AYP debate

[Diane Aoki <dkeikoa@hawaii.rr.com>]

I am preparing to debate with the Board of Directors of our state level
union organization. I am a board member and every year come convention time,
I try to make a dent on getting us to stand up against NCLB and high-stakes
testing. As I wrote earlier this year, there are many who do not agree with
me, much to my disappointment. Their reasoning, I believe, is based on
wanting to believe in the illusion. (Like in the Matrix). I need to speak
clearly and strongly. My NBI is: HSTA shall inform its members that the use
of AYP as currently defined by the NCLB Act, is flawed.

Here are my talking points:

1) The rules of the game are unfair - All subgroups must make the cut score
but only if your school is large enough for its subgroups to have the
minimum number of students. You will have many schools recognized for these
factors that have nothing to do with a quality education, and punished
likewise. 

2) The goal of 100% proficiency is impossible - Will we have no more
children with disabilities, no new immigrants, no poverty, no health
problems, quality preschools for all, no homeless by 2014? Even if we were
to get on that bus to affect social change in a big way, to achieve 100%
perfection by 2014 is not possible because these are human beings who learn
at different rates even in the best of conditions. So, if we accept that
this is impossible, why do we legitimize jumping through the hoops along the
way?

3) Narrowing of Curriculum - Forget about meaningful units of study,
inquiry, developmentally appropriate kindergarten, PE, art, music, multiple
intelligences, developing healthy relationships with students, etc. The
curriculum is narrowed to what is covered, school goals are targeted to make
AYP. That's all. 

4) We are encouraged to dehumanize our students. We called them bubble kids
last year, this year they are tippers (or tipping point kids), at one school
they are called the golden banders. These are the students in the middle,
who will just barely make it, or just barely miss it. They are given the
most attention and resources. Who gets left behind? The top and bottom. We
are told to analyze our classes, count each one as predicted to make it or
not. Give attention to those who have a chance, never mind about the ones
who are too far from the cut score to make a difference.

5) Does AYP and NCLB really stand for what we believe in? Do we believe that
test scores are equal to quality education? Teachers are demoralized because
they are forced to push methods, tests and test prep, and academic targets
that go against their core belief system. By legitimizing AYP, we are
legitimizing high-stakes tests as an effective instrument of school reform.
We really don't believe this.

6) We are letting quality be defined by something that we vehemently
disagree with. We need to start defining quality in a way that we agree
with. We need to have that discussion about what does a quality public
education look like and how can we get that for our students. When we focus
on AYP, we take our focus off of what is real and true.

I don't know if they will cut me off - so I guess that's enough for now. If
anyone cares to read this far and has HELPFUL comments to make and how I can
BETTER MAKE my case, I will gladly welcome your response. If you are
interested in tearing my case apart, I will delete you upon seeing your name
anyway. So don't bother.