Anonymous
Post 01/25/2015 09:18     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math

This is all very important. No private company should have anything to do with writing the standards. The standards should stand alone and be funded entirely by the American people. Private funds corrupt the process. They will never be viewed as legitimate if they do not show transparency. It doesn't matter if these are the best standards since the dawn of mankind. The process MUST be transparent. I see less and less transparency at all levels of government. This goes against some pretty big American values. The CC will become a reminder of how much control has been wrested from the people of America. There will be civil disobedience if these standards lead to tests which punish (cheating, opting out, etc.). They will not be taken seriously and people will rationalize not using them because the process was marred from the start. This has to be done right or it won't have any chance of improving education.

Sorry to say this, but I'm not optimistic. There is already too much arguing over this. Some states are already backing away. The people fighting this are fighting for a say in how their tax dollars are spent. Without a transparent process, democracy is failing us.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2015 06:50     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
You do understand that Pearson is the vendor for the ginormous PARCC contract?
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2015 06:34     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math

And you think that's something new, or that it's a Common Core thing? Pearson has had an incestuous relationship with many school districts and school officials all around the country for years, long before Common Core. That's what happens in any line of business - there's one or more companies that try to assert influence and gain a monopoly. But again, Pearson does not have a lock on it and there's nothing stopping other companies and educators from selecting or developing their own non-Pearson CC materials and curriculum. So I really don't see your point, or anything that warrants your obsession with Pearson.


You must work for Pearson.




Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 21:16     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
Anonymous wrote:

There's absolutely nothing that says Pearson has an exclusive lock on anything. Anyone else is perfectly free to develop and publish their own educational materials meeting Common Core. And, there are lots of companies doing precisely that, and doing quite fine with it.


Oh, that is true. But, Pearson had an incestuous relationship with the developers.



And you think that's something new, or that it's a Common Core thing? Pearson has had an incestuous relationship with many school districts and school officials all around the country for years, long before Common Core. That's what happens in any line of business - there's one or more companies that try to assert influence and gain a monopoly. But again, Pearson does not have a lock on it and there's nothing stopping other companies and educators from selecting or developing their own non-Pearson CC materials and curriculum. So I really don't see your point, or anything that warrants your obsession with Pearson.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 20:15     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
The relationships with publishing companies were bad enough for Common Core. However, an endeavor this large will make earlier connections look like peanuts.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 19:58     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
This is true. Every time standards are raised, it takes a few years for students to meet them.


It takes a few years for the tests to be dumbed down or for the cut off scores to be lowered. I've been through several rounds of this in education (with changing standards and tests) and this round will be no different. The politicians have to be able to say that this has worked and the companies making the money (Pearson for example) are all too happy to cooperate in this scheme. $$$$ Watch how many people from the Dept. of Education get jobs with Pearson or MacMillan, etc. I really wish I weren't so cynical about this, but I've seen too much.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 18:29     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math

There's absolutely nothing that says Pearson has an exclusive lock on anything. Anyone else is perfectly free to develop and publish their own educational materials meeting Common Core. And, there are lots of companies doing precisely that, and doing quite fine with it.


Oh, that is true. But, Pearson had an incestuous relationship with the developers.




Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 18:18     Subject: Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
There's absolutely nothing that says Pearson has an exclusive lock on anything. Anyone else is perfectly free to develop and publish their own educational materials meeting Common Core. And, there are lots of companies doing precisely that, and doing quite fine with it.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 17:49     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math

Your circular logic is hilarious.

The standards ARE good. They were not written by Pearson. But even if they were, they're still good standards.

Please see a physician about your mental problems.


You've lost the battle when you can only attack personally.




Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 17:40     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
Anonymous wrote:

Maybe you need to straighten your tin foil hat.

Pearson doesn't benefit more than anyone. The country benefits. Children benefit.

Get a grip. Someone should smack you for being the histrionic



Why does the country or children benefit? The standards are not good. They were written by Pearson.

Get your head out of the sand.


Your circular logic is hilarious.

The standards ARE good. They were not written by Pearson. But even if they were, they're still good standards.

Please see a physician about your mental problems.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 17:31     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math

Maybe you need to straighten your tin foil hat.

Pearson doesn't benefit more than anyone. The country benefits. Children benefit.

Get a grip. Someone should smack you for being the histrionic



Why does the country or children benefit? The standards are not good. They were written by Pearson.

Get your head out of the sand.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 16:44     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
Anonymous wrote:
So seem fixated on the testing companies. Why? It's not relevant. They design tests --- it is what they do. Of course they are stakeholders in this. That's valid and welcome. Why are you so hung up on it?


Not relevant that Pearson benefits more than anyone from Common Core standards? That is not relevant that their people helped write the standards? Really? Maybe, Pearson chose the committees.........


Maybe you need to straighten your tin foil hat.

Pearson doesn't benefit more than anyone. The country benefits. Children benefit.

Get a grip. Someone should smack you for being the histrionic woman you are.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 16:19     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
Anonymous wrote:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/11/17/13sbac.h34.html

Cutoff Scores Set for Common-Core Tests
By Catherine Gewertz

In a move likely to cause political and academic stress in many states, a consortium that is designing assessments for the Common Core State Standards released data Monday projecting that more than half of students will fall short of the marks that connote grade-level skills on its tests of English/language arts and mathematics.


Calm down. That happens every time there is a change in testing and is expected to happen if there is a change in standards.

It happened in VA when they moved to the SOLs. Over 90% of the students failed the first few years.

Especially if standards are raised, it will take a few years for kids to be able to meet all the standards.

In addition, many students will be losing accommodations on the PARCC test that allowed them to look like they were meeting the standards. For example, in MD we have been told that we may no longer read state tests out loud to students who cannot read well UNLESS they have been identified as having a specific learning disability in learning to decode words AND they have an IEP documenting that they are receiving direct instruction in decoding skills. That means all those kids who weren't taught to decode and managed to pass the reading tests because people read out loud to them for years and years will NOT be passing these tests.


This is true. Every time standards are raised, it takes a few years for students to meet them. Also, it is very appropriate for students to lose accommodations if they do not have a specific LD and an IEP.

Standards are critical in determining whether schools and teachers are meeting their goals of adequately educating children. There is no bad news in that.

Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 15:37     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
So seem fixated on the testing companies. Why? It's not relevant. They design tests --- it is what they do. Of course they are stakeholders in this. That's valid and welcome. Why are you so hung up on it?


Not relevant that Pearson benefits more than anyone from Common Core standards? That is not relevant that their people helped write the standards? Really? Maybe, Pearson chose the committees.........
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 15:32     Subject: Re:Common Core PARCC tests for fourth grade math
Anonymous wrote:
The problem is that kids and teachers are getting the death penalty now for this change in standards. There's no grace period in many states. Teachers are threatened with their jobs, students are threatened with no diploma.

It's sickening.


And, Pearson is rolling in money.



So seem fixated on the testing companies. Why? It's not relevant. They design tests --- it is what they do. Of course they are stakeholders in this. That's valid and welcome. Why are you so hung up on it?