Common Core's epic fail: Special Education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
These examples could also be 10th grade writing or college level writing.

Well, the foundation of writing clearly starts in grades 3 and 4, and you build from there. Students should grow though in their writing ability. In fourth grade you would expect fairly formulaic writing, short sentences with maybe one transition word, and ideas that are not well developed. IN addition, 4th graders would be expected to have a fourth grade vocabulary.

By 8th or 10th grade, of course students should be able to stay on topic and use main idea and details. However, they'd be expected to me more sophisticated in their reasoning. You'd expect multiple paragraphs. The content and vocabulary should be more refined. They might alternate viewpoints -- anticipating their opponents thoughts and arguments, and rebutting them. So while these 4th grade standards prepare kids for high school writing, there is still a lot they have to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
These examples could also be 10th grade writing or college level writing.

These could be standards for 10 graders, but for 4th graders, the teachers are expecting the kids to use 4th appropriate words, logic and sentence structure. They are not expecting 10th grade writing.

Now, for 10th graders, they could be expected to write opinion pieces, etc... but the teacher would expect much more sophisticated writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not if they give up and drop out, which even the Common Core advocates agree is about to happen.

You're now arguing that it's better for schools not to require critical thinking and more rigorous learning, because then fewer students will drop out.

+1 yea, I don't get that logic.

ES kids are not going to drop out of school. They may complain that school is harder now because they now have to think a lot more, but I seriously doubt you will see a high dropout rate for ES kids.

As parents we complain that our kids won't be ready to compete with kids from foreign countries, so most of the states implement a set of standards that push critical thinking which, in theory, should make our kids much more competitive in the work place. Then, some parents turn around and complain that the standards are not age appropriate (which is basically saying that even for HS kids, CC standards are too hard), so we need to make them easier, so they don't feel bad about themselves.

For SN kids, if the standards are too difficult, then they either will need 1. more support or 2. a different set of standards

But it's also ridiculous to say that standards for all kids should be changed because SN kids cannot meet them.

It's not just special needs kids who can't meet the standards. 70 percent of kids don't make the standards after a solid year of being taught this fabulous new way.

And in Kentucky, where Common Core Standards have been taught for 4 years, only about 35 percent pass the math portion. Four friggin years, and they still have no idea what they are doing. A whole generation's education will be lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the writing standards have been very beneficial for our ESOL and special education students.

The classroom teachers are teaching a lot more writing now that they know writing to a prompt will be on the state testing at the end of the year. The writing standards for the classes I teach say that students will specially be able to do the following (4th grade)

Opinion Writing:

Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.
Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Expository Writing:

Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

Narrative Writing
Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Students are really expected to be able to write by the end of 4th grade. They are supposed to be able to write clearly and coherently, and to stay on topic. Believe me a LOT of kids in 4th grade (not just ESOL and LD students) have trouble right now writing on a topic and not veering from the topic. They have trouble with mechanics too (poor spelling and punctuation, mostly) But I can see the results of the increased teaching in my students: they are developing writing stamina because they are being asked to write a LOT. They are organizing their thoughts into coherent paragraphs. They are re reading their sentences to see if they make sense or if they have left out a word.

We did a practice test a few weeks ago, and a lot of kids failed. They didn't address the writing prompt! The prompt said "Write about A" and the kids wrote about something completely different. So, the teachers are now working on how to write about the prompt, not just come up with whatever you want. Some of the Special Education kids had a hard time with that, but they are improving.

Some kids really are't yet writing at anything close to a 4th grade level. They are working at a K, 1st or 2nd grade level. Even so, the goal is to move them up as quickly as possible to this higher level of writing. My ESOL kids can't compose a piece with multiple paragraphs yet, but they can write on the topic, with simple sentences, and can spell words so that they can be understood, even if they aren't using perfect spelling. Next year when they are in 5th grade I hope they will be able to be writing on grade level.

These examples could also be 10th grade writing or college level writing.

Writing standards are cumulative, just like reading and math standards. So a 10th grader or college students would be expected to write a paper that has all the elements above, and also has other elements like integrating information from multiple sources in an expository piece.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's not just special needs kids who can't meet the standards. 70 percent of kids don't make the standards after a solid year of being taught this fabulous new way.

So, that's not my experience, just looking at my school and the writing standards. Our kids took the practice writing test and I'd say about 40% passed. This is after one year of increased focus on writing coherent paragraphs, a skill which admittedly we hadn't been focusing on in the past.

With more months of improved writing instruction, I feel confident that that number will improve, in grads 3 and 4, to about 70% pass rate the first year and more in subsequent years. Eventually all comprehensive ed kids should be able to pass. ESOL and special ed kids, it depends on what year of ESOL they are in, and special Ed it depends on why they are in special ed.

The kids in middle school who lost years and years of proper writing instruction are going to have a much harder time catching up. But I don't think we will only see 30% pass rate, certainly not after 2 or 3 years. It's not that there's any better way of teaching, but the standards are now measuring skills that were only lightly, or never, stressed in past years. It will take some time for kids to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does Common Core have to do with that? I grew up a long time ago, and I was writing in fourth grade. You act like we had no goals or objectives before CC.

If there were goals and objectives before the Common Core standards, then it shouldn't be any problem that the Common Core standards have goals and objectives.

[Anonymous]

Even before the widespread adoption of the Common Core, it was already increasingly rare for even the most intellectually unusual children to be exempted—whether by acceleration, remediation, or placement in special classrooms—from the course of study followed by their cognitively typical peers. The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act had schools focusing away from the most academically advanced students (and requires no special programming for them); the 2004 re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required children with disabilities “to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum.” Increasingly, it’s the general curriculum for everyone. And now that this general curriculum is being shaped by dozens of grade-specific Common Core standards, and that teachers (including special-ed teachers) are increasingly expected to align each day’s lesson with one or more of these standards, there’s even less room for remediation or acceleration.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/02/the-common-core-is-tough-on-kids-with-special-needs/283973/

I think that what needs to be changed in the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Act. There should be some way to state that yes, children with disabilities should be expected to reach the standards of general education; but if they are lacking in the foundational skills, it is OK to first provide remediation.

Don't lower grade level standards because osme kids can't reach them right now, though. Change IDEA don't change Common Core.

No Special ed teacher should be forced to make her kids read a 6th grade text, if they can't sound out fat cat sat words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The materials designed to test the kids to the standards are confusing and misleading in many cases. Why is it so hard? Could it be the standards themselves are confusing?

Alternatively, it could be that the educational materials industry produces a lot of junk. In fact, we know that the educational materials industry produces a lot of junk. So I think that is the likelier explanation.

I personally do not find the standards confusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's not just special needs kids who can't meet the standards. 70 percent of kids don't make the standards after a solid year of being taught this fabulous new way.

And in Kentucky, where Common Core Standards have been taught for 4 years, only about 35 percent pass the math portion. Four friggin years, and they still have no idea what they are doing. A whole generation's education will be lost.

So the quality of education in Kentucky was higher before they adopted the Common Core standards?

As for what the percentage is of kids who don't meet the standards -- I'll wait for the first year of test results from PARCC and Smarter Balanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's not just special needs kids who can't meet the standards. 70 percent of kids don't make the standards after a solid year of being taught this fabulous new way.

And in Kentucky, where Common Core Standards have been taught for 4 years, only about 35 percent pass the math portion. Four friggin years, and they still have no idea what they are doing. A whole generation's education will be lost.

So the quality of education in Kentucky was higher before they adopted the Common Core standards?

As for what the percentage is of kids who don't meet the standards -- I'll wait for the first year of test results from PARCC and Smarter Balanced.

Given the cut scores they've released it will probably be even lower.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/18/common-core-test-group-projects-widespread-failure/

Here's what the companies are prepping parents for:

One of the two major groups designing standardized tests aligned with Common Core has released how students are expected to score on its inaugural exam next spring, and its prediction isn’t pretty.

According to anticipated score distributions announced by the Smarter Balanced testing consortium, almost two-thirds of students taking the test next year will fall below proficiency in mathematics, while nearly six in 10 will fail to measure up in English. Defenders of the test, however, emphasize that low scores are nothing to be afraid of, and represent an increase in expectations rather than a decrease in ability.

[Anonymous]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/abetteriowa/2014/11/26/common-core-early-childhood-education-testing/70113320/

And here an elementary teacher tells why Common Core is a failure:

Here's a quick quiz for you. The Common Core standards are being used to direct the curriculum of nearly every state and the education of nearly every child in the country. How many early childhood teachers were involved in the development of these standards?

If you said zero, you win the prize. Unbelievable, isn't it? We are teaching our littlest children using parameters put in place by people with no knowledge of how our little ones learn. If you look at what is happening in K-2 classrooms then it is obvious.

The Common Core was written, not by educators, but mainly by people — like those who crate testing materials — with a financial interest in seeing these standards adopted. They were written and pushed as creating children who would be ready for "college, career, and life."

They were written from the top down, meaning they looked at what kids should be able to do when they leave school, then trickled down to the kindergarten level, not considering the fact that young children have very different learning needs than older children.

....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The materials designed to test the kids to the standards are confusing and misleading in many cases. Why is it so hard? Could it be the standards themselves are confusing?

Alternatively, it could be that the educational materials industry produces a lot of junk. In fact, we know that the educational materials industry produces a lot of junk. So I think that is the likelier explanation.

I personally do not find the standards confusing.

Pearson writes most of the curriculum AND the tests.

So it's junk + junk + more junk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Given the cut scores they've released it will probably be even lower.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/18/common-core-test-group-projects-widespread-failure/

Here's what the companies are prepping parents for:

One of the two major groups designing standardized tests aligned with Common Core has released how students are expected to score on its inaugural exam next spring, and its prediction isn’t pretty.

According to anticipated score distributions announced by the Smarter Balanced testing consortium, almost two-thirds of students taking the test next year will fall below proficiency in mathematics, while nearly six in 10 will fail to measure up in English. Defenders of the test, however, emphasize that low scores are nothing to be afraid of, and represent an increase in expectations rather than a decrease in ability.

In fact this is explicitly the fundamental assumption in the study. If you think this assumption is false, then for your purposes, the whole study goes poof, and you cannot use the results of the study.

And it's a circular argument to say that the cut scores show that the pass rates will be low. The whole purpose of the cut scores is to determine what scores are passing and what scores aren't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The materials designed to test the kids to the standards are confusing and misleading in many cases. Why is it so hard? Could it be the standards themselves are confusing?

Alternatively, it could be that the educational materials industry produces a lot of junk. In fact, we know that the educational materials industry produces a lot of junk. So I think that is the likelier explanation.

I personally do not find the standards confusing.

Pearson writes most of the curriculum AND the tests.

So it's junk + junk + more junk.

Did Pearson write the standards?

[Anonymous]

I am curious how many special needs parents are discussing their actual experiences. I got a workbook for k. With the math logic problems. My kid who has speech and developmental delays could not do them. This is a kid reading above grade level and able to do some basic traditional math. He is ready for traditional math such as kumon style but common core for us is an epic failure. We went to a private school who does not use it and he is being very successful with their curriculum not being in special Ed or getting any special supports except a bit extra attention in class to help him understand what is expected of him. I get the one coursework for all as many kids can do it just fine, specially if they use it from the start but my child would be an failure at it.