Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so funny. Billions of people around the world live in countries where standardized, country-wide exams are the norm for every class and grade. Your "opt out!" frenzy is comedic.

are you a shill? there's nothing "comedic" about a national movement of opting out of lengthy, imposed standardized tests.

I'm not a shill. I'm a high school teacher. I've seen nearly two decades with thousands of kids during that time who were passed along or came from substandard schools. It is astonishing the level of watering down that needs to take place at the high school level to "get everyone to pass" when they come to you with marginal reading comprehension, little critical thinking and lousy math skills.

Thank you! +1000

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so funny. Billions of people around the world live in countries where standardized, country-wide exams are the norm for every class and grade. Your "opt out!" frenzy is comedic.

are you a shill? there's nothing "comedic" about a national movement of opting out of lengthy, imposed standardized tests.

I think it's funny... but in a sad way, kind of like the anti-vaxxers... "Testing's gonna fry yer kid's brain and make him artistic!"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so funny. Billions of people around the world live in countries where standardized, country-wide exams are the norm for every class and grade. Your "opt out!" frenzy is comedic.

are you a shill? there's nothing "comedic" about a national movement of opting out of lengthy, imposed standardized tests.

I'm not a shill. I'm a high school teacher. I've seen nearly two decades with thousands of kids during that time who were passed along or came from substandard schools. It is astonishing the level of watering down that needs to take place at the high school level to "get everyone to pass" when they come to you with marginal reading comprehension, little critical thinking and lousy math skills.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look here folks who are fine with the PARCC tests and the direction public education is headed: no one is trying to convince you nor did we ask for an opinion.

You are simply a distraction on this thread because it is obvious that you are either obsessed with your own kids or don't really understand the stakes and what happens in schools on a daily basis or how it has been changing in the last few years. I would bet big money none of you are teachers currently active in the classroom.

Your bullying is not likely to move the conversation in any positive direction or to sway the opinions of people who are actually informed. Just so's you know.

Based on what I know, the anti-test folks don't have a sound argument. And that's confirmed again and again by these threads.

When I see vague remarks like this I can't help but wonder if this is all the test supporters have in terms of trying to quell the opt out movement.

If you are a parent who thinks the tests are valuable -- then have you kids take them, as is standard procedure

There's nothing vague about that statement - just pointing out that the anti-testers on DCUM have never actually presented any sound or legitimate argument as to why they feel the need to opt out.

Anonymous wrote:^^^^^^ What 20:13 said. Although I suspect that some of the more vocal PARCC supporters are neither parents of school-aged children nor teachers.

Why do they care whether or not we opt out? And why should I care what they think?

People care about you opting out because you make their school and their teachers look bad when you opt out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look here folks who are fine with the PARCC tests and the direction public education is headed: no one is trying to convince you nor did we ask for an opinion.

You are simply a distraction on this thread because it is obvious that you are either obsessed with your own kids or don't really understand the stakes and what happens in schools on a daily basis or how it has been changing in the last few years. I would bet big money none of you are teachers currently active in the classroom.

Your bullying is not likely to move the conversation in any positive direction or to sway the opinions of people who are actually informed. Just so's you know.

Based on what I know, the anti-test folks don't have a sound argument. And that's confirmed again and again by these threads.

When I see vague remarks like this I can't help but wonder if this is all the test supporters have in terms of trying to quell the opt out movement.

If you are a parent who thinks the tests are valuable -- then have you kids take them, as is standard procedure

Anonymous wrote:This is so funny. Billions of people around the world live in countries where standardized, country-wide exams are the norm for every class and grade. Your "opt out!" frenzy is comedic.

are you a shill? there's nothing "comedic" about a national movement of opting out of lengthy, imposed standardized tests.

^^^^^^ What 20:13 said. Although I suspect that some of the more vocal PARCC supporters are neither parents of school-aged children nor teachers.

Why do they care whether or not we opt out? And why should I care what they think?

Anonymous wrote:Look here folks who are fine with the PARCC tests and the direction public education is headed: no one is trying to convince you nor did we ask for an opinion.

You are simply a distraction on this thread because it is obvious that you are either obsessed with your own kids or don't really understand the stakes and what happens in schools on a daily basis or how it has been changing in the last few years. I would bet big money none of you are teachers currently active in the classroom.

Your bullying is not likely to move the conversation in any positive direction or to sway the opinions of people who are actually informed. Just so's you know.

Based on what I know, the anti-test folks don't have a sound argument. And that's confirmed again and again by these threads.

Look here folks who are fine with the PARCC tests and the direction public education is headed: no one is trying to convince you nor did we ask for an opinion.

You are simply a distraction on this thread because it is obvious that you are either obsessed with your own kids or don't really understand the stakes and what happens in schools on a daily basis or how it has been changing in the last few years. I would bet big money none of you are teachers currently active in the classroom.

Your bullying is not likely to move the conversation in any positive direction or to sway the opinions of people who are actually informed. Just so's you know.

This is so funny. Billions of people around the world live in countries where standardized, country-wide exams are the norm for every class and grade. Your "opt out!" frenzy is comedic.

why wouldn't a parent want their child to take the regular test of whatever grade/school they attend? The results are not broadcast, and even if they may not be that accurate it is good practice for the kids who will eventually have to handle taking tests, and it will also provide insight into your child's strengths and weaknesses -- though maybe flawed. Two kids now in HS -- and each doing very well, public and private experience: the results always accurately reflected their strengths and weaknesses, and in an unconcerned fashion their dad and I have been able to accentuate their strengths as they grew older, nudging them to their areas of confidence. Not based on one freaking test, but just having them participate over the years, and considering trends in the results. If you don't want testing to be part of the education, you cannot be a public school parent, you make your kid feel weird and other parents will be bored by your anti-testing obsession.

Anonymous wrote:I scanned this doc, PARCC doesn't mention anything past Algebra 2
http://parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/PARCCMathPLDsHighSchoolJuly2013.pdf
Your AP kid isn't in the testing group

don't they test by grade? kid is at Basis, very accelerated in math, and expected to take the Parcc for three days and then the AP Calc AB exam the day after. NOT going to happen, not on our watch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Really, it's easier and more effective to just opt out of the tests - that's something the chancellor can't hide or deny. A few high scorers opting out at each school will get more attention and have more of an effect than a zillion emails

I disagree. Test results generally aren't released for months, if ever

Test results are released in the summer (usually late July-early august) after tests are taken in the Spring. They are always released -- that is the law. Parents who opt out would be the subjects of news stories at the time of the tests -- that's what's happened in other parts of the country, which DCPS knows very well.

Well, I've not seen DC's 5th or 8th grade test results despite queries

I scanned this doc, PARCC doesn't mention anything past Algebra 2
http://parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/PARCCMathPLDsHighSchoolJuly2013.pdf
Your AP kid isn't in the testing group