Testing has been around for longer than you have, so I really don't think you have any basis whatsoever for making any claims. Classroom teachers know on one level that there were problems on an individualized, non-quantified level but without testing they did not actually know holistically how, on a quantifiable level, their entire classroom was doing, as compared to other classrooms in their district, versus across the state, versus other states, which is an entirely different thing that was not knowable by classroom teachers without standardized testing.

Anonymous wrote:

Also, it sounds like you object to grade-level standards in general. Did you also fight the individual state standards that preceded the Common Core standards? If not, why not?

Not PP to whom you are responding. However, I have not seen any evidence that standards will improve education. Have you? If so, please post it. I have looked. I did find a Harvard professor who said there is NO evidence that standards improve achievement.

Anonymous wrote:Why are you people apologists for Pearson and CC? A lot of people have had problems and frustrations with this stuff. Just because you haven't doesn't mean their experiences aren't real. States that were originally on board with the PARCC (and I believe were on the committees to draft some of it? I might have read that) have dropped it because there were too many problems and it was not demonstrating kids' actual knowledge and abilities well. Many feel there is too much testing going on. You don't think so, so good for you. I prefer more time spent on lessons that testing but maybe you see some merit in this. None of these complaints mean you aren't having a good experience. Glad you are. Time for everyone to settle down.

Anonymous wrote:

Sounds like your school is a disaster. But getting rid of testing won't make it any less of a disaster, it will just hide the fact that you're a disaster, and that's a problem.

And nobody knew there was a problem before all the testing???? Riiiiiighht. It was all hidden. Yep.

The big question is: Now that we know what we already knew before, what are we going to do about it besides having more testing? Oh, yes, we are going to have standards that are tested. Even though standards were not proven to be the problem. Even though we know that the biggest problems are not standards. Even though we know that testing does not improve education. Waste of money.

Anonymous wrote:Why are you people apologists for Pearson and CC? A lot of people have had problems and frustrations with this stuff. Just because you haven't doesn't mean their experiences aren't real. States that were originally on board with the PARCC (and I believe were on the committees to draft some of it? I might have read that) have dropped it because there were too many problems and it was not demonstrating kids' actual knowledge and abilities well. Many feel there is too much testing going on. You don't think so, so good for you. I prefer more time spent on lessons that testing but maybe you see some merit in this. None of these complaints mean you aren't having a good experience. Glad you are. Time for everyone to settle down.

Sounds like your school is a disaster. But getting rid of testing won't make it any less of a disaster, it will just hide the fact that you're a disaster, and that's a problem.

I really don't get all the nonsense about what people claim as "endless long tests" - My DC's school spent a grand total of one study hall session going over test format and mechanics, and then a half day on English PARCC testing and a half day on Math PARCC testing. DC said both tests were a piece of cake. I really don't see testing as any major intrusion or time consumer taking away from DC's education. If schools are taking more time from kids than that, then they are likely doing a lot of other things wrong as well.

Anonymous wrote:

It took nearly a month to test all of the students in my school. Teachers were pulled to proctor tests. Our technology sucks so some testing days were total losses b/c the servers were down, etc. We will then have MSA science tests the week we get back from Spring Break for 2 grades and then in early May, we will repeat the PARCC testing ALL OVER AGAIN. I was pulled for testing for 10 days (mostly mornings). Schedules were changed to accommodate the testing. Our reading specialist is also our testing coordinator so she hasn't pulled her remedial groups since mid February or so. This is just one of many tests our kids take. Benchmarks in math and reading, ESOL testing, Wireless testing, etc etc. The list goes on and the testing for kids who are below grade level in reading is every 2 weeks or so. Every 2 weeks, teachers stop teaching to sit one on one with kids below grade level to test their reading level. It is never ending.

This. Choreographing the testing in a school is an incredible endeavor. The resources that go into this are huge. An individual kid or parent might not see it, but behind the scenes work is enormous. People are pulled from teaching for training (this happens at my school) and substitutes are brought in. Specific tests require specific instructions for the proctors. There are make ups and retakes and varying instructions for each type of test. There are IEP instructions for testing and ELL instructions to consider. There are even instructions for how to pack the tests to send them out (with more forms to get signed, etc.). It's a very consuming process that costs a lot of labor hours (that take away from teaching). It costs a lot of money that is not reimbursed by the feds. The pro CC poster likes to crow about how much the feds give to the locals, blah, blah, blah. NO. The locals are paying for these tests and they are not cheap. Same goes for buying the new materials to support the CC. Class sizes are increased and teachers go without raises because money has to be directed to this stuff (by law). They are redirecting money to the testing companies and away from the real teaching and learning. So, so sad.

Anonymous wrote:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.b
Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.

Developmentally inappropriate for Kindergarteners as a standard. And, yes, I know some K kids can do this. There are many things far more important for Kindergarteners.

What do I base my opinion on?

Education, training, and experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school the middle school class schedule was reversed every other day for something like 2 weeks for the PARCC testing. It throws kids off. It can be hard for kids to learn at their best when the whole day is changed around (and they are not wasting time taking endless long tests). When I was a kid the state assessments took a day or may be 2 tops. Why less time? Because we weren't required to write essay after essay to demonstrate our knowledge.

Think about the other side. Some huge number of staff are actually going to read and score all of these essays. Staff at Pearson. Imagine the labor cost that we are paying for this.

This did not happen at my child's middle school.

And again, the PARCC/Smarter Balanced/whatever tests are a No Child Left Behind Act requirement. There is nothing in the Common Core standards that requires annual testing.

Also, it sounds like you object to grade-level standards in general. Did you also fight the individual state standards that preceded the Common Core standards? If not, why not?

And again, the PARCC/Smarter Balanced/whatever tests are a No Child Left Behind Act requirement. There is nothing in the Common Core standards that requires annual testing.

Anonymous wrote:At our school the middle school class schedule was reversed every other day for something like 2 weeks for the PARCC testing. It throws kids off. It can be hard for kids to learn at their best when the whole day is changed around (and they are not wasting time taking endless long tests). When I was a kid the state assessments took a day or may be 2 tops. Why less time? Because we weren't required to write essay after essay to demonstrate our knowledge.

Think about the other side. Some huge number of staff are actually going to read and score all of these essays. Staff at Pearson. Imagine the labor cost that we are paying for this.