Re: quick help needed in VA

[Juanita Doyon <Jedoyon@AOL.COM>]

In a message dated 1/31/01 8:30:06 PM Pacific Standard Time, PAVURSOL@AOL.COM
writes:


> BTW, Juanita, in VA, PAVURSOL is working quite extensively on legislative
> relief for high stakes tests.  It is hard, messy work.

It occurs to me that we all need to become just as comfortable hanging out at
our capitols (or is it capitals?-- scored in the 20th percentile in the CTBS
spelling section-- thank the good Lord for spellcheck!) as at our school
board meetings.  Anyway, when Jean and I went to Olympia last month we took a
little self guided tour of the Senate and House chambers.  I think we will be
visiting more often, now that we know the layout.  Last time I was in the
Capitol rotunda, it was with my HS choir and we stood on the upper levels and
sang a cappella.  Best acoustics in the world (or second to the Mormon
Tabernacle or something like that).  I know some of us are up on our
legislator's and on first name basis, probably.  We WASL watchers are behind
many of you, but we're learning fast.  We're told that Washington is doing a
much better and more cautious job, so we won't make the same mistakes you
other states have made. (this is always said with a bit of a sneer and we'd
spit on the ground too, if we weren't so danged civilized)  We're so
enlightened out here in the shadow of Mt. Rainier!  I think we all need to do
a bunch of note comparing and see just how close the lines we're being handed
are.

Has anybody compiled hard copy information briefs on each state's test and
the direction they're headed?  Whether they're top secret, etc...?  People
need to see the tests.  Which states are "raising the bar" and which states
are going for "basic skills."  There were some kind of hearings to tie WASL
into higher ed entrance requirements, I think today.  And what kinds of
things can we do to transition from a state by state to a national testing
plan and end up with better than we've got?  Is there any chance that we
could somehow sway national testing that isn't high stakes?  Uh, like in the
enlightened past century?  Cheap, standardized, minimal indication of school
and student direction.

What in the world happened to strategic planning and site councils?  The
testoholics come in and that's it, game over, bow to the king and queen of
testland?

Sorry for rambling as usual....
Juanita