Re: [ARN-state] Fw: first DID YOU KNOW press release

[Monty Neill <monty@FAIRTEST.ORG>]

Gabie, this is a good clean quick piece. Congrats also to Carole for
writing it.

A couple things to consider: if this is largely going to the media, you
might want to give them a short (2pp) backgrounder with it providing
them with more info to back up the claims. The white and black numbers
could be useful (I recall hearing that US African Americans score
similar to "third world" nations (e.g. Lebanon) while US "whites" score
similar to western Europe). I don't know how much race is also here a
proxy for class, perhaps there is some data by SES not only race. (In
general, class is best predictor of test scores, better than race, but
almost inevitably at any income level blacks and Latinos score lower
than whites).

The difference among states is also fairly substantial in terms of the
previous TIMSS (some 2 years) being equated to NAEP by the US Dept of
Ed; in that, for example, Mass tended to score as well as or better than
West European nations (that would mask the class/race/language
disparities within MA of course)--but some states do very poorly (look
at lower scores on NAEP). This may not redound well to AZ, but you might
see if you can use it to point out the class/race gaps in AZ more
pointedly -- how to whites in AZ do on NAEP, how to Latinos, Native
Americans, blacks, do on NAEP -- would not be able to give numbers
relative to international comparisons, but maybe suggestions. Perhaps
Jerry Bracey has some ideas on this.

In sum, don't expand the good short one, but think of whether a
reasonably quick compilation of background data with some interpretation
might strengthen the impact on reporters.

When it is done, please send us a clean copy -- we can post it to the
FairTest/ARN website.

And is your question about writing these
Gabie Gedlaman wrote:
>
> PLEASE DO NOT SEND THE PRESS RELEASE BELOW OUT TO PEOPLE UNTIL I PREPARE IT
> FOR SENDING OUT (A CLEAN COPY).  IT'S JUST A PERK TO BEING ON THE
> LISTSERV/egroup ; )
>
> one of our action items in ARIZONA to combat AIMS and over-testing of kids
> is to put out these 'did you know' releases to local newspapers and sources
> of these manufactured lies. basically we've planned to take one myth on
> testing and expose it or help reduce the hype a certain myth has received.
>
> here's the first one that dr carole edelsky has drawn up, but i'm sending it
> with a little...request.  is there a way we can all work together to get
> these written up so that we can share the 'did you knows' so that i don't
> have to find someone to write one each month?  my hope is that if we can all
> take a month to be responsible for either writing or finding someone to
> write then, we can easily get one 'did you know' a month for everyone to
> share with local papers.  can i get some help, here?  please email me
> privately if you will help carry the load.  THANKS!
>
> Gabie Gedlaman
> ggedlaman@bigfoot.com
> ****************************************************************************
> **********************************
> WHAT'S WRONG WITH 'HIGH STAKES TESTS' AND THE 'AIMS' TEST IN PARTICULAR?
> www.stopAIMSnow.org
> azstandards-subscribe@egroups.com
> ----- Original Message ----- >
> > >Subject: first DID YOU KNOW press release
> > >Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 13:56:31 -0700
> > >
> > >here's the first of the 'Did You Know. . . ' press releases.  who will do
> > >subsequent ones?  on what topics?  how about on rod paige?  i'll send a
> > >great comment by gerry coles that could serve as the basis for it.  or
> > >there are LOTS of other topics/points that could be framed as 'Did You
> > >Know. . .'
> > >carole
> > >
> > >**********DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT**********
> > >Press Release from AZStandards
> (contact Gabie Gedlaman <ggedlaman@hotmail.com>, 480-539-1337
>
> > >January 2, 2001
> > >
> > >Did You Know . . . . . .
> > >
> > >that data released last month showed that Hungary was the leading nation
> in
> > >science in the Third International Math and Science Study-Repeat
> (TIMSS-R)?
> > >The USA came in twelfth of 38 countries.  That doesn't sound good to
> those
> > >interested in such international comparisons.  In fact, it's just the
> kind
> > >of data used by Achieve, founded by IBM CEO Leo Gerstner, to  justify
> > >calling for tougher standards and more testing.
> > >
> > >But the corporate heads should brush up on their own investigative
> skills.
> > >It turns out that the average number of items answered correctly by
> > >top-ranked Hungary was 36.  Twelfth ranked USA got 32 items right.  A
> mere
> > >four items on a multiple choice test hardly offers substantial
> > >justification for pouring billions into yet another testing program.
> > >
> > >Should US students improve in science?  Of course.  Does the TIMSS-R
> > >ranking of US students in science reveal an educational disaster?
> > >Certainly not.
> > >
> > >Moreover, the White American sample performed decidedly above average
> while
> > >the Black and Hispanic samples did not.  So inequality of
> > >opportunity--unequal access to fully credentialed science teachers,
> unequal
> > >access to well-equipped science labs, unequal access to rich science
> > >curricula, unequal access to teaching that focuses on deep understanding
> > >(Hungary's preferred "method" versus focusing on answers which is the
> > >preferred "method" in the USA)--is the main problem.  That's what
> corporate
> > >heads need to work on first, not standards and punitive testing programs.
>
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