaine Loves Public Schools. So Does His Wife Anne, Who is Virginia’s Secretary of Education

Hillary Clinton’s choice for her running mate is Tim Kaine, Senator from Virginia. Tim Kaine is one of the few people in American politics who has been elected mayor (of Richmond, Virginia), governor, and senator.

He is also a steadfast supporter of public education, even though he graduated from a Jesuit high school. His own children attended primarily black schools in Richmond. His wife is now Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Virgina.

This is what he wrote three years ago about his life as a public school parent in Richmond.

Anne and I are now empty-nesters. Combined, our three kids spent 40 school years in the Richmond Public Schools. While we both interact with the school system in our professional lives, we’ve learned even more from back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, attending school events and pulling crumpled notes to parents out of our kids’ backpacks. The lessons learned as parents have made me think about what works and what doesn’t work in Pre-K-12 education. Here are seven changes I’d like to see:

It’s about the individual!

Most policy debate these days seems to be about charter schools or high-stakes testing. But I’m convinced that the most important reform has been under our noses since 1975, when legislation was passed to guarantee children with diagnosed disabilities receive individualized learning plans tailored to meet their specific needs.

Each child brings a mix of strengths and challenges to the classroom. Let’s use the insight gained through advances in educating kids with disabilities to leverage new technologies and teaching methods that can individualize learning for each child.

Early childhood education works

My daughter was able to attend a year of high-quality pre-K in our city schools. This experience made me a believer, and it’s one of the reasons why I greatly expanded pre-K for at-risk 4 year olds when I was governor.
The research is powerful — if you invest in high-quality programs that coordinate with K-12 curricula and have mandatory teacher standards, the gains from early education are lasting. It’s also important that we focus on coordinating investments made in early childhood programs — such as Head Start — to ensure we are effectively using our funding, eliminating any waste and bolstering the structure of our education system.

The article goes on to add other recommendations, including the importance of arts education and the necessity of reducing testing.

His article ended like this:

Finally, a note of gratitude. Our kids were blessed to have many Tim Kaine Loves Public Schools. So Does His Wife Anne, Who is Virginia’s Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog:

Cultural Violence in Our Schools - Living in Dialogue

Cultural Violence in Our Schools - Living in Dialogue:

Cultural Violence in Our Schools

Attorney, activist and Selma survivor, Faya Rose addresses the Save Our Schools Rally at the Lincoln Memorial.

Cultural Violence in Our Schools - Living in Dialogue:

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State History about Public Education

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State History about Public Education:

Washington State History about Public Education

From Robert Cruickshank of Democracy for America this story fromHistoryLink:

History matters. This article tells the story of the so-called "Barefoot Schoolboy Act," passed in 1895. It was the first time the state of Washington attempted to fully fund our public schools, and it was thanks to the work of Populist progressive and future governor John Rogers. The article shows how the "paramount duty" language was created in the first place, and why it is so important that our state live up to that promise and fully fund our schools.

This was one of the core promises made when Washington became a state. It is time the legislature followed in John Rogers' bold footsteps and once again ensured all public schools in this state, and every child in this state, gets a fully funded and equitable education.

 From the article (some content will sound very of the minute to our current situation):

On March 14, 1895, the Washington State Legislature approves what is commonly called the "Barefoot Schoolboy Act," which for the first time provides a uniform means of producing recurring income for the state's public schools by imposing a direct tax. 

Prior to the act, educational funds were derived from a welter of sources, none of which were very predictable and some of which, due to circumstance, tended to favor a few districts over others. 

The bill requires the state to impose an annual tax on the value of property sufficient to provide, in combination with other available funds, a minimum of $6 per year for each school-age child in the state. The Barefoot Schoolboy Act is largely the Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State History about Public Education:

Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke to Run for US Senate; Says Trump Acceptance Speech Inspired Him | deutsch29

Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke to Run for US Senate; Says Trump Acceptance Speech Inspired Him | deutsch29:

Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke to Run for US Senate; Says Trump Acceptance Speech Inspired Him

The 1992 Louisiana governors race put former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke against known crooked former Louisiana governor, Edwin Edwards.

Edwards was known for lining his pockets with public money, but the prospect of Duke as governor was just plain scary.

Knowing Edwards would rip off Louisana, and familiar with the political catch of really wanting neither candidate but knowing one must be elected, people circulated bumper stickers that read, “Vote for the crook. It’s important.” (Indeed, Edwards ended up serving eight years in federal prison, 2002-2011, for corruption.)

I was thinking of that 1992 Louisiana governor’s race today as I read yet another piece (I have read many) that offer concern of Donald Trump in the White House as frightening.

And wouldn’t you know, even as I was thinking of the similar current of fear shared by the Trump for Prez and Duke for Gov campaigns, David Duke was registering to run for the US Senate seat vacated by Louisiana Senator David Vitter.

And guess what? Duke said his entrance was “inspired” by Trump, whom Duke views as “a man embracing the core issues I’ve fought for my whole life,” as the July 22, 2016, Monroe News Star reports:

BATON ROUGE — Former Klansman David Duke emerged from a 17-year political hiatus here Friday to qualify for the U.S. Senate race in a state already roiling with racial tension…

“The climate in this country is moving in my direction,” he said, also saying he “won’t apologize for my past.”

Duke said he will fight to end what he believes is “massive racial discrimination” against whites and called Black Lives Matter “a terrorist organization.” …

“There is massive racial discrimination going on against European Americans,” he said. “They’re seeking to cleanse European Americans from their own country.”

Duke said he was inspired by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s acceptance speech, noting Trump discussed immigration and equal rights among other issues.

“I thought, wow, here’s a man embracing the core issues I’ve fought for my whole life,” he said.

Turns out Trump isn’t too keen on having his Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke to Run for US Senate; Says Trump Acceptance Speech Inspired Him | deutsch29:

Cartoons on Schooling and Reform | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Cartoons on Schooling and Reform | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

Cartoons on Schooling and Reform

The batch of cartoons I have collected for this month are about schooling, reform, and counter-reforms in the second decade of the 21st century. I hope you smile, chuckle, and grin. Or maybe, grind your teeth or slap your brow. Whatever your reaction, enjoy!

 Cartoons on Schooling and Reform | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:

CURMUDGUCATION: What David Coleman Doesn't Know

CURMUDGUCATION: David Coleman (7/23):

David Coleman

I am on a two-week vacation, driving cross-country with my wife to spend time with family in Seattle. In my absence, I have dug into the archives and pulled up some reruns for you. Though what I most suggest is that you check out the blogroll on the right side of the page. There are some outstanding bloggers, and if there are some folks you've never sampled, there's no day like today.

Why is Coleman one of my least favorite reformsters? It could be that it's my subject area that he saw fit to clobber with his big fat amateur hands. It could be his astonishing hubris; not many people feel entitled to rewrite an entire nation's education system (even though nobody asked them to) and to do it without ever acknowledging anyone else's work. Or the way he's taken the SAT and made it even worse. Of course, nobody really gives a shit what I think anyway.

David Coleman Is Superman

Coleman goes to Aspen to explain how awesome he is!

What David Coleman Doesn't Know About Literature

In his essay "Cultivating Wonder," Coleman provides some terrible advice and examples for actual teachers of literature.

David Coleman To Fix Inequality in America

That time Coleman announced that he would use his gig as big boss of the College Board to end social injustice, because he's just that good (and not because he's marketing a test).

Coleman's Double Disconnect

Getting at what exactly seems so off about Coleman's approach to ELA

Coleman's Master Plan

In a 2011 speech, Coleman laid out where he thought he was headed with all this reform stuff.

Coleman's CCSS Writing Style

Coleman explains how to write. It's not pretty.

David Coleman Speaks Out (sort of)

When launching his new SAT, Coleman did plenty of press, so I thought it would be fun to just hear him explain the whole mess himself. Well, almost his own voice. I might have paraphrased a little.



CURMUDGUCATION: David Coleman (7/23):

TELL ME AGAIN HOW IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS – Dad Gone Wild

TELL ME AGAIN HOW IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS – Dad Gone Wild:

TELL ME AGAIN HOW IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS

Nashville has, for the last several years, been an under-the-radar playground for the education reform movement. People may be familiar with the stories of New Orleans, Newark, Los Angeles, and lately, Denver, but the battles have been just as fierce in Nashville. Things ratcheted up in 2008 when Karl Dean was elected mayor. Dean fancied himself as a bit of the next coming of Michael Bloomberg when he opened up the doors wide to the education reform movement and invited them in with open arms.

Those were the salad days for the reform movement in Nashville. Nobody could really predict the unintended consequences of many of the policies, and they all sounded so great, there was little opposition. Teach for America was invited to town with full mayoral support along with the New Teacher Project. Dean set up the Charter Incubator, which was designed to help grow more charters faster. Next thing you know, Ravi Gupta and Todd Dickson showed up in town to great fanfare with their charter school models. Life was good for the reformers. Then came the overreach.

In 2012, Great Hearts Academy was invited by a group of wealthy charter school advocates to open a charter school in Nashville. One that would be located in an affluent part of town but wouldn’t offer a transportation plan. The proposed school was also lacking a diversity plan. That’s when the battle lines began to be drawn. Previously, charter schools were something that happened to those “other people,” but now they were coming to middle class neighborhoods and people were starting to question why. Great Hearts’ application was denied TELL ME AGAIN HOW IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS – Dad Gone Wild:

The Test Made For White Kids, Not Black Kids – Exceptional Delaware

The Test Made For White Kids, Not Black Kids – Exceptional Delaware:

The Test Made For White Kids, Not Black Kids

I get it now.  A few months ago I was discussing parent opt out with an African-American friend of mine.  He explained to me that African-American students don’t do well on standardized tests because they’re written for white kids.  I disagreed with him.  I couldn’t grasp what was right before my eyes.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment was made for white kids.  Civil rights groups, usually backed by the Gates Foundation and other corporate education reformers, claim high-stakes standardized tests are important.  They say they need to understand where African-American students rank compared to their peers.  This only perpetuates the myth that these tests are necessary.  These groups vehemently opposed parents opting out of these tests because they claimed it would only continue pathways to discrimination.  Instead, the reality is staring them right in the face.  Standardized tests do show achievement gaps.  But not because they offer any solutions on how to close those gaps, but because they were written for a specific audience.

These tests fail to understand different minorities or cultures.  They were created from a white culture perspective.  They ask students to push themselves based on standards that don’t address poverty, low-income, special needs, violent environments, discrimination, segregation, or equity.  Even for white students, many who also deal with issues of low-income in our country, don’t perform well on these tests unless they are from more affluent areas.

Charter Schools were supposed to be the savior of education.  They were supposed to offer unique new ways of educating students and be models of innovation.  Instead, at least in Delaware, they have served as incubators of discrimination, segregation, and racism.  We can’t ignore this fact any longer.  We have to address this as a state, head-on.

In all likelihood, our charters are merely copying what happens in our regular districts.  We see that African-Americans in our traditional school districts do not fare any better on these tests.  Charter schools and districts with higher populations of white students do better on standardized tests.  This fact hasn’t escaped those who create these tests.  They know this.  Our politicians and The Test Made For White Kids, Not Black Kids – Exceptional Delaware: