Re: More Fallout from the Testing Explosion

["Dull, Chad" <DullC@westerntc.edu>]

Yeah,

I would back down as a parent before I would stigmatize my child, but
I'd love to see a group effort.  When I was teaching I suggested that
all children of educators ought to opt out, but I was alone in the
wilderness:) 

-----Original Message-----
From: arn-l-owner@interversity.org [mailto:arn-l-owner@interversity.org]
On Behalf Of Nancy Patterson
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 2:34 PM
To: arn-l@interversity.org
Subject: Re: [arn-l] More Fallout from the Testing Explosion

Parents can opt out of the MEAP in Michigan, but they don't realize
that. At one point the MEAP instruction book for teachers said that
teachers were not allowed to tell parents that their children could opt
out.  That language has apprently been removed.  But there is tremendous
pressure on school districts to test every child.  If a certain
percentage of the students in any given school do not take the test, the
school or district can be penalized.  The state could withhold whatever
the per pupil funding is for that child.

Just recently a parent in Zeeland Michigan was told that her daughter
might not be allowed into the next grade if the parent opted her out of
the MEAP.  The district suggested that the girl just put her name on the
test and do nothing else.  That way the district would have a test for
the girl, at least.  The parents said no and ultimately the district
backed down.

Nancy


Nancy Patterson, PhD
Literacy Studies Program Chair
College of Education
Grand Valley State University
920 Eberhard Center
301 W. Fulton
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504
616-331-6226
patterna@gvsu.edu
http://faculty.gvsu.edu/patterna
>>> DullC@westerntc.edu 10/27/06 2:54 PM >>>
How many of you are in states where kids can opt out of state mandated
tests? We can here in Wisconsin and I intend to opt my kids out as they
hit the exams and am hoping many of us will, particularly other middle
class educated folks like me and my wife.

I know in the short term it won't help my school's funding, but maybe in
the long term it could help schools... 

-----Original Message-----
From: arn-l-owner@interversity.org [mailto:arn-l-owner@interversity.org]
On Behalf Of PRISCILLA GUTIERREZ
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 1:48 PM
To: arn-l@interversity.org
Subject: Re: [arn-l] More Fallout from the Testing Explosion

Once again, I fail to see your logic.  I think I will take everyone's
advice and just ignore you...



Priscilla Gutierrez
Outreach Specialist
New Mexico School for the Deaf

....change is inevitable, growth is optional...





>From: ABurke5054@aol.com
>Reply-To: arn-l@interversity.org
>To: arn-l@interversity.org
>Subject: Re: [arn-l] More Fallout from the Testing Explosion
>Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 11:29:45 EDT
>
>
>In a message dated 10/26/2006 9:46:26 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
>pgutpgut@msn.com writes:
>
>...students who cannot identify nonsense words, sounds, or letters  
>fast enough are labeled at risk and given intensive phonics
>instruction  even if they already know how to read.   Hours of daily
>instruction in reading are geared towards getting children to bark out 
>sounds and words as fast as they can because so much is riding on
whether
>they can pass DIBELS or not....
>
>
>
>
>____________________________________________________
>We need better people in the schools.  What could be clearer?
>
>Art


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