Missouri Education Watchdog

Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget?

2013-05-23T14:19:00.000-05:00

The video "Give Your Kids Binoculars and Get Out of the Way" with Neil deGrasse Tyson contains advice on how to get kids interested in science.

Spoiler Alert. It has NOTHING to do with the implementation/adoption of Common Core standards or more federal involvement in education. He believes parents (and maybe teachers, too?) should be getting "out of the way" and encouraging children's curiosity. He contends children create disorder in the lives of the adults around them and what do adults do? They stifle the child's curiosity.

Will Common Core will help kids explore and feed their curiosity...or just put them in a common box like everybody else?

From the video transcript:

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Neil deGrasse Tyson: I'm often asked by parents what advice can I give them to help get kids interested in science? And I have only one bit of advice. Get out of their way. Kids are born curious. Period. I don’t care about your economic background. I don’t care what town you’re born in, what city, what country. If you’re a child, you are curious about your environment. You’re overturning rocks. You’re plucking leaves off of trees and petals off of flowers, looking inside, and you’re doing things that create disorder in the lives of the adults around you.

And so then so what do adults do? They say, “Don’t pluck the petals off the flowers. I just spent money on that. Don’t play with the egg. It might break. Don’t....” Everything is a don’t. We spend the first year teaching them to walk and talk and the rest of their lives telling them to shut up and sit down.

So you get out of their way. And you know what you do? You put things in their midst that help them explore. Help ‘em explore. Why don’t you get a pair of binoculars, just leave it there one day? Watch ‘em pick it up. And watch ‘em look around. They’ll do all kinds of things with it.

For me at age 11, I had a pair of binoculars and looked up to the moon, and the moon wasn’t just bigger, it was better. There were mountains and valleys and craters and shadows. And it came alive. Not the full moon because there are no shadows cast when the moon is full; got to wait for it to be half moon or crescent moon, and look at the edge between light and dark with a simple pair of binoculars.

I was transformed by picking up a pair of binoculars and looking up, and that’s hard to do for a city kid because when you look up you just see buildings -- and really your first thought is to look in people’s windows. So to look out of the space -- out of living space -- and look up to the sky, binoculars go far, literally and figuratively. That’s what got me started on the universe. It might get some kids you know started the same way.

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I guess buying binoculars would be too expensive for school districts to buy. Oh, no, wait. Kirkwood School District decided it needed iPads for all their students to the cost of almost $2 Million by 2015. How long will these iPads be appropriate before they are outdated due to new technology? From kirkwood.patch.com:

With an estimated total of roughly $1.8 million for the cost of the project, the first phase will cost $325,000. The price includes an iPad Mini, a case and basic applications on the device. Students in 3rd grade and higher will be able to take the iPads home.

What wasn't mentioned in this article was the move to use iPads is part of Common Core implementation. For approximately 5,000 students in the district, the cost comes out to $360.00 per iPad. A good pair of binoculars cost less than that and they don't have software that becomes obsolete in a few years. But binoculars aren't part of Smarter Balanced Assessment Common Core technology requirements, are they? How much will new applications cost the district? How much insurance will KSD parents have to pay for 3rd graders who have trouble locating their coats much less an iPad? Did KSD understand that the iPads are only one part of required technology by SBAC?

From Smarter Balanced Releases Technology Strategy Framework and System Requirements Specifications:

This framework provides two levels of technology specifications: minimum requirements for existing devices and recommended guidelines for new purchases. Students using technology that meets only the minimum specifications may experience periods of slowness during the assessment, while technology consistent with the recommended guidelines will likely result in a more fluid testing experience.

In addition to the hardware and bandwidth requirements, eligible devices must also have a 10” class screen, a mechanical keyboard, headphones, wired or wireless Internet access, and administrative tools to temporarily disable features, functionalities, and applications that could present a security risk during test administration. The technology specifications apply only to the Smarter Balanced assessments and should not be considered minimum specifications to support instruction, which may require additional technology.

Is there any more hardware, bandwith, device, other technological expenses the district will need to incur for Common Core implementation? How much additional money is needed to support instruction? These are questions to ask the district at the June 4 Common Core meeting in Kirkwood and if there is a bond increase wanted by the district, how much this increase is due to Common Core implementation.

Those binoculars are sounding better and better. They are cheaper and are student directed as opposed to the top down standardized consortia owned standards and assessments.

Details on Kirkwood School District meeting:

06/04/13
North Kirkwood Middle School Library, 11287 Manchester Road
6:00pm - 7:30pm

Dr. Williams, superintendent of schools, is hosting a school/community conversation on Tuesday, June 4 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the North Kirkwood Middle School Library, 11287 Manchester Road. Dr. Williams and administrative services team will answer questions and listen to suggestions from the school community. The community is encouraged to attend.

The IRS, DESE and Sergeant Schultz: Complete Lack of Accountability.

2013-05-23T07:35:00.000-05:00

Do you remember "Hogan's Heroes"? Sergeant Schultz was known for his "I see nothing, I know nothing" response to issues around him. This is similar to Lois Lerner's refusal to testify in Congressional hearings about what happened at IRS, even as she stated she did nothing wrong. If she didn't do anything wrong, then why wouldn't she talk to Congressmen and women trying to determine exactly how and why the IRS targeted specific groups requesting tax exempt status?

Like the IRS, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is taxpayer funded. DESE makes decisions that impacts taxpayers, children and teachers while using money allocated by the state legislature and federal agencies. The IRS and DESE should answer to the people funding their existence, but they have something in common: they don't want to answer your questions, believe they are above having to be accountable for their actions and will deflect or refuse to answer questions by taxpayers and legislators.

The tragedy for Missouri citizens and legislators is that SB210 did not pass this past legislative session. Missouri SB210 would have provided a venue for citizens to find out:

the educational direction/development for Missouri children
the money it will cost taxpayers for this educational direction/development (taxpayers never had the opportunity to either for or against this plan)
who, what, why data will be gathered on children without parental permission/knowledge
where this data will be used

Since SB210 was withdrawn at the threat of a filibuster, citizens will now have to wait another year for their chance to ask these questions if a similar bill is filed. DESE attempted to pass off the statewide May 2 meetings as fact finding for citizens but they were really a waste of time for anyone looking for serious answers to serious questions. These meetings were scripted and no speaker had the authority to answer questions. In retrospect, why did people take their time to attend these meetings? They were a total waste of time.

Why did Lois Lerner attend a congressional hearing to announce that she would not answer any questions and then walk out? Why did Chris Nicastro speak for "informational purposes" to SB210 in the legislative hearing that had absolutely nothing to do with the bill? The bill was to address concerns about cost and data collection, both of which she touched on briefly, but she never did answer direct questions to these issues.

Lois Lerner was allowed to walk out of a hearing, and Chris Nicastro was allowed to hijack the SB210 hearing to deliver her speech on why CCSS would transform Missouri education. "Don't worry, be happy"....legislators and taxpayers. Don't worry that certain groups are targeted by the IRS and don't worry that CCSS is unfunded, unresearched and your child's data will be given to various federal agencies and third parties without your knowledge or permission.

Bureaucrats are doing what they want with your money, setting the rules and not being held accountable to legislative bodies or taxapyers. SB210 could have shed some light on the Common Core adoption and implementation in Missouri. Do you or the legislators REALLY think DESE is EVER going to truthfully answer the questions posed to them in the May 2 meetings?

The clock is ticking without DESE providing answers to May 2 questions (these answers were to be posted within a week after the meetings). You should be getting very angry at this obfuscation from national and state bureaucrats thumbing their noses at you. Watch the clock (posted on the website) ticking up the days DESE doesn't answer the questions you have. Who holds the IRS and DESE accountable? Why is DESE allowed to spend money it doesn't have on educational theories with no research/data to prove it will work? Why is personal data gathered on your family and your child without your knowledge or permission?

Since Missouri citizens don't have a venue to ask the appointed commissioner of education these questions, Nicastro sent in a video of herself for DESE's "informational" meetings. She dodged questions when questioned by legislators and sent her lackeys (who don't have the authority to answer questions) to the "informational" DESE meetings to impart talking points to taxpayers. She knows nothing, tells legislators "look at the DESE website for the answers" in hearings (to the questions they didn't ask), or she just won't bother to answer your questions at all (as evidenced by the DESE website where it still says answers "coming soon" to May 2 meeting questions). Is the commissioner channeling Sergeant Schultz and Lois Lerner?

"I See Nothing, I Know Nothing"

"I Did Nothing Wrong."

A complete lack of accountability

Here's the link for DESE's videos on Common Core. These speakers "know nothing" either on the cost of the standards or the data gathered on students. They don't answer the questions taxpayers are asking but keep telling us DESE is a transparent agency. There is no accountability from the IRS or DESE to taxpayers and/or legislators to the questions they ask. And the clock keeps ticking and not one bureaucrat is responsible for the answers.

Sign the petition to rid Missouri of Common Core standards. We haven't stopped fighting to make DESE responsible to the taxpayers, legislators and students. Pre-filing bills begins on December 1. Join us. Make your voice heard. Watch Lois Lerner's IRS response and you understand how the adoption/implementation of Common Core has occurred during the last 3-1/2 years in Missouri. No one is responsible for (the governor, the commissioner and the State Board of Education) or apparently concerned about the cost, loss of local control, the run around of the legislative process and invasive data retrieval on individual students, teachers and principals. It's time to hold these officials accountable.

Teacher Reports on Her Common Core Experience in the Classroom

2013-05-22T08:38:00.000-05:00

Received via email:

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I just got a first-hand, super-dose of the Common Core. For two days last week I (substitute) taught in an Idaho elementary school that is implementing the Common Core curriculum. It was horrible! I've taught at this school before, and it wasn't like this then. I couldn't believe the way they micro-managed every move the kids made, even on the playground. The principle was marching up and down the halls like a little general. And the way they had taught the kids math was absurd! I’ve read about Common Core, and I have been concerned. But this experience "inspired" me to take a deeper look. I went on youtube, and lo and behold there was a quote from Idaho’s own Tom Luna on Glenn Beck. Here's the link to that, and a second one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdhR6_C0C00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hp9NUzn5oY

Missouri Coalition Against Common Core

http://www.moagainstcommoncore.com/

I am sending these three links to the parents of every Idaho school-age child I know. This is for real. Feel free to use my story, if you like. We've got to get it out of Idaho before the parents have no more say in what is being taught in their schools, and Common Core ruins the lives of their kids!

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If you have more teacher stories about Common Core, pass them along and we'll let people know how these non-researched/fact based standards, assessments and curricula are playing out in real life with teachers, students and principals.

A Clinical Psychologist's Concerns With Student Data Gathering

2013-05-21T07:29:00.000-05:00

Last week during the House Education Committee hearing on SB210 Representative Margo McNeil asked witness Gretchen Logue what she was so worried about with the data gathering. Specifically she asked, "What is your worst case scenario with the data gathering?" Perhaps this article, written by a clinical psychologist, can offer a perspective on the dangers of gathering individual student data that Rep. McNeil could not herself imagine.

From CommonCoreFacts.blogspot.com March 19, 2013 Dr. Gary Thompson

By way of background, I’m an African American Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) currently serving as Director of Clinical Training & Community Advocacy at a private child psychology clinic in South Jordan, Utah. I completed undergraduate education at both the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. In addition to my personal experiences involving my four children in public schools, I have completed multiple thousands of hours in training/therapy/assessment/legal advocacy work with children in both the private and public school settings in multiple western states. I am also the author of a award winning doctoral project/dissertation which tackled the ago old problem of why many African American school aged children underperform in public schools titled, “Cracking the Da Vince Code of Cognitive Assessment of African American School Aged Children: A Guide for Parents, Clinicians & Educators” (Thompson, G. 2008).

Dr. Thompson goes on to clarify that he is not an education professional and recognizes both pros and cons of common core standards themselves. He limits his comments to his area of expertise, "psychological and educational assessment/testing, as well as privacy acts surrounding the use of these tests in both private and educational setting."

He writes, "According to the U.S. Department of Education, CCSS will authorize the use of testing instruments that will measure the “attributes, dispositions, social skills, attitude’s and intra personal resources” of public school students under CCSS (USDOE Feb, 2013 Report). In a nutshell, CCSS simply states that it will develop highly effective assessments that measures….well….almost 'everything'.”

A careful, or even a casual review of a “comprehensive evaluation” would clearly show that the level of information provided about a particular child is both highly sensitive and extremely personal in nature. They are also extremely accurate. In a private clinic such as ours, we follow strict privacy guidelines regarding patient privacy (HIPPA) and when dealing with educational institutions, we also make sure that we comply with the FERPA Act (Federal Education Reporting & Privacy Act).

And here is where Dr. Thompson lays out the problem with the data being gathered by the federal government.

"The accuracy of psychological testing has grown in the past 10 years to astonishing levels. The same tests used in our clinic for assessments, are used in part by federal law enforcement agencies, the military, local police departments, and the Central Intelligence Agency. (Interesting enough, these agencies are also interested in finding out about alleged terrorist’s, serial killers, or airline pilots “attributes, dispositions, social skills, attitudes and intra personal resources”). When placed in the “right” hands of trained mental health professionals, psychological testing can save lives. Placed in the “wrong” hands, psychological testing can ruin lives as well as cause psychological trauma to people if they have knowledge that their results were used for nefarious purposes."

Below are issues regarding CCSS “testing” policies that have not been addressed by the Common Core to State’s Governors’, State Superintendents, State School Boards, local school district superintendents, local school boards, to parents of children in public school education:

Common Core does not address what types of tests will be utilized on our children.

Common Core does not address, specifically, exactly who is developing these tests.

Common Core does not address the fact that these tests have not yet been developed, and are not available for public consumption or private review by clinical psychology researchers and psychometric professionals.

Common Core does not address if the soon to be completed tests will be subjected to the same rigorous peer review process that ALL testing instruments are subjected to prior to being released to mental health professionals for their use in the private sector.

Common Core does not state which public school employees would be administering or interpreting these tests. There is a reason that School Psychologists cannot “practice” outside of their scope in school districts. As hard working and as wonderful as this group is, their training pales in comparison to the average local clinical psychologist.

Common Core does not address the well documented, peer-reviewed fact that both African American and Latino students, due to cultural issues, tend to have skewed testing results when cultural issues are not addressed prior to the initiation of such testing. This should probably be addressed if these results are going to be following a student “from cradle to high school graduation.”

Lastly, once these highly intimate, powerful, and most likely inaccurate testing results are completed, who EXACTLY will have access to all of this data? Common Core DOES address this issue and it is the subject of the next section.

Records do not leave our clinic unless the guardians of the children instruct us, or unless a District Court judge orders the release of the records. In some cases, we are even ethically obligated to fight court orders that request private mental health records.

Common Core State Standards radically changes this game.

Buried in all of the fine print of the CCSS is a provision that allows participating school districts to ignore HIPPA protections. The newly revised FERPA laws grants school districts and states HIPAA privacy waivers. Department of Health & Human Services Regulation Section 160.103 states, in part,: “Protected health information EXCLUDES individually identifiable health information in education records covered by the Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), as amended 20 U.S.C. 1232 g”.

CCSS also states that this “information” may be distributed to “organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions to develop, validate, or administer predictive testing.” (CCSS (6)(i).

In summary CCSS allows the following by law:

Grants school districts a waiver from FERPA in terms of deleting identifying information on their records.

Allows school districts to then give these identifiable records basically to anyone who they deem to have an viable interest with these records.

These organization or individuals chosen by the government to use this data to develop highly accurate predictive tests with no stated ethical procedures, guidelines, or institutional controls. (What are they exactly trying to “predict”?”

All without written parental consent.

The data being gathered in the P-20 database model, the 400 data points, in some cases are circumstances of birth, but in most cases are really a record of personal choices and actions. They are evidence of lives lived (e.g. level of college completed by parents, religious affiliation), the same kind of evidence used in criminal investigations to determine motive or involvement. As evidence they should share the protections of the 4th amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures. The 5th amendment right not to incriminate oneself is stripped from children before they even know they have such a right. Their data set will be used to map out their life course. The ways in which the government proposes to use the data amount to a sentence for children that is limited only by their willingness to exert the effort necessary to break out of the path the system determines for them.

Perhaps of greater concern Representative McNeil is that the government's need, as laid out in regulatory language that defines what they want to know, will come to override our constitutionally protected rights like those described in the 4th and 5th amendments. These rights are supposed to be inalienable. They exist merely because we exist. The concern is that the government will be successful in convincing the people that its desire for something is greater than our rights, as the Georgetown Law Journal claimed. The concern is that through nothing more than mere regulation by a bureaucrat, our foundational document, the Bill of Rights, may be obliterated.

SB210 Is Laid Aside

2013-05-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today politics prevailed. The interests of the people were laid aside with SB210 allowing a state department to continue ducking the public's questions and the legislature's authority. Our countdown clock continues and will remain at the top of our page awaiting DESE's response to at least some of the questions the public has about Common Core.

We may never get answers to the conflicting comments we have heard about common core.

The National Governor's Association and common core proponents in general site a main reason for having common standards is so that children moving from state-to-state, district-to-district will not experience an interruption in their education. There will be no subject matter holes because everyone is being taught the same thing. Yet when pressed, DESE insisted in front of a House Committee that Missouri owns the standards and can change them at any time. In fact, all states can, and have, changed the standards. That, by definition, would mean that the standards are no longer "common" among the states and a child would once again experience an interruption in his/her education should he/she move. This would also make the state’s standards out of line with the assessments. So which is it: alignment state-to-state or autonomy to set one's own standards?

DESE staff stated that some schools have been implementing Common Core for 3 years and have shown "tremendous results." How are they calculating these tremendous results? This statement is impossible to make as no common core assessments have been approved or administered. If the results are found in the existing MAP assessment scores, how is that possible? Those tests are not aligned with common core. What is actually being measured? If we are seeing improvement in an existing test, why do we need SBAC tests? The indication from states who were early adopters of CC like Kentucky, is that following curriculum aligned with CC produced a 30% drop in student scores on existing state standardized tests. How are we not seeing a decline, but in fact an improvement?

DESE has stated that they do not share data with the federal government, that it stays in state. But the MOU’s signed by the state with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia (SBAC) in May 2010 states the consortia will provide “Reliable , valid and fair scores for students and groups that can be used to evaluate student achievement and year-to-year growth; determine school/district/state effectiveness for Title I ESEA…10) Professional development focused on curriculum and lesson development as well as scoring and examination of student work…. 14) A consolidated data reporting system that enhance parents, students, teacher, principal district and state understanding of student progress toward college and career readiness.” SBAC is housed in Washington state.

http://www.moagainstcommoncore.com/documents/Missouri%20SMARTER%20Balanced%20MOU.doc

This means that individual student data will be retained by SBAC who in turn has an agreement with the US Dept of Ed that says it will “Comply with, and where applicable coordinate with the ED staff to fulfill, the program requirements established in the RTTA Notice Inviting Applications and the conditions on the grant awarded, as well as to this agreement, including, but not limited to working with the Department to develop a strategy to make student level data that results from the assessment system available on an ongoing basis for research, including for prospective linking, validity and program improvement studies; subject to applicable privacy laws.” The reality is that once the data leaves the state we no longer have control of where it goes and who has access to it. Changes to FERPA (the laws they are referring to) means there is little appreciable protection of that data.

http://www.moagainstcommoncore.com/documents/SBAC%20USED%20agreement%20copy.pdf

Additionally, DESE promised in the Race To The Top application (p.15) that they would “Provide a database accessible to researchers throughout the nation that is the first-ever link between student performance, teaching practices, and leadership decisions.”

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7ljWzvYU6irOTMtMVJOTXhjc2c/edit

Commissioner Nicastro has said that it is not costing the state any new money to implement common core. She further testified that the reason the RTTT costs were so high was because that application was for a Cadillac program that we were not fully implementing, because we did not get the grant. However, in that grant (p. 40) she wrote “Implementation of the reform plan described in this proposal will not stop if the State does not win Race to the Top funding. Missouri has a long tradition of fostering innovative improvements in education, and this will not change. Race to the Top funds will allow the State to move forward aggressively and comprehensively in adopting these reforms. In the absence of Race to the Top funding, the State and its partners would continue moving forward but will do so over a longer time-period and, in some areas, will have to adopt a more incremental approach."

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7ljWzvYU6irOTMtMVJOTXhjc2c/edit

There are so many more questions which, if answered, would at least provide some clarity as to our direction. Unfortunately, DESE does not seem to believe it is worth their time to provide those points of clarification. They miss the opportunity to have the public on their side and the legislature providing cover for them from the feds. Keep your eye on the answer clock. It looks like it will be here for a long time.

Tying Socio-Economic Status to Test Scores

2013-05-17T12:28:00.000-05:00

In speaking to groups about common core and the data collection that is occurring because of it and simultaneously to it, we often get the question, "What is the government's plan for all that data? What are they going to do with it."

USA Today reported on a a new white paper released, the U.S. Department of Education which may partially answer that question. The paper (Improving the Measurement of Socio-Economic Status for the NAEP) "proposes classifying students by more than just their parents’ income or education levels. It explains the federal government should be able to tie test scores to a host of indicators, including: whether parents own or rent their home, how many times a family has moved in the past year and whether anyone in their household gets medical assistance."

And what will they do with the socio-economic classification? "It would allow us to target resources better," Sean Reardon of the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

The paper calls for better ways of collecting data on students and discusses how the NAEP currently collects this information, through a 13-question survey that eighth-grade students fill out at the end of the test. It asks them how much school their parents completed. It can also include questions such as: "Does your family get a newspaper at least four times a week?" and "About how many books are there in your home?" For fourth-graders, it has asked whether they have Internet access, a dishwasher or a "clothes dryer just for your family." The only good news here is that people recognize what poor reporters our kids are of this kind of information, making it only a slight indicator of SES.

However, that doesn't stop them from trying to use the kids as data collectors. The report suggests "Cognitive laboratory studies should be conducted on various question types for collecting student reports on parental occupation." So rather than ask mom and dad what they do for a living, let's ask better questions to get the kids to tell on them.

The report also acknowledges that data collection will likely require sharing with data collected by other government departments. "In addition, the development of a new SES measure is likely to incur both anticipated and unanticipated side effects, including the requirement to coordinate with other federal programs within and outside NCES, and consequences such as attention given to equity and educational resource distribution."

For those that want a deeper understanding of the data collection landscape, both with Common Core and with the P-20 Council, we have posted a great page on MO Against Common Core under the Topics tab called Data Collection. This is a great resource to learn more about government data collection on students.

A Common Core Worksheet from Missouri and a First Grade Social Justice Text from Utah

2013-05-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

A Missouri parent sent this in from her 3rd grader's workbook. Time for Kids is a Common Core aligned curriculum provider:

TIME For Kids is committed to helping teachers meet Common Core State Standards, National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies and National Science Education Standards. Click here to learn more about TIME For Kids and national learning standards.

Regardless of what the Science/Social NATIONAL standards are, Time for Kids will support them and are committed to help teachers meet those standards via Time for Kids common core aligned curriculum. A private company doesn't really know what these standards are, but gee golly, Time for Kids will be there to align the curriculum to meet those standards. See how this works?

More time in school will be taken up in test taking (think "NCLB on Steroids"). "Hannah" thinks "it's good that kinds in many other states will take the same tests". Why do you think Time for Kids would portray being common as a good thing? Since welcoming/accepting the idea that students should learn from common standards is paramount for CCSS proponents, the students have a lesson from Time for Kids instilling that message. Yay! Common Core!

Notice the math problem? The "old" way of answering is multiple choice which is dependent on the student knowing his/her math facts. The common core way is language dependent and has less to do with math facts than it does with explaining how you came to the answer. Remember, this is 3rd grade. Note that this student prefers multiple choice because he/she can "think" about the possible answers.

Keep those worksheets coming into Missouri Education Watchdog.

In the meantime, watch this video from Utah with material from a common core aligned textbook for 1st graders teaching them how to be social justice activists:

Just a question: Does having the "Common Core Aligned" stamp on the cover gives these publishers, whose vision is social engineering, a pathway into the schools? Just who is writing the curriculum? Is Common Core the vehicle for not only data collection but also for political theories?

Watching the DESE Countdown Clock. Citizens Still Waiting for Answers to Questions from the May 2 Hearings.

2013-05-15T07:24:00.000-05:00

Time elapsed since DESE Common Core May 2 meetings:

We've installed a DESE clock to determine how long citizens have to wait for the answers to questions DESE promised to answer from its May 2 Common Core standards statewide meetings. Citizens were told questions/answers would be listed within a week on the DESE website. In fact, the commissioner referred legislators many times to use the DESE website for their various questions in the House Education Committee hearing on May 13, rather than answer their questions at the hearing. But what happens when the answers to your questions aren't listed because DESE refuses to even entertain the question?

Here's what you find when you link to DESE's site looking for answers to questions from the Common Core statewide meetings:

Common Core Statewide Meetings

On May 2, 2013, meetings were held across the state to answer questions related to the State Board of Education’s decision in 2010 to adopt new standards in English language arts and mathematics, more commonly known as the Common Core State Standards.

Presentation from meeting

About Missouri Learning Standards

Questions and Answers (Coming soon)

When is Coming soon? It's been more than a week. The Commissioner did not welcome a citizen's question after the SB210 hearing in the House Education Committee, so taxpayers still don't have answers to their various questions and concerns.

When DESE publishes the questions and answers from the May 2 meeting, we can stop the clock.

DESE Commissioner Doesn't Like Citizen's Question on Data Gathering

2013-05-14T21:08:00.001-05:00

Dottie Bailey covered the hearing on SB210 House Education Committee yesterday. She caught up with Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro after her testimony, wanting to ask her about the state's move from collecting aggregate student data collection to a student level data collection system. A question that has not been satisfactorily answered in any of the May 2 DESE hearings is if individual student data is being gathered by DESE and if so, where that individual data is being sent. Dottie attempted to ask the commissioner that question and this is what happened:

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From Notes and phone slapped down by Chris Nicastro…for asking a question:

On Monday May 13th, 2013 I made my way down to Missouri’s Capitol, Jefferson City. I wanted to attend the SB210 House Education Hearing Committee meeting regarding Common Core. SB210 is not massive legislation, it is just asking for DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) to have meetings in each of the 8 Congressional Districts in Missouri.

Just doing my duty as a citizen journalist, I got a statement from the bill’s sponsor Representative Kurt Bahr and a few other Representatives on the committee.

Not shocked but disappointed there was not one other journalist in the entire Capitol from what I could tell. I thought the place would and should be covered with them regarding this major news story and the general public’s interest. But who was I kidding, crickets made louder noises.

Additionally, this Friday, May 17th is the end of this legislative session. I peeked in on the gallery floor from the second floor and it looked like little ants with laptops running amock. The only one with any poise or maybe it was the gavel, but the Speaker seemed to have everything under control and was directing traffic with ease.

Another reason I went to Jefferson City that Monday is that I wanted to try and get a statement, you know since I’m in the neighborhood. A statement from someone in DESE regarding the recent audit that showed an unaccounted for amount of $130 million dollars. Easy enough or so I thought, silly citizen journalist…

During earlier discussions of SB210, it was found that DESE has not followed the foundation formula used to distribute the $130 million dollars to the districts. One of the amendments was to have an interim committee look into this situation. (See my previous blog) However before the hearing on Monday I found out that amendment had been taken out. O.K., no problem, I can still ask the question that no one is asking.

Many people in Missouri and around the country are concerned about Common Core and it’s data collection aspirations. This is one of the items the people want more clarification on from DESE. They want to ask their own questions, just not be spoken to like third graders. Up to this point DESE delivers their talking points and says how great the Common Core Standards are going to be……enter the love music..ugh.

I had in my possession, a screen shot from DESE’s own website regarding the sharing of information to the Federal government. You can go to their website and see it for yourself here. The whole overview but particularly the last paragraph states that instead of data being collected as aggregate now will transition into being collected on an individual level.

Half way through the hearing, the Commissioner of Education, Chris Nicastro was speaking. She went on and on about the wonders of Common Core. One of the Representatives asked about the cost of broadband needed for the assessments to take place. Commissioner Nicastro said, “I believe that broadband should be a Civil Right.” No I am not kidding. The room erupted in laughter trying to hide their disgust. Hey John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, you guys forgot something in the Constitution…Life, Liberty and unlimited access to 24/7 Broadband. Truly the Founders did a couple back flips in their graves.

Near the end of her time given to speak she was asked about the sharing of individual student’s data being shared with the government. She assured everyone that only aggregate information would be shared. The little hairs stood up on the back of my neck as I had the screen shot from DESE’s website laying in hands. She started to get up, I grabbed my phone and the stranger next to me and said “let’s go”. I turned on the camera on the phone and we followed her. I asked her very kindly if I could ask her some questions. She barked at me and said she didn’t have time. Again I very kindly said, no problem I would walk her out. She asked who I was and who I’m with….she rolled her eyes. I persisted and asked her to explain her comments before and the contradictory screen shot I was holding in my hand. She mumbled something and then slapped the paper out of my hand. Then turned to the girl holding my camera phone and slapped the phone too. But the camera girl caught the phone before it hit the ground. She walked quickly away and I said “Thank you”…didn’t really know what to say…..

I was shocked and a little startled that she retaliated in that way. I really thought with her position and caliber of being a professional educator she would conduct herself in a manner of integrity and grace. Boy, was I wrong….it was Slapfest–Hissyfit 2013 in the basement of the Capitol building. But what should I expect from someone telling untruths and then being confronted on them. If she was telling the truth wouldn’t she have just told me I was incorrect and to check again.

They bummer part is my battery on my phone died and we only got half of the quick walk to the garage. My camera girl and I are the witnesses to the slap fit Ms. Nicastro had but it reminds me that people trying to hide something usually act out like children.

Needless to say I didn’t get a statement regarding the unaccounted for $130 million dollars. But I will be following up on that story.

So what are your thoughts? Do you think it was a reasonable or ridiculous behavior by an appointed government official?

Senate Bill 210 Voted Unanimously Out of House Education Committee

2013-05-14T10:57:00.001-05:00

May 13, 2013 The House Education Committee held their hearing on senate bill 210 (Lamping-R). Representative Kurt Bahr led the bill in front of the committee and addressed questions for almost 20 minutes. Bill supporters were given approximately 25 minutes to testify including testimony from Anne Gassel, Gretchen Logue and Jerry Briehan. In addition, over 900 witness statements in support of SB210 were delivered to the committee. When called, there was no official opposition to the bill. However, Commissioner Nicastro and other representatives from DESE were allowed to give informational testimony for another 35 minutes including time for questions from the committee. Some additional informational testimony was provided by those supporting the bill.

DESE's testimony did not address the bill which requires 2 subject reports, 8 congressional district meetings (with Commissioner Nicastro in attendance) completed by December 31, 2013 and a final report to the Senate and House by January 31, 2014. Instead, their testimony covered the usual talking points about common core - how they were fewer, clearer and more rigorous, and would produce career and college ready students.

Barbara Reys testified once again about the high quality of the common core math standards, noting that Fordham Institute had graded all the states' standards and had given Missouri's math standards a D. She did not testify that she

-->was the co-chair of a standards development committee which authored Missouri K-12 Mathematics Learning Goals, the very ones she testified were only graded a D. That would have allowed a committee member to question whether she was the best "expert" for MO to send to sit on the CC review committee.

DESE general counsel Mark Van Zandt testified that the agency would never collect or share any data illegally, noting that laws were in place to protect the privacy of student data. He neglected to mention that the laws he was referring to, the Family Rights and Privacy Act has been changed to allow the open sharing of individual student data, meaning that the law no longer protects student privacy. The Electronic Policy Information Center (EPIC) comments to the regualtory notice of the US Department of Education's proposed rulemaking on changing the FERPA definitions say, "The ED's proposals expand a number of FERPA's exemptions, reinterpreting the statutory terms "authorized representative," "education program," and "directory information." These proposals remove affirmative legal duties for state and local educational facilities to protect private student data." (emphasis added) EPIC has since filed a lawsuit against the USDoEd for overstepping their statutory authority with regard to a congressional act.

The bill, which had been stripped of the Senate amendments and returned to its original senate substitute language focusing only on Common Core costs and data was voted out of committee late Monday night by a 17:0 vote. It now goes to the House Rules Committee who is expected to turn it around quickly. It will go for a third reading on the House floor and, if voted out, go back to the Senate to be truly agreed and finally passed. We are in the home stretch and still in the race. The Senate could take it up Thursday or Friday, which is the last day of the 2013 session.

Hazelwood Report on Delphi DESE Meeting May 2

2013-05-13T05:39:00.000-05:00

The Hazelwood Patch had an article from a taxpayer who attended the May 2 DESE meeting on Common Core standards. The writer's narrative is not much different than the other meetings DESE held via the Delphi technique.

From Elizabeth O'Fallon in Is Common Core a Bad Apple?:

At the meeting, a presentation on Common Core was given by Dr. Tim Ricker, the Area Supervisor of DESE for the St. Louis Region. The information that was provided was labeled by the presenter as a “non-specific,” as it was just an overview on Common Core. We were also told that a “script” for the meeting must be followed in order that the same information would be presented at all eight of the DESE meetings across the state.

The thing that disturbed me during this meeting was the inability of the public to ask questions openly. I have attended a gamut of public meetings and this is the first where the public was not allowed a real forum to speak on the matter at hand. During the presentation, I tried to ask one question to obtain some clarification on a point, but was completely ignored by the presenter. Instead of being allowed to ask questions, we were told we would be broken up into groups later for smaller, more intimate discussions.

Once divided into tables, each table had a Common Core “facilitator.” This facilitator helped to “steer” the small group discussion around that of Common Core. Our table facilitator repeatedly said that she was not “an expert” and therefore couldn’t answer our specific questions, only jot them down.

When we were broken down into groups we were asked to do two things: 1. We were supposed to write down one thing we liked about the Common Core State Standards, and 2. We were also supposed to write down any questions we had regarding CCSS. The clincher however, was that as a group we had to come to complete “consensus” regarding our questions and statements before they could be written down.

A friend of mine wanted to know more about students having to take remedial classes in college, but was told by our facilitator that that question didn’t related directly to Common Core. After the group discussion was concluded, the facilitator would read our concerns and comments aloud. We were told that our questions would not be answered that evening but instead would be submitted to DESE and addressed online. As of this writing, no questions have been answered on their website, www.dese.mo.gov.

I am no longer a public school parent, as we now homeschool. However, had I been a parent at this meeting with their child still attending a local public school, I’d have been much more upset about how this meeting was handled. The lack transparency and of meaningful public involvement was mind-blowing.

Desptie the room being full of administrators, school board members, teachers, and district employees, and for a district that has already begun implementing Common Core, I didn’t believe that there was no one present who was not “qualified enough” to answer questions on Common Core.

Teacher Tells Missouri What Common Core Really Means. The Post-Dispatch Didn't Cover These Points.

2013-05-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

Peg with Pen, the Colorado teacher who implored teachers and parents to oppose Common Core and whose blog we reposted this morning, followed up with an extraordinary article responding to the St. Louis Post Dispatch's article this morning on Common Core.

Little did I know when I resposted her original blog, she was a native Missourian and has special interest in educating citizens of what Common Core really is vs what DESE tells us it is...or doesn't tell us.

Many, many thanks to her for her insights. If you are coming to the Capitol tomorrow, maybe you can give copies of her latest blog to the members of the House Education Committee as they decide on their votes. You can still submit an online witness form which is found at the end of the article.

From Peggy Robertson and For the Show Me State of Missouri: What They Didn't Show You:

*******************************************

This is in response to an article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

This article is missing some key information. First and foremost, we must look at the money trail. The common core standards are a cash cow for the corporations who plan to implement new testing, new curriculum, new professional development, and more, in order to adhere to the requirements under Race to the Top, Obama’s education policy. Now, Missouri was not awarded RTTT funding, however, Missouri took a NCLB waiver, which in essence, required Missouri to adhere to all of the requirements of Race to the Top – without the cash to do so.

As a teacher, an education activist, a graduate of Jefferson City High School, I have some stake in what is going on in Missouri. I no longer live there, but I was raised in Missouri and the mantra “show me” is anchored deep in my heart. So, as a former Missourian, it is important that we show everyone what is really going on here, and this article is greatly lacking. What needs to be understood is that this is not a democrat or republican issue. This is a corporate issue, and both sides have bought into it – there is big money to be made via public education. Race to the Top policies include mandates which allow for corporations to cash in – using our public tax dollars and our children.

One of these mandates includes adopting common standards. Missouri adopted these standards, and because Missouri asked for a NCLB waiver (http://dese.mo.gov/qs/esea-waiver.html), MO now has to adhere to the rules of RTTT.

One of the mandates requires linking common core standards to tests. A second mandate includes linking teacher evaluation to these tests..which are linked to the common core. A third requirement includes having a longitudinal data system which allows all of the student data accessible to “stakeholders.” A fourth mandate includes using the turnaround model for schools, which means using several strategies – a few being - including firing teachers, handing a school over to a charter operator – when school test scores are low. Missouri did receive a grant to implement the turnaround model which is a sure fire way to quickly privatize your public schools.

Now, back to the common core standards, which when examined as simply “standards” might not be such a terrible thing. However, they are simply not standards. They are standards that come with a lot of baggage attached to them – if they aren’t taught and tested with resulting high scores, a teacher could be fired, a child might not be promoted (this is here in CO already where I live..not sure if MO has this yet), a school could get shut down – all very HIGH stakes.

So, I, as a teacher, would be hard pressed not to teach to the test knowing the stakes are so high – for myself and for my students. That’s problem number one.

Second problem – because the stakes are so high, we have created an opportunity for the publishing industry – such as Pearson – to come in and SAVE the day so that we can figure out how to teach to these standards and create curriculum and professional development, along with Bill Gates funding wherever you turn - http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/04/27/30pearson.h30.html . Our public schools will now purchase these materials – with YOUR tax dollars – in order to be certain they are adhering to the common core state standards in order to succeed on the high stakes tests. It’s a vicious cycle where the winners are not our students, our teachers, our schools, or our community – the winners are the corporations profiting off of our public schools.

Problem number three – teacher autonomy GONE. If the common core state standards were simply a set of standards, I, as a teacher, could work around this – whether I liked them or not – I could pick, choose and tailor the standards to the needs of my school, students, and the culture of my community. However, they are not simply a set of standards – they are a set of standards that will be implemented with lockstep curriculum in order to be certain we succeed on the new tests rolling out across the country via PARCC and SBAC (testing consortias that our federal government gave $$ to – in the millions – to create these common core assessments).

The common core standards will take away teacher autonomy. In Finland they have national standards –and it works – one reason it works is because they are not extensive (common core standards are hundreds of pages long) and there are no high stakes tests attached to these standards.

Please understand, I am not opposed to a standardized test – I may not personally like standardized tests and I may not find them very valuable – but I can live with it – but NOT when high stakes are attached to it. Finland gives one standardized test when students graduate from high school, the rest of the testing is creating by teachers. Here in the U.S., mainstream media is bound and determined to make the general public believe that teachers are not capable of assessing our students – there is truly mass amnesia around the concept of teachers being capable of assessing their students - this is because there is a lot of money to be made via corporate testing. The money is key to everything that is currently going in public education in the United States today. Testing will increase under RTTT – some teachers now share that they test or test prep every day. Some schools state that 5 ½ months of the year is spent testing – some say more.

Fourth problem: There are indeed problems with the common core standards. They aren’t developmentally appropriate http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/standards . There are more problems related to the standards which I won’t go in to here, but suffice to day, I receive examples of common core homework given to students daily – I am shocked by what I see. Not only is it developmentally inappropriate, it is mind-numbing and lacking in creative and critical thinking. But enough on that – that is a subject that I could discuss all day long – but do know that children are not suddenly going to be overwhelmed with opportunities for creative, critical and conceptual thinking – it will be the exact opposite.

Fifth problem: History shows us quite clearly that countries who attempt to force standards upon schools by attaching high stakes to them, create learners who are good at one thing – test taking. They do not think independently, they cannot problem solve and they cannot think out of the box – no creative thinking. Simply read more about China to learn more. China, by the way, is attempting to move away from the teach to the test mentality and they are in shock that we are so foolishly headed in this direction. Check out Yong Zhao’s blog here: http://zhaolearning.com/2013/01/02/five-questions-to-ask-about-the-common-core/

Sixth problem: Implementing the common core standards will cost a ton of money, which thrills the publishing companies as they drool over your public tax dollars. While your districts begin to prepare for the new assessments which are attached to high stakes, they will be determining how to afford the new curriculum, the new tests, the computers and the technology needed to make this happen. It will be necessary to spend money on all of this because of the high stakes attached to it – as a result, you are sure to see cuts in the arts, physical education, teachers, libraries and more. Also, consider this – where is the money necessary to support the children in your communities who are living in poverty – currently 23% of our children live in poverty – I wonder how these students will do on these tests? And I wonder how these poorer districts will manage to compete with equal footing when they don’t have the money found in Ladue or Clayton? My guess is that these schools will end up in turn around status and will find themselves subjected to the vultures circling overhead as they (profiteers) discuss with glee how they might cash in on these districts that cannot fend for themselves. One need only look to Detroit, Philadelphia or Chicago to see how this will play out.

Seventh problem: Yes, you will lose local control. These standards are high stakes – they are COMMON. Do you want common children? I thought this was the Show Me state? Are all the children now going to being showing us the same thing as they learn? Regarding the standards, each state is allowed a little wiggle room to tweak the standards to meet their needs, but that won’t cut it. And teachers will be asked to write common core curriculum to save money in your districts, they will be asked to do multiple things necessary to succeed in this high stakes world while having less time to attend to the individual needs of students and their school communities. The ability to focus on what is needed locally – for your children, your schools and your communities will be hampered greatly by the necessities surrounding succeeding on high stakes tests. And these standards were not created by hundreds of teachers – that’s a lie – http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2009/07/national_standards_process_ign.html .

Eight problem: Is this a federal takeover? Well, in my opinion the politicians and the corporations are one and the same. I call it a corporate takeover because everything children will learn in school will be created by the corporations in order to profit the corporations. The teachers will have no decision-making power and the children will simply regurgitate what the corporations want them to know in order to fulfill the low level entry jobs the corporations will provide for them. The politicians are merely puppets who gain status and money along the way using our public tax dollars and our children to advance their individual needs. Romney and Obama’s education policies differed on one count – Romney supported vouchers and Obama did not – just food for thought.

Ninth problem: The common core standards have never been field tested. Our children are being used as lab rats in an experiment. Something to consider – do the private schools, such as the school Obama’s children attend and the school Bill Gates’ children attend adhere to the “common” core standards? Of course not, you see, these standards are for OUR children – not there children. Everyone who is demanding we adhere to these policies send their children to private schools where high stakes testing and lockstep curriculum does not exist. Final thought – when anyone does research in a public school parents are asked to sign a research agreement stating that accept the conditions of the research study which will occur in their child’s classroom. Did any of you get such an agreement to sign for your child’s class, when MO signed on to the common core?

Tenth problem: Yes, your child’s data will eventually be placed in a data system that corporations have access too – thanks to the FERPA laws that were rewritten under the Obama administration. It is already happening here in Colorado. The data from the Jefferson County public schools in CO is being funneled into inBloom which will allow for profit corporations access to the data in order to determine what new educational products via the common core they can create to meet the needs of our children…cha ching cha ching. https://sites.google.com/site/schoolbelongstothechildren/ Of course the goal is to have this in every state, which is why RTTT required everyone to have a database set up and ready to go! By the way, currently parents cannot opt out of this because the FERPA laws were changed to allow it. The data they will collect on your child is much more than test data I can assure you. Dig a bit to find out more about inBloom. I guarantee you won’t like what you see.

I took time to write this today on Mother’s Day because I love Missouri, I love my hometown of Jefferson City and I wish no harm to come your way. If I can be of assistance to anyone please let me know. I am currently a public school teacher in Colorado in my sixteenth year of teaching. I am also an education activist and I am one of the founders of United Opt Out National. My email is writepeg@juno.com

For what it’s worth, I strongly encourage you to fight the common core – refuse it – refuse the curriculum, the tests – refuse the corporate takeover of your public schools. Your children deserve more.

Also –this article failed to mention this rather important hearing tomorrow in JC http://legiscan.com/MO/text/SB210 . If you can’t attend you can send in this witness form http://www.libertytools.org/LibertyTools/witness/witness2.php?template=28 .

Best,

Peggy Robertson

www.pegwithpen.com

www.unitedoptout.com

****************************************

What is happening in Colorado will happen in Missouri because this is all "common". Is this what you want for Missouri students?

Teacher Implores Other Teachers (and Parents) to Oppose Common Core

2013-05-12T07:32:00.000-05:00

Teachers are becoming increasingly concerned about Common Core. Here's another teacher speaking out against the federal stimulus funded initiative.

From Peg with Pen: The Greatest Fight of Our Lives:

*************************************

The admissions of error, the requests for moratoriums, the recognition that perhaps testing has gone too far, are running like wildfire in the last few weeks.

We have Randi calling for a moratorium.

Bill Gates admitting that maybe testing tied to teacher evaluation is out of control.

Arne wants us to recognize testing mistakes as learning opportunities.

And they attempt to appease the public by finding testing companies who can do it better.

They continue to push messages that keep the public from remembering that teachers know how to assess – teachers assessing is NOT an option in this brave new world. Our knowledge must become obsolete in order to profit off of public education. Our knowledge of teaching and learning – our knowledge of how to support learners in becoming more than a test score – must be erased - they do not want students who are more than a test score - this defeats their goal in the global economy where we will serve them.

We need to be clear that any concessions, any admissions of error, any offer to give us time away from those horrid high stakes tests at this moment are simply a ploy to encourage us to sleep away the next few months while they prepare to launch the PARCC and SBAC for our children and anchor the common core into the heart of public education, there by destroying it, along with our teaching profession, our children's privacy and our democracy. Be very awake.

It is May 2013. PARCC and SBAC testing will be rolled out in the upcoming school year, 2013-2014. Our window of opportunity to stop this train from starting is short and must be aggressive and fearless.

The goal right now is to appease us so that we believe we are making headway and believe that they hear our voices and care. They do not care.

What is most frightening at this very critical time is the mass of educators who have been swayed to believe they do care. They have been swayed to believe that the intentions with common core are well meaning. I believe we have made some headway in educating the public about the harms of high stakes testing, but we have not made it clear that the common core standards, curriculum and assessments that come with them will destroy our public school system, our profession, our children’s future and our democracy.

Those of us who work in public schools today find ourselves in a dark cave - NCLB has stripped away all windows, all light, all sparks that ignite the fire in a child’s soul. RTTT has come forward to take what is left – the shell of learning and teaching – and recreate it into a form or being that I do not recognize as human or alive - it is death. What we have been left with in the public schools has no heart beat, no warmth, no breath of life.

Those of us who are in the public schools and know what they are trying to force upon us are desperately blowing on the spark, rubbing together the sticks, and attempting to keep learning alive. Because there are many of us in our schools doing this, we are momentarily able to survive and protect the children as best we can under these harsh conditions.

But not for long.

The PARCC and SBAC come next fall. I am frightened for the children - the onslaught of common core lock step scripted curriculum will step forward to embrace the PARCC and SBAC; the slow death of public education will speed forward quickly. The attempt to silence teachers next year will be greater, more intimidating and more punishing than we have ever seen.

The attempt to force us to accept our fate under the guidance of the common core, the mission of the World Bank, the billionaire boys’ club, and RTTT policies will be rolled out in various ways. They will stifle us with mandates, but then will allow us up for air as they admit mistakes on this exciting journey of learning where we find our way - together. They will send us babbling into arguments about the pros and cons of poorly written test questions, better tests, refined tests, creative online tests, better common core curriculum created by teachers and better technology for testing. They will engage us in discussions as they admit their “bumps” along the way on our new found path; they will try to take our hand and walk with us as collaborators. They will grant us the grace and time to become more as we embrace the common core standards - during which, we will be contending with teacher evaluation, new legislation and new tasks surrounding creation of common core curriculum in our individual districts. They will keep all of us very busy putting out fires.

There will be more petitions, moratoriums, proclamations, opportunities to offer feedback - and it will all be pointless. Do not engage in this. We must each look at our individual source of energy and use it wisely and in a manner that creates action to dismantle their system.

While all of this is going on, our children will be sitting in classrooms unaware that they are being treated as lab rats. They will look at their teachers with trust in their eyes. The teachers who understand what is happening - who know common core has not been field tested, is developmentally inappropriate and is the cash cow to seal the deal on the privatization of public schools and destruction of the teaching profession - will do all that they can to treat their students in this experiment with compassion and kindness, attempting to keep them from harm; however, it will not be enough. The teachers who know not what they do, will subject children to great harm, as is already occurring.

The time is now to prepare. As those of us teaching finish up the year, please know that this summer requires serious planning. Parents please know that educating our communities must be the absolute focus of our work this summer. We must launch the 2013-2014 school year with plans to educate, act, and halt the harm done to our children – and we must focus our work with intent - do not be swayed by any form of action that does not end in concrete results that you can see – these results must disrupt or halt their work. They will attempt to exhaust us by creating false opportunities to act – do not engage in any of these – I cannot stress this enough – we have already wasted precious time doing this.

United Opt Out National is in the process of creating an opt out guide tailored to the specific needs of each state, as well as a guide for early childhood education, and special/exceptional education. However, a guide is worthless unless it is acted upon – we must act. Refusing what they offer us is the quickest way to halt their progress.
We must refuse the assessments and the common core in all shapes and forms.
Parents – you are essential in this fight. Teachers will refuse as best they can, but the parents can lead the way.

They know we are making progress and they are planning strategies to halt our progress now. They will cash in on public education at all costs – including our children – they do not care about our children. Their children are fine, and they (corp.ed.reformers) have no ability to see, hear or feel what we know – they are not in our schools, and quite honestly, if they do come to our schools, they will not be able to see what we see - they view the world using a business model. Our work as educators involves heart. It involves soul. We help shape the lives of children, today and tomorrow. It is messy, it is unpredictable and it is impossible to place in a standardized box.

They protect each other and their world. Their heart is simply incapable of understanding our heart. Call it evil. Call it fact. Call it ignorance. Make sense of it however you must, but know that attempting to get those who profit off this madness to understand is futile during these urgent times. Do not waste your time. Look to those who do understand and act. There is very little time left. There is no time to hope for a change of heart.

Their goal is to educate our children so that they are ready for their low level entry jobs – they will save the higher positions for their children. They plan to privatize public education so that what is left is the basics (simply read, write, regurgitate their information), with public tax dollars funneled to profit them while making the public believe that “innovation” is occurring via online learning and assessments that claim to assess higher level thinking.

Those of us who know what is going on will find more constraints placed on us wherever we turn. They will attempt to accuse us of wrong-doings (specifically teachers involved in activism), humiliate us and force us into submission. They will try to make us go away. Be prepared to discover that there are some whom you may have trusted, who will begin to walk a careful line between their world and our world, or simply turn their backs on us.

Be wide awake. And be prepared for the greatest fight of our lives.

*************************************

If you are concerned about Common Core, have questions that have not been answered by DESE, sign this witness form to be presented at the House Hearing on SB210 tomorrow, Monday, May 13.

DESE's Facebook Postings, change.org petition and the Use of its Official E-Mail List for Political Purposes

2013-05-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

Check out the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Facebook recent postings:

Sign the petition to support the Common Core State Standards in Missouri! http://www.change.org/petitions/state-of-missouri-support-the-common-core-state-standards-2

State of Missouri: Support the Common Core State Standards

www.change.org

We, the undersigned, state our support for Missouri’s implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

The comments and questions are not overwhelmingly positive about this petition and many questions are raised by Facebook members that have not yet been answered.

Here is another Facebook posting by DESE:

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Thursday

Got Common Core questions? We have answers! http://on.mo.gov/11nVpMd

Again, the many questions coming from Facebook users have not been answered by DESE nor are referenced in the press release provided by DESE.

What is of particular interest about the change.org petition was noted by several Missourians and sent to me:

DESE IS USING YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO WORK AGAINST YOU!

Below (in italics) is an e-mail that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sent out on Friday, May 10, to people on its TAXPAYER FUNDED OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS LIST and sent it from its mo.gov address encouraging recipients to sign a petition in support of the Common Core State Standards – that is, against Senate Bill 210.

From: DESE Communications <communications@dese.mo.gov>

Date: May 10, 2013, 3:01:17 PM CDT

To: "'dese-bulletin@lists.mo.gov'" <dese-bulletin@lists.mo.gov>

Subject: Petition to Support the Common Core State Standards

On Monday, May 13, the House Education Committee will discuss the Common Core State Standards in a hearing. We need to accurately express the support for these Standards in Missouri.

Please show your support of the Common Core State Standards in Missouri by signing this online petition: <http://www.change.org/petitions/state-of-missouri-support-the-common-core-state-standards-2>

Feel free to pass along this link to other supporters of the Standards.

Thank you,

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Communications | 573.751.3469 | dese.mo.gov

The Department communications system should not be used for political purposes, that is, it should not be used as a lever against those who do not agree with the Department’s actions.

If you are concerned about the use of this taxpayer funded list for political purpose, have concerns about Common Core standards, and the lack of answers forthcoming to citizen questions about Common Core:

DESE's ABUSE OF INFLUENCE and YOUR TAX DOLLARS makes it all the more important for YOU to complete a witness form BEFORE 8 AM on MONDAY, May 13, when the House Education Committee meets consider SB 210.

You can access the witness form and submit it online at:

http://www.libertytools.org/LibertyTools/witness/witness2.php?template=28

Help keep YOUR state government accountable to its citizens.

The Federal Government's Fingerprints are All Over the Common Core State Standards

2013-05-11T10:12:00.000-05:00

Attendees at all the statewide Common Core DESE meetings on May 2 were told the Federal Government didn't have a role in the Common Core standards.

Research calls this statement into question:

● It has been established CCSS were crafted by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governor's Association, both private organizations, funded by federal stimulus money.

● CCSS could be adopted by states via a Federal waiver given by Arne Duncan to escape from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements.

● Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's) were signed by Missouri to Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia to send individual student, teacher, principal data to the consortia....and SBAC consequently signed a MOU with the USDOEd to send data to this federal agency for dissemination and research.

The federal government's fingerprints all over Common Core State standards. Look at this report from McGraw-Hill in 2011. From education_brief:

pg. 4:

What role will the U.S. DOE play?

Although the U.S. DOE supports the Common Core Initiative, they have had no role in the development of the Common Core State Standards. Their involvment moving forward will depend heavily on future elections and overall changes to the role of the Federal Government in education. If the Fed continues to be a driving force in setting the education agenda with a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act then they could play a big role in linking competitive grant funding to the adoption and successful implementation of the Common Core Standards and new requirements for College and Career ready students. (MEW note: would the Federal Government support development of standards that it didn't agree with?)

How will states assess the Common Core?

Two consortia have been awarded competitive grant funds for the development of tests to assess the Common Core Standards. SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) was awarded a four-year$176 million Race to the Top assessment grant by the U.S. Department of Education to develop a student assessment system aligned to a Common Core of academic standards. Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC or Partnership) PARCC RttT Assessment Consortium was awarded $170 of the $330 million. Assessments are expected for 2014 and are expected to include results from performance-based tasks through testing and traditional end-of-year assessments. Both plan to include end of year assessments offered online.

pg. 7:

The Common Core Standards and Race to the Top

“While states voluntarily agreed to participate in the process, the effort gained a great deal of momentum when the Obama Administration included participation in the Common Core as an eligibility criterion for many of the programs created out of the $110 billion stimulus funds. Programs such as Race to the Top rewarded states that not only participated in developing the Common Core, but also adopted them.”

(From Education Insider: Common Core Standards and Assessment Coalitions: Whiteboard Advisors)

Assessing the Common Core Standards

A significant piece of the CCSSI is the adoption of a common (or comparable) assessment system across the participating states. Supported through $330 million in funding from the ARRA, the Administration held a number of hearings to develop a competition to fund next generation assessment systems aligned to the standards. This competition resulted in two assessment consortia who would lead development efforts for a common assessment of the Common Core Standards.

pg. 8:

SMARTER Balanced Consortium (SBAC)

“A second consortium, The SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), is a collection of 30 states that have been working collaboratively since December 2009 to develop a student assessment system aligned to a Common Core of academic content standards. The SBAC was awarded a four-year $176 million Race to the Top assessment grant by the US Department of Education (USED) to develop a student assessment system aligned to a Common Core of academic standards.”

(From OSPI SBAC http://www.k12.wa.us/smarter/)

pg. 12...what happens when this Federal money runs out?

State and District Implementation Plans

States and districts are unsure what the true cost of implementing Common Core will be and worry that the money needed will not be available in state or federal budgets. The recession and widespread budget cuts can adversely affect efforts to implement. States adopting these standards must be prepared to implement strategies and support as these will soon become the basis on which students are judged. (MEW note: Where will this "support" come from? This will be an unpleasant surprise to state legislators when they are left to pick up the bill for the implementation that bypassed them.)

State and District Implementation Plans

States and districts are unsure what the true cost of implementing Common Core will be and worry that the money needed will not be available in state or federal budgets. The recession and widespread budget cuts can adversely affect efforts to implement. States adopting these standards must be prepared to implement strategies and support as these will soon become the basis on which students are judged. (MEW note: if there is no federal involvement, why should states worry there will be no money available from the Federal government?)

(From Educator Insider: Whiteboard Advisor)

The Role of Federal Government in the Common Core

While the federal government has had no role in the development of the Common Core state standards, according to the CCSSI, the federal government may have the opportunity to support states as they begin adopting the standards.

For example, the federal government may:

• Support this effort through a range of tiered incentives, such as providing states with greater flexibility in the use

of existing federal funds, supporting a revised state accountability structure, and offering financial support for states to implement the standards.

• Provide long-term financial support for the development and implementation of common assessments, teacher and principal professional development, and research to help continually improve the Common Core state standards over time.

• Revise and align existing federal education laws with the lessons learned from the best of what works in other nations and from research.

(From http://www.corestandards.org/frequently-asked-questions)

Just because Arne Duncan's signature is not on the state MOUs agreeing to adopt Common Core, do proponents really believe citizens accept the talking point the "the federal government has had no role in the development of the Common Core state standards?" This is a false assertion as the initiative was funded by stimulus money, the Federal government is establishing guidelines the states have to follow, state assessment systems were funded by federal dollars, states will be rewarded (or not) for implementation, and federal laws will be realigned that the states must follow.

If you are attending the Househearing on Monday, May 13 at noon for SB210 to require the Commissioner of Education to hold statewide meetings on CCSS, listen for the proponents to state "there is no federal involvement". Hand the chairman a copy of McGraw-Hill’s report highlighted with evidence of the Federal Government's fingerprints on CCSS initiatives and development.

As a reader commented on a previous post about DESE's claims:

You gotta love their logic. Let's see, we don't have to get legislative approval for CC because it is stimulus money, but the federal gov isn't paying for CC.

It is imperative to support SB210 to require DESE to address this type of disconnect present in the talking points of CCSS.

More Reports on DESE Common Core Meetings

2013-05-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

Whether or not you agree that people are paranoid about what Common Core will bring to Missouri, it is evident and irrefutable that the meetings were to be facilitated in the same manner. They were scripted and questions were not answered.

Why would citizens take their time to attend meetings for information they could gather from DESE's website? Do you think citizens would take their time to attend a meeting if they knew none of their questions would be answered?

Please sign the witness form for SB210 to be heard in the House on Thursday, May 9. This bill would require DESE to hold public hearings chaired by the Commissioner to answer questions as to cost and data mining information. The bill also requires time for citizen testimony.

From Kansas City:

Meeting at Center High School in Kansas City was a complete waste of time. Maybe 50 people in attendance. It pretty much was a propaganda session for DESE. Same old tired claims, canned presentation that I am sure was given at every meeting across the state. No questions taken by presenters. Had participants in groups to discuss Common Core after presentation. Participants were to complete a form that DESE took back. Had two questions on it: What do you like about the Common Core? and What questions do you have about Common Core? Most hilarious and telling statement of the night came from the Center High School Superintendent who introduced the speaker and issued closing remarks. Something to the effect of we aren't going to wait for the research we are going ahead anyway. Claim that the answers to our questions will be posted on the website in a week. DESE appeared to me to be ill equipped to answer questions. I get the impression they don't really know what they got themselves into by adopting these standards.

From Camdenton:

We are blessed to have good schools in Camdenton, Missouri. As a parent of students in 12th, 10th, 1st, and kindergarten I feel I have a good grasp on the positive aspects of the Camdenton School District. I was unaware before last month that Common Core was coming to Missouri Schools, including Camdenton. Camdenton, without community input, had even applied last year for Race To The Top (aka Race to the Middle) funding but was denied. There was a meeting last Thursday about Common Core for the district who invited parents to come. It was the same thing played out in many other communities in Missouri. A short video presentation followed by breaking up into groups. A sheet of paper was given to everyone with two portions. The top portion, which was the largest, asked “What things do you like about Common Core?” with a large section of lines to fill in. Mine was blank except for the words “Not much”. The bottom smaller half asked “What questions do you have about Common Core?” I filled that section in completely asking questions about why this is being forced on us, the elimination of more classical literature from English programs, and how does the Math Standards compare globally with top nations, not to mention our own district. Why do they not admit it is only preparing kids for a 2 year college, instead of 4 year universities? Common Core may bring up the worst districts in Missouri, but it will pull down districts that are providing a good education. Currently Camdenton gets 9% of its funding from the federal government, why can’t we find a way to go it alone? Our children’s future may just depend on it.

From Hazelwood:

(Responding to Brian Bollman's article on the DESE meeting in Cape Girardeau):

Sounds similar to the meeting I went to in Hazelwood.

Another Camdenton remark:

Tonight in Camdenton there were many more people than seats. There was a standing room only crowd left with more questions than answers. Within the first three minutes the DESE rep made it clear to the crowd who had come to learn more about Common Core, there would be no questions allowed. We were told that we would be redirected to "table facilitators" after the power point presentation (that can be found on the DESE web site) was played for the attending crowd. The rep read from a script, and acted very nervous.

People were encouraged to move to each "table facilitator" and ask questions that would be given to DESE to compile and faq sheet on that will be found on their web site in coming weeks. 20 minutes was allotted for the group discussions at each table.

Many people in attendance left in disgust when redirected to tables and "facilitators" because they came to hear answers to questions, not a sales pitch. Many people at the Camdenton meeting migrated to the back of the room while networking in an effort to plan a "real" educational forum where people could ask questions and expect answers right then and there.

Some of my favorite quotes of the night were:

"The federal government played NO role in Common Core".

"No data collection is required with Common Core".

"A state can change the standards at any time. It is the state's choice on HOW to use the standards."

"The standards are owned by the state, therefore can be changed by the state."

"Standards do not tell teachers HOW to teach."

"The Missouri Constitution and state law direct DESE to set high academic standards."

I left encouraged. People were challenging the "facilitators" at each table. I don't think it went as DESE had hoped it would tonight.

Missouri Call to Action. Show Your SB210 Support to Shed Transparency on Common Core Cost/Data Retrieval.

2013-05-08T13:41:00.002-05:00

WITNESS FORM TO COMPLETE

URGENT! Hearing Thursday, May 9th -- Fill out a witness form NOW

SB 210 is a bill designed to shed some light on Common Core Standards, which the Missouri Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education intends to implement in 2014. This bill requires DESE to hold a series of public meetings and issue reports to the legislature.

Hundreds of citizens from around the state are concerned about Common Core resulting in an intrusive national database of very personal data about our children. This bill provides the transparency needed to establish the facts.

Find the witness form here.

Post Dispatch STL Today's Disingenuous Editorial on Common Core Standards. Susan Ohanian Chimes In.

2013-05-08T05:50:00.001-05:00

The definition of disingenuous amply sums up the St. Louis Post Dispatch's editorial on Common Core standards and the recent meeting DESE held "informing" the public on the initiative. From a google search of the word:

dis·in·gen·u·ous

/ˌdisinˈjenyo͞oəs/

Adjective

Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.

Synonyms

insincere - false - devious - hollow-hearted

You can read the editorial here. The readers' comments are overwhelmingly against the PD's stance and the paper's integrity is called into question. Those with any factual knowledge about Common Core and who have read more than what the Post has published about CCSS will recognize this editorial as reprinting talking points about the initiative from either CCSSO or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. There are no facts in this editorial piece to back up the editorial board's statements, but why should a newspaper let facts stand in its way?

Susan Ohanian wrote about this disingenuous attempt by a newspaper board to dismiss people who don't agree with the adoption/implementation of the standards. From her post Paranoia about 'common core' is a lousy way to fix schools:

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NC Reader Comment: I am sit on the Parent Advisory Board at my child's school, I have volunteered there for years, I regularly attend School Board meetings. My State, NC, was awarded 400 million dollars by Race to the Top and we committed to Common Core without any public notice at the local level. I can promise you that

Ohanian Comment: Calling Common Core opponents paranoid reveals a lot of editorial ignorance. Why should parents be polite to people who mouth Common Core boilerplate? Count how many words in this uninformed, biased editorial that repeat boilerplate right out of press releases from the National Governors Association, Achieve, et al, that is to say, repeat misinformation:

bipartisan

competing in a global economy

National Governors Association initiative

much public discussion

a very public process

The only factual part of the above list is bipartisan. To the shame of both parties, they followed lockstep with the corporate initiative.

The competitive global economy is so important to these editorialists that they used it twice.

The editorialists claim there have been no secrets about the Common Core. Ha! I wonder if the editorialists know who paid for the Common Core --or who wrote the Standards.

When bureaucrats and politicos won't listen, then maybe shouting is the only option. Calling opponents paranoid isn't much of an argument. And trying to brand conservatives opposing the Common Core as nut jobs is just an attempt to drive a wedge between people of different political persuasions--so they won't join hands in fighting the Common Core. I am very far from being a Glenn Beck fan, but I watched one Glenn Beck show about the Common Core and I agreed with about 75% of the points made.

I found only one word to agree with in this editorial: Yes, the Common Core received bipartisan support. That's no surprise. Most politicos are much more eager to look to corporate moneybags than to their own constituents. My bumper sticker reads: Republicans/Democrats: Same shit/different piles. Kathy Emery, my co-author for Why Is Corporate America Bashing Our Public Schools? noted, "When Ted Kennedy and George Bush agree on something, you need to worry about who the man behind the curtain is." While writing our book, it became clear to us that the men behind the curtain are the members of the Business Roundtable.

You'd find out more by reading Missouri Education Watchdog comment on this editorial than by reading the editorial itself.

Editorial

Imagine a school conference that begins like this:

The teacher explains to the parent the progress being made by his child, based on grades of various tests and homework. Those results stem from a curriculum posted on the school's website for all parents to see.

The parent gets angry. Really angry.

"Tell the truth!" he or she screams at the teacher, who tries to calmly explain the rationale for the curriculum and grading.

Not satisfied, the parent strikes out again.

"Are you using my kid as a science experiment? Why are you trying to control his thoughts?"

This was the actual scene the other night at the Lindbergh School District as a supervisor with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education tried to explain the various elements of the new "common core" curriculum standards being adopted in Missouri and 45 other states.

The anger is being fueled by conspiracy theorists, including some in the Missouri Legislature, who see the common core movement as some evil federal takeover of schools, rather than the thoughtful and bipartisan attempt that it is to raise standards and unify them across state lines so that the United States can do a better job of competing in a global economy.

For too long, schools from district to district and state to state have had wildly different standards and tests that make it harder for some students to compete and harder for parents and educators to get a handle on how well schools are performing.

The bipartisan effort to develop common core standards in reading, writing and math grew out of a National Governors Association initiative. The standards were developed over a several-year period of much public discussion at the local, state and federal level.

Missouri's Board of Education adopted them in 2010, and the state has been working with local districts to implement them ever since.

The meetings held at Lindbergh and seven other sites statewide last week were an attempt to appease Republican lawmakers who have been trying to put the brakes on the Common Core Standards. Some, including Sen. John Lamping, R-Ladue, argue there hasn't been enough information made available about the standards.

To them, we say: Perhaps you shouldn't have skipped your child's school conference.

The Missouri Board of Education holds open meetings. It's been very public about its process. Governors in nearly every state have been touting them. There have been no secrets about the common core.

Fact is, a few Republican politicians, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, have decided "common core" is the new "Obamacare," a wedge to be used to divide a nation that seems to be easy to divide these days.

The Glenn Becks of the world are telling their gullible radio listeners that the common core standards are part of a federal and international socialist brainwashing plot. Mr. Cruz, a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School, likely doesn't believe that, but when he signs a letter asking the federal Department of Education to delay its implementation, he sends a signal to those motivated right-wing activists that he's one of them.

Education policy should be above such low-brow political antics, but, unfortunately, it's not.

The good news about the Missouri Legislature is that a bill to block common core standards is unlikely to pass. Rural superintendents still hold enough sway to keep lawmakers from extremely conservative districts from supporting measures that will damage local schools.

The enemy here is not the standards, and it's not the educators trying to find a way to prepare our children for the competitive global economy.

It's people who believe that shouting down a bureaucrat at a public meeting accomplishes anything. Ever.

— Editorial Board
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
May 02, 2013
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-paranoia-about-common-core-is-a-lousy-way-to/article_3544941c-3b8c-58ad-ab94-1fd59

********************************************

So let me get this straight. The Post Dispatch in an editorial encourages the Occupy Movement, folks demonstrating against entrenched privatization and that's acceptable behavior and motivation:

The result is "a feeling of mass injustice," says the Occupy Wall Street manifesto, which includes a long and eclectic list of specific causes and grievances — which an asterisk notes is not intended to be all inclusive. Mortgage foreclosures. Corporate bailouts. Executive bonuses. Factory farming. Animal cruelty. Corporate control of news media. And so on. (MEW note: see below)

You never know when a moment will become a movement. On Wednesday, Nov. 30, 1955, Rosa Parks rode a Montgomery, Ala., bus home from work without incident. The next evening she refused to give up her seat. The cause was right, but the struggle continues. Lasting change takes courage, persistence and dynamic leadership.

The Occupiers aren't there yet. But they've started.

The same newspaper belittles parents and taxpayers who are feeling the same frustration at the educational industry. The "And so on" from the above editorial apparently doesn't include taxpayers railing against the corporate/private takeover of education and the silence and/or complicity of the politicians and bureaucrats allowing it to happen. I'd call that disingenuous, wouldn't you?

For more articles from citizens who attended the Lindbergh DESE meeting, click here. To sign the petition to slow/rid Common Core implementation in Missouri, click here.

Teacher Speaks Out Against Common Core

2013-05-07T11:45:00.001-05:00

A teacher speaks out against Common Core:

One goal for all is not likely to be an equitable system. We should push back against the Common Core imposition with teacher professional development, socio-culturally responsive curricula, and project-, performance-, and portfolio-based assessments work at the most local level.

Like many teachers right now, I have a Common Core app on my iPad. Reading through the newly refined learning standards for K-12 students, I am concerned about my IEPs, especially the ELLs who are perhaps also ADD and receive pull-out services, or others whose paras might not be familiar with strand 1.RFS.4, which says that a first grader needs to be able to “read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension” and are only worrying about keeping him from bouncing off the wall when I’m trying to DRA half the class and Tungsten the rest and all the other kids are perfectly silent doing their SSR. I am not at all concerned about my Proficients -- nobody is -- but come next May when MAP rolls around, how will I ever get my Basics and Below Basics where they’ll need to be if I want to avoid getting pic’d? I had a walk-through last week and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t doing any DOK.

Actually, I’m just pretending that’s me so you can hear how it sounds when teachers talk in these DDTs (Data Driven Times). Teachers will laugh or cry. The rest of you will have no clue, but oh well. Pop into your neighborhood public school for a cheat sheet.

The truth is, I do keep the Common Core on my iPad, because one of the many things I do in schools is try to develop the professional aptitude of teachers and teachers need to deal with Common Core. I read last week that many of my fellow Show-Me’s, citizens and state representatives alike, are all riled up about the Standards, which are rolling out next year across the country. They feel our state education officials have not been transparent. They sense that the standards (kind of like background checks for gun-buyers and sort of like universal access to health care) indicate a frightening penetration into the heartland of a creeping Stalinist federal government.

On the other side are the educators worried about Common Core for altogether different reasons. Having an idea of where you’re trying to “get kids” may be fine, these people say, but since all learning emerges out of a highly individual and dynamic interaction between a specific person and her teachers, peers and cultural and social setting, one-goal-for-all may not be an-equitable-system-for-all.

Read more here from Common Coredom in the stlbeacon.com. She ends her commentary with this thought:

So here we are: the Show-Me states’ rights folks and the Show-Me human rights folks are actually sorta bedfellows when it comes to local control of schooling. Instead of ragging on Common Core right now, we should be working together to push out of Missouri the carpetbagging Big Businesses squeezing our state’s hard-earned tax dollars out of schools: Out with the people who have brought us to this jargon-larded education dystopia. Down with Big Curriculum, Big Testing and Big Data.

I submit that one of the reasons we do need to rag on CCSS right now is because the standards framework IS the vehicle to allow the big curriculum, big testing and big data to occur. Take away the common core and the big threes present in the mandates (common curriculum, common testing and common data) disappear. Push Common Core out of Missouri and many of the corporate educational vendors will disappear. They will take their carpetbags and go home.

.

Common Core Legislation in Missouri Moves Forward

2013-05-07T09:17:00.001-05:00

From Missouri Coalition Against Common Core, May 6, 2013:

SB210 Passes Out of the Senate

Today SB210 was perfected in the Senate. Discussion centered around the public's need for more information on this very large change to our education system.

Two amendments were added to the bill. One is a long standing amendment to change the timing and process of the decision for the state to take over a district which has lost its accreditation.

The second amendment sets up an interim committee to study the foundation formula. It was noted during the discussion that DESE has not followed the foundation formula in distributing $130 millions dollars to the district. (For context, DESE's budget is $3 billion and the districts contribute another $4 on top of that making the total the state spends on education, out of a $22 billion budget, $7 billion.) One impact of this misuse of the foundation formula is that the St. Louis Special School District has lost $3 million dollars annually.

For the perfected language click here. The bill now goes to the house for reading and a vote.

*********************************

Here is the language from the bill focusing on the Common Core issue:

SS/SCS/SB 210 - This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct at least one public hearing in each Missouri congressional district prior to the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Department must provide each person who wishes to testify a reasonable amount of time to do so. The Department must publish a notice on its internet website at least two weeks prior to each of the public hearings and post the notice at the location of each public hearing. The Department must also notify each district of the public hearing. Districts must also notify parents, in a manner of their choosing, as described in the act.

At least two weeks prior to the first of the public hearings, the Department must perform a fiscal analysis of the projected cost to the state and school districts of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Department must also prepare, at least two weeks prior to the first of the public hearings, a report identifying any data that will be collected as a result of the Common Core State Standards and any governmental or quasi-governmental entities or consortium that collects or receives any data. These reports must be published on the Department's website and must be provided to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Joint Committee on Education.

All public hearings must be completed by December 31, 2013.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must provide a report to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Joint Committee on Education that summarizes the public testimony heard at each of the public hearings. (Section 161.855)

We currently have 1119 signatures on our petition to stop Common Core in Missouri. Add your signature here.

Bill Gates and Teachers on Film! Gates Should Spread the Wealth for ALL Government Employees. (DESE included)

2013-05-06T08:29:00.000-05:00

Effectiveness benchmarks should be required for all government employees, not just teachers. Government employees must obtain marvelous results. If the results aren't marvelous, they are ranked ineffective and they can dance their way into unemployment.

Bill Gates is determined to fix education and knows which tool to use to do it - the camera. In this interview with Fast Company he talks about expanding his three year pilot program, Measures of Effective Teaching, in which teachers were filmed in the classroom as a means of providing "feedback" on their teaching skills, to districts across the country. The program filmed 3000 teachers in seven districts as part of a teaching evaluation system that combines test scores, student evaluations, and classroom assessments, where teachers are graded by impartial observers.

What do you think teachers? Has he found the magic "new" tool to evaluate your work? Have none of you been observed or critiqued in the classroom as part of your evaluation?

As Gates said in the interview,

"States and districts have already spent millions of dollars overhauling teacher evaluation systems, only to have districts rating 97, 98, or 100% of teachers as 'satisfactory or better." I wonder what he thinks that percentage should be.

"In the long run, your human capital is your main base of competition."
"The ideal there is creating a skills-based credential that is well trusted and well understood enough that employers view it as a true alternative to a degree." School as jobs program. Differing from founders view of school."

"His goal for the next 20 years, he says, is to graduate roughly twice as many kids from college, move the United States up in the international rankings, and do so without spending more money."

What society needs is better return on the investment we make in education. Filming a teacher at work and then having someone provide a critique of that teacher is meant to improve their effectiveness at their job, which we have to note is a government job.

Gretchen and I were talking about this and thought, "Why should teachers be the only government employees critiqued in this way? Don't we want the best return on ALL our tax money? Shouldn't we use similar metrics that they are applying to teachers to ALL government employees?" We quickly came up with several ideas.

Anne - Using this logic, the best way to measure the effectiveness HHS employees who oversee the welfare distribution system would be to make sure they are actually helping the applicants become productive workers in the new global economy. Therefore, their cases should be required to take a standardized test on their job seeking skills. If their scores are too low, the HHS employee should be rated ineffective and a more effective employee brought in.

Gretchen - Public health officials should be measured by how many children they can get to an acceptable Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement. Even if the parents allow the child to eat junk food and gain weight and/or the child refuses to self regulate or exercise, the doctors/nurses should be held accountable. If the kid doesn't slim down, obviously the health officials are not effective and should be replaced as soon as possible.

Department of Labor officials should find jobs for everyone. Even if their clientele is lazy, unemployable because of various issues, or there are no jobs because business owners are not hiring because of the cost incurred by the Health Care Act to pay for health insurance, if the officials don't find jobs for all the unemployed, then the Department of Labor officials will be relegated to the unemployed line themselves.

A word of advice to the teachers: take theater classes before you appear on film for Bill Gates' idea of how to become an effective teacher. Hey, even if you can't control a child's intellectual capacity, the family structure of the child, the parental involvement (or non-involvement), what you can teach in the classroom (because you know, it's all "common") even if it is not appropriate for the level of some children or your class, the economic level of the child and the emotional level of the child, you might as well put on the best performance possible and look good.

But let's require cameras for ALL government employees. Like Anne said, Americans want sound investment on ALL government money expended.   Why should just teachers be singled out?

That last question brings me to the idea that DESE employees/representatives should be filmed to determine their effectiveness. If Bill Gates has done the pilot testing on teachers and has great results for effectiveness, then it should be a valid measure of performance for DESE employees and representatives.   Citizens have videos of the DESE Delphi Common Core meetings May 2 and you can see at the Springfield and Lindbergh locations DESE officials were not only ineffective in answering questions, they were ineffective in delivering a message people were satisfied in hearing. (This ineffectiveness was also reported in Camdenton, Kansas City, Hazelwood, Cape Girardeau...more to follow).

If DESE allows the use of cameras for Missouri teachers, then it should welcome the use of cameras in its offices and presentations. Cameras were an effective evaluation measure at the CCSS meetings.  DESE officials simply had to answer questions (not just make a presentation) on what CCSS are, why they were adopted, the cost, the data collection, who is funding them, etc. The representatives were expected by the citizens to answer citizen questions (not deliver scripted one-sided information) on DESE's decisions and they could/would not answer questions. These meetings were a massive failure and extraordinarily ineffective.

As Billy Crystal says in the above clip, "I'm kidding. I'm a kidder". This was the message DESE gave to the crowds last Thursday night for folks wanting answers to their questions on Common Core. DESE bureaucrats set up meetings in which the message is controlled and real input from the citizens is not allowed nor welcomed. Choice arch itects don't have to answer to you or anyone else.

DESE did not obtain marvelous results on May 2 in the CCSS hearings. If cameras are determined to be the tools to rate educational effectiveness, then start with the state government employees advocating DESE policies and see how many really are effective at their jobs. Unlike Common Core, let's base THIS decision on test piloting, research and data, starting at the state agency. If DESE accepts Bill Gates' pilot testing on teachers then it should welcome with open arms the use of cameras in its offices/presentations to determine the effectiveness of DESE employees and policies.

James Shuls Offers His Thoughts on the Disastrous Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting

2013-05-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

From Lindbergh Crowd Halts Scripted Common Core Meeting:

Officials from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) are finding out that it might not be easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission, at least not when it comes to the Common Core State Standards. DESE adopted the standards without public knowledge and last night, officials from DESE attempted to justify their decision with a one-sided presentation. Many concerned citizens and parents, however, were not interested in listening to DESE’s Common Core gospel.

At the meeting I attended at the Lindbergh School District, citizens showed up with questions; DESE officials showed up with scripts and videos. The plan was to divide the crowd into small groups so we could discuss the standards. They even provided a form for us to write down what we like about the standards and what we dislike. That plan may have worked at other meetings, but the folks at Lindbergh demanded to be heard.

The DESE officials seemed shocked when patrons who wanted to be heard continually interrupted the presentation.

One lady sitting near me said, “Can’t you deviate from your script?”

Another shouted, “This goes against teaching.” She was implying that the officials should have been willing to take questions, like a good teacher would during a lesson.

After the crowd’s continual pestering, and the crowd’s refusal to separate into small groups, the DESE officials began fielding questions. Of course, they were not answering the questions, just listening to them.

Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers

2013-05-05T08:10:00.000-05:00

Say NO to DESE's "Nudge"

A reader made a comment on a recent post about the DESE meetings and the Delphi technique used in all the meetings except Lindbergh. Lindbergh's attendees would not comply and their questions/concerns were heard by all the citizens, not just the members and facilitators in small groups.

This is an excellent video from the San Francisco area explaining the process and how the message is controlled by the messenger. This is the blueprint of DESE's Common Core meetings on May 2.

"Exposing the Delphi Technique in Public Meetings...or how to tell when you have been railroaded"

It is important you contact Senators Lamping, Richard and Dempsey on Monday to voice your opinion on DESE's "communication meetings" in the eight locations. DESE will insist it met with the community to deliver information on Common Core and there is no need to have additional meetings across the state requiring the Commissioner to present information (and respond to questions) about the cost to the state/districts and the data retrieval necessary with Common Core. These issues, if raised, were not answered since the presenters were "not qualified" to answer.

DESE thinks it did a fine job in those meetings and you need to tell the senators otherwise. The videos from previous posts and reports show the taxpayers were not satisfied with these presentations and no meaningful response to questions.

Here is the information you need to convey by email, fax or telephone call:

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Make Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Accountable to Missouri Residents for Common Core

This Monday morning --- call and e-mail your senator, as well as Senator Lamping, Senator Dempsey, and Senator Richard and tell them you support SB 210 (text below) .

To find your senator's contact information, just enter your zip code in the appropriate box on this senate webpage

http://www.senate.mo.gov/

Also, please e-mail and call the following senators. Thank Senator Lamping for sponsoring the bill, and ask Senators Dempsey and Richards to see that SB 210 passes in the senate:

Senator John Lamping, Sponsor of SB 210
State Capitol Room 426
(573) 751-2514
john.lamping@senate.mo.gov

Senator Tom Dempsey, President Pro Tem
State Capitol Room 326
(573) 751-1141
tom.dempsey@senate.mo.gov

Senator Ron Richard, Majority Floor Leader
(573) 751-2173
ronald.richard@senate.mo.gov

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 210
AN ACT
To amend chapter 161, RSMo, by adding thereto one new
section relating to the common core state standards
initiative, with an emergency clause.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI,
AS FOLLOWS:
Section A. Chapter 161, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto
one new section, to be known as section 161.855, to read as
follows:
161.855.
1. The department of elementary and secondary
education shall conduct at least one public hearing in each
congressional district in Missouri prior to the full
implementation of the common core state standards. The public
hearings shall provide an opportunity for members of the general
public to publicly testify regarding the common core state
standards. The commissioner of education and at least one member
of the state board of education shall attend each public hearing.
For each public hearing, the department shall provide at least
two weeks' notice to school districts and parents of public
school students located within the congressional district in
which the hearing shall be held.
2. At least two weeks prior to the first of the public
hearings, the department of elementary and secondary education
shall perform and make publicly available a fiscal analysis of
the projected cost to the state and school districts of the
implementation of the common core state standards. The analysis
shall include the costs of material, equipment, technology, and
training, as well as any savings that may be realized. The
department shall provide the fiscal analysis to the president pro
tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and to the joint committee on education. The
department shall publish the fiscal analysis on its internet
website.
3. At least two weeks prior to the first of the public
hearings, the department of elementary and secondary education
shall prepare a report that identifies:
(1) Any data that shall be collected as a result of the
implementation of the common core state standards; and
(2) Any governmental entity, quasi-governmental entity, or
consortium that collects data or receives data as a result of the
implementation of the common core state standards.
4. The department of elementary and secondary education
shall submit the report required under subsection 3 of this
section to the president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker
of the house of representatives, and to the joint committee on
education. The department shall publish the report on its
internet website. The department shall notify parents of public
school students of the data collection procedures described in
subsection 3 of this section.
5. The department of elementary and secondary education
shall conduct all of the public hearings by December 31, 2013.
Section B. Because of the importance of providing information to
the public about the common core state standards,
section A of this act is deemed necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public health, welfare, peace and safety, and
is hereby declared to be an emergency act within the meaning of
the constitution, and section A of this act shall be in full
force and effect upon its passage and approval.

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Readers' comments from MEW posts about these DESE meetings and the Delphi Technique:

Is it just me, or do teacher inservice days and other education trainings seem to revolve around the Delphi technique as well? on Van Harvey Notes Citizens Wouldn't be "Nudged" at the Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting. No Choice Architects Allowed to Present the Grand Plan.

they certainly do..... No open discussion allowed on Van Harvey Notes Citizens Wouldn't be "Nudged" at the Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting. No Choice Architects Allowed to Present the Grand Plan.

I feel badly for the representatives DESE sent out to conduct the Common Core meetings last Thurs. My experience, concerning alot of different issues in education, has been that people in these positions are inundated with "controlled messaging" - which began back in 2009-2010 with CommonCore. They have been working to "implement" and may not have investigated (the unconstitutional) CCSS "Initiative" on their own. They were sacrificed by DESE (imho) in order to gather public opinion info on CommonCore. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them are absolutely furious when they begin to independently research some of the questions posed that night. on Video of Delphi DESE Common Core Springfield Meeting

If only each person in attendance had had a posture analysis seat or a facial expression camera or a pressure mouse or a wireless conductance sensor as outlined on page 44 of Common Core's manual entitled Promoting Grit, Tenacity and Perseverance. Maybe next time they will. on The Delphi Technique Did Not Work at the Lindbergh DESE Meeting. People Were "Mad As Hell and They Were Not Going to Take This Anymore".

Your meeting was much different than the Lindbergh School one. People were upset, and there was good dialogue between attendees. Of course, we there was a good supply of troops. All-in-all, I think DESE was successful, in that it had not answered a single question and they were condescending. I do not think there will be a single answer in the future. I would not send them a single new question, because they will just shape their new dialog to answer concerns if meetings are required in new legislation. We need to stick with informational meetings of our own, IMO, instead of giving them more ammunition. Your meeting sounded a lot like the AG21 meetings in Pevely, and they had 4 meetings! To fight their message, I think it IS important to stand up to them and not obey their control tactics. on Brian Bollman in Cape Girardeau Provides Report of the DESE Delphi Technique in Practice.

Did no one attempt to disrupt Delphi or did everyone just go along? on Brian Bollman in Cape Girardeau Provides Report of the DESE Delphi Technique in Practice.

I had heard the words Delphi Technique in my life, but I never read anything about it. Being a computer geek in the auto industry, I assumed it was a manufacturing process created by parts manufacturer Delphi. Sadly everyone went along, but we did realize it was a divide and conquer strategy and refused to play into the "what's good about CCSS" question. Lesson learned. on Brian Bollman in Cape Girardeau Provides Report of the DESE Delphi Technique in Practice.

Van Harvey Notes Citizens Wouldn't be "Nudged" at the Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting. No Choice Architects Allowed to Present the Grand Plan.

2013-05-04T14:32:00.003-05:00

Van Harvey's perspective on the Common Core attempted Delphi meeting at Lindbergh School District was spot on. From If Govt is reckless with money that's not theirs, just imagine how they'll treat your human capital (aka:children) - Common Core State Standards:

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After attending our local Common Core 'presentation' by Missouri's DESE, I've only time for a brief pre-post post. This picture (H/T Adam Bohn) of the only informational hand out that the DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) people brought to the meeting tonight, should tip you off to how the evening went.

All they thought to provide interested parents, was a one sided questionnaire, to a meeting of parents who have been chaffing for a chance to comment on and ask questions about the monstrosity that is the Common Core Curriculum. Their handout has two sections. The first says:

"1. What do you like about the Common Core State Standards?"

, followed by a number of blank lines suitable for recording our praises, and then a second line:

"2. What questions do you have?"

and another section of lines, followed by an optimistic section to be filled out afterwards, for

"Location:___, Table Recorder:___, Table Facilitator:______".

They never got that far, as their 'Nudge' bombed, big time.

To lure people out of their lives in the expectation of information, discussion and debate, and then to make it clear that not only have you not come prepared to answer any of their questions, but she also made it clear that neither she nor DESE had ever had any intention whatsoever of answering any of our questions - that was infuriating. Her one comment to one of many questions on the CCSS summed it up well, and I quote:

"I can't answer your question in a public sense."

There ya go. They simply called us parents out of our evenings to be hosed down with a content-less presentation and a healthy heaping of condescension. Sums their educational philosophy up rather well.

Gretchen Logue of MEW

Fail.

Towards the end of the Q&A that we finally forced upon them, I asked her, truly puzzled,

'Why are you surprised by the reaction of the people here?'

, and she was speechless. When I followed up afterwards, she so much as said that she really expected our common decency to yield to their completely disrespectful presentation. Surprise. Another DESE representative, Doug, I think his name was, said that he couldn't understand why anyone was the least upset, after all, he said,

"This is the first time, the very first time I can remember, where everyone agrees upon a plan. Our big corporations agree, our governors agree and the leaders of our educational system all agree, these standards are the best for all concerned - I can't understand why you don't welcome them."

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Read more here. To fully understand Van's reference to "nudge" and Doug's response above, read the Commissioner's Race to the Top proposal in 2010 (pg 11/299):

The Race to the Top has provided an unprecedented opportunity for Missouri to bring its citizens together, to identify common goals and to develop a plan for a decade of educational reform designed to give Missouri’s children a competitive edge in tomorrow’s international competition. Our vision for reform embraces the notion advanced in the book, Nudge, where Thaler and Sunstein outline the need for ―choice architects‖ to subtly steer choices toward positive results while leaving people, districts and schools ―free to choose. We know that if Missouri’s public schools are to be the best choice for our citizens, they must produce the best results. This Race to the Top competition has provided the ―nudge‖ Missouri needed to pick up the pace. (MEW note: Sunstein is Cass Sunstein, Obama's former regualtory czar)

Once people understand (and accept) that they are not considered "choice architects", it is inconceivable to bureaucrats that citizens could be concerned they are not consulted about the educational plans for their children that their tax dollars are funding. That's the underlying theme of all the DESE meetings on May 2, 2010 to "communicate the message". DESE really doesn't want to hear from you and doesn't care what you think or what you envision for your children. "Trust them". Allow yourself to be "nudged". Make way for the governors and the private associations and the big businesses to develop/direct the education for your children. They are the choice architects. Just go along and everything will turn out just fine.

That explains the reaction of the presenter and other DESE official. They really are surprised you little people would question the grand plan.

Video of Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting. Crowd Refuses to be Delphied.

2013-05-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

Body Language at Lindbergh

This is a followup to our reporting on DESE's attempt to use the Delphi technique at the Common Core meeting at Lindbergh School District. We have two videos which show the refusal of the crowd to be divided into groups and asking questions to the officials.

Part 1

Officials explain the process and the people refuse to cooperate/collaborate in the process

Part 2

More citizen comments on the standards and the process

Unfortunately the storage on my phone reached its capacity and I couldn't capture the rest of the entire meeting but you can see and hear the anger and concern by the taxpayers. They are well educated and didn't appreciate their questions not being answered or their concerns not seriously considered.

More photos below:

Back of the room

No smiling faces in the room.

You can see from the photos breaking up into groups to gather questions would have been impossible.

Sign the petition for Missouri to stop the implementation of Common Core here.

Missouri Education Watchdog

Binoculars or Common Core. Which Choice Will Allow Creativity to Flourish and Allow School Districts to Operate on Budget?

06/04/13 North Kirkwood Middle School Library, 11287 Manchester Road 6:00pm - 7:30pm

The IRS, DESE and Sergeant Schultz: Complete Lack of Accountability.

Teacher Reports on Her Common Core Experience in the Classroom

A Clinical Psychologist's Concerns With Student Data Gathering

SB210 Is Laid Aside

Tying Socio-Economic Status to Test Scores

A Common Core Worksheet from Missouri and a First Grade Social Justice Text from Utah

Watching the DESE Countdown Clock. Citizens Still Waiting for Answers to Questions from the May 2 Hearings.

DESE Commissioner Doesn't Like Citizen's Question on Data Gathering

Senate Bill 210 Voted Unanimously Out of House Education Committee

Hazelwood Report on Delphi DESE Meeting May 2

Teacher Tells Missouri What Common Core Really Means. The Post-Dispatch Didn't Cover These Points.

Teacher Implores Other Teachers (and Parents) to Oppose Common Core

DESE's Facebook Postings, change.org petition and the Use of its Official E-Mail List for Political Purposes

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The Federal Government's Fingerprints are All Over the Common Core State Standards

More Reports on DESE Common Core Meetings

Missouri Call to Action. Show Your SB210 Support to Shed Transparency on Common Core Cost/Data Retrieval.

WITNESS FORM TO COMPLETE

URGENT! Hearing Thursday, May 9th -- Fill out a witness form NOW

Find the witness form here.

Post Dispatch STL Today's Disingenuous Editorial on Common Core Standards. Susan Ohanian Chimes In.

dis·in·gen·u·ous

Teacher Speaks Out Against Common Core

Common Core Legislation in Missouri Moves Forward

SB210 Passes Out of the Senate

Bill Gates and Teachers on Film! Gates Should Spread the Wealth for ALL Government Employees. (DESE included)

James Shuls Offers His Thoughts on the Disastrous Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting

Explaining the Delphi Technique Used in the DESE Common Core Meetings and Reactions from Readers

Van Harvey Notes Citizens Wouldn't be "Nudged" at the Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting. No Choice Architects Allowed to Present the Grand Plan.

Video of Lindbergh DESE Common Core Meeting. Crowd Refuses to be Delphied.

06/04/13
North Kirkwood Middle School Library, 11287 Manchester Road
6:00pm - 7:30pm