Students must provide their own ear buds for PARCC tests

[Anonymous]

Kids are required to take the test. Kids are not required to bring in a box of tissues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are required to take the test. Kids are not required to bring in a box of tissues.

Kid were required to take the old tests, and generally did so using number 2 pencils they brought from home.

[Anonymous]

Teachers have extra pencils and kids bring pencils every day. I am imagining the first day of testing the kids needing the earphones and 1/2 the third graders come to school without the earphones in a low SES school.

[Anonymous]

I recall as a child all the kids being handed 2 new #2 pencils before important standardized tests. This was over 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

our dd's teacher gave all the kids earbuds earlier this year (I think maybe as a pre-holiday gift?) I wasn't sure if it was from her, or from the school. But I guess it saves them having to ask the parents to do it. Though I don't like to have yet another thing the teachers feel they need to spend their own money on. It does seem like a good thing to use class fund on.

[Anonymous]

Imagining 150,000 students needing the earbuds for the start of the test. Anyone alert Walmart, target, staples in Montgomery County because in March there will be a huge shortage if they are not alerted and stocked up. Think about the back to school shopping and thats annual. In March they aren't stocked for this type of demand. Milk for snow, earbuds for PARCC !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagining 150,000 students needing the earbuds for the start of the test. Anyone alert Walmart, target, staples in Montgomery County because in March there will be a huge shortage if they are not alerted and stocked up. Think about the back to school shopping and thats annual. In March they aren't stocked for this type of demand. Milk for snow, earbuds for PARCC !

I would imagine that a significant portion of that 150,000 would come from families who already own earbuds or headphones. They are hardly an uncommon item, and as someone has already pointed out, many schools required them at the beginning of the year.

[Anonymous]

When does testing start for elementary students?

[Anonymous]

They are on our supply list.

Nothing says they have to be new. Send a pair from home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, in addition to the cost issue, I see this as a big problem for at least some segment of kids. One of my sons has health issues around wearing ear buds/headphones. (Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but it's true.) He had a concussion last year and can't stand them.

Sigh.

Does he have a 504 plan? At our school, a kid with a medical need to avoid headphones, would have 1:1 testing written into their 504/IEP which would allow them to hear the videos over the speakers.

+1. Seems like your child would be able to get a 504 plan and have testing done independently. Please bring it up with his teacher or principal about how to proceed.

[Anonymous]

Same thing as bringing your PE clothes, not a big deal. besides most kids carry them in their backpack already.