Common Core's epic fail: Special Education

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/08/mom-spells-out-problems-with-parcc-common-core-test/

A New Jersey mom gives specific problems with the Common Core. NCLB is not innocent in this, either.

[Anonymous]

That's already been addressed about five times in this thread. Repeating "they had no input from experts bla bla bla" isn't going to cut it.

So, you think who wrote the standards does not affect the quality of the standards? Does the cook affect the quality of the meal?

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-past-five-years-maryland-middle-school-has-had-five-principals/2015/01/09/f05626da-8a1f-11e4-9e8d-0c687bc18da4_story.html

Here is an example of problems in education. I don't know the solution, but Common Core is not the problem.

[Anonymous]

Here is an example of problems in education. I don't know the solution, but Common Core is not the problem.

Common core is not the solution--and lack of standards is not the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Look what is happening with the GED test. They have made the test harder and now there has been a drop in test takers (in all states). Now some states are using a different test to give diplomas. This is how things can go. There is nothing to say that states will drop out of CC if there is a drop in the graduation rate.

Yes, this is another Pearson and Common Core screwup of massive proportions that has the potential to create a huge welfare state and drive up the crime rate to astronomical proportions, or both:


http://m.clevescene.com/cleveland/after-a-major-overhaul-to-the-ged-test-in-2014-18000-fewer-ohioans-will-pass-the-exam-this-year-than-last-along-with-nearly-500000-across/Content?oid=4442224&showFullText=true

Nearly 500,000 Fewer Americans Will Pass the GED in 2014 After a Major Overhaul to the Test. Why? And Who's Left Behind?

But the test changes — which implemented the controversial Common Core standards and required the exam be taken online instead of on paper — has made passing the GED test more difficult than anyone can remember.

The numbers are shocking: In the United States, according to the GED Testing Service, 401,388 people earned a GED in 2012, and about 540,000 in 2013. This year, according to the latest numbers obtained by Scene, only about 55,000 have passed nationally. That is a 90-percent drop off from last year.

And there are serious repercussions. As national economic policy is emphasizing more adult education programs, and most jobs (even Walmart shelf stockers) require a high school diploma, the new GED test has pretty much moved the goal posts way back. And that includes the incarcerated, where so many prison re-entry education programs include getting the high school drop-out population to pass the GED test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is a problem when one school district requires students to be able to do xyz, but another district doesn't. That becomes a problem when kids transfer districts and also puts one kid at a disadvantage over another when competing at a national level for college spots.

So, are you suggesting we make standards for sports?

Sports <> education. I don't give a rats ass about sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is a problem when one school district requires students to be able to do xyz, but another district doesn't. That becomes a problem when kids transfer districts and also puts one kid at a disadvantage over another when competing at a national level for college spots

So . . . the federal government has found this problem between districts to be related to standards and has decided that it must rectify this "problem". The feds are also concerned about a student being at a disadvantage when competing at a national level for a college spot.

??? Really??

CC standards are not mandated by the federal gov't, and they also didn't develop it.

[Anonymous]

CC standards are not mandated by the federal gov't, and they also didn't develop it.

But they are promoting it through their policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

CC standards are not mandated by the federal gov't, and they also didn't develop it.

But they are promoting it through their policies.

...because they want to see more accountability and raise the standards for education. They are not in the business of developing standards, as so many have stated that they shouldn't be, but that doesn't mean they should be completely absent in regards to education in this country. They do have a stake in it, after all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/08/mom-spells-out-problems-with-parcc-common-core-test/

A New Jersey mom gives specific problems with the Common Core. NCLB is not innocent in this, either.

Again, she does not cite any specific CC standard that is problematic. I think her criticism is misguided and misdirected. There's NOTHING in Common Core that says her kid's teacher couldn't have taken the kids on the field trip, taught them about cranberry bogs and the Lenni Lenape and the other things, if she wanted to. Her issue isn't Common Core, it's her uninspired educators who are only teaching to the lowest common denominator and meeting the minimal CC standard and doing nothing more. I'd wager that the mom complaining probably learned most of what was in Common Core when she was in 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

While posters haven't explicitly articulated this specific example, it's nonetheless quite clear that many of the anti-CC posters are coming from that right-wing group-think, particularly given that despite all of the emotional argument, they still haven't been able to give one specific, coherent example of a standard that is actually bad, or which actually goes against sound educational theory and principles. They just "know" it's bad, in large part because they've heard that message that it's bad repeated over and over and over again. As a historical note, Goebbels was the Third Reich's infamous Minister of Propaganda, he had a saying about propaganda - "repeat a lie often enough and people will believe it" - this is definitely how conservative media operates.

People on this board have posted specific reasons for problems with Common Core. If it is so good--why don't you tell why? Because the standards are "common" or "good" is not sufficient.

No they haven't posted specific reasons, it's all just been vague generalities or nitpicking on things that really don't make a significant difference. It took at least 50 pages of arguing for anyone to event try and take a stab at citing a specific CC element, and even then the best they could come up with was from the Kindergarten standard, "write many upper and lower case letters - uh, what does 'many' mean" which really is not demonstrably bad other than not assigning a specific number. OF COURSE kindergarten kids should be learning to write upper and lower case letters, and the 1st grade standard says they should know them all. In saying the standard is "bad," you arguing they shouldn't?

[Anonymous]

What a crock. People have posted multiples standards with multiple problems.

Common Core is dead -- it will just be a matter of how long it takes to actually bury it.

[Anonymous]

OF COURSE kindergarten kids should be learning to write upper and lower case letters, and the 1st grade standard says they should know them all. In saying the standard is "bad," you arguing they shouldn't?

That "standard" is not a standard. It is a great example of the slap dash way in which Common Core standards were selected and written.

[Anonymous]

According to the Common Core criteria, a standard should be clear, concise and measurable. How do you measure "many"?

[Anonymous]

Still haven't seen any specific defense of why the Common Core standards are good.