Lists | [no subject] : CA-RESISTERS : April 2006

HumRRO teamed with expert staff from University of Minnesota=B9s National
Center for Education Outcomes [NCEO] in June 2005 to analyze CAHSEE 2004-05
test items.  Examiners found a laundry list of technical flaws---any one of
which could be deemed highly significant in eyes of students, parents and
legal counsel if unilaterally responsible for triggering up to six CAHSEE
re-takes; forcing students to forfeit electives, extracurricular activities=
,
and/or skill-building jobs in lieu of monotonous and irrelevant [to real
life and goals] test prep throughout high school or summer school; or worse=
,
causing students to be denied life=B9s most essential passport to options and
opportunity---their high school diploma.
 =20
Out of 79 total items on the English Language Arts [ELA] section only 24
were found to be =B3problem-free.=B2  All reading =8Cpassages=B9 had problems.
Technical quality problems [also termed flaws or issues in the report] were
found among nearly two-thirds of ELA test items. Problems were described in
overall design and diversity in 14 items or passages; readability problems
in 13 items, passages, or prompts; formatting problems in 35 items,
passages, or prompts.  Twelve ELA items [15%] were serious enough to
recommend re-examination or removal of the items.
 =20
Math item analysis was equally jolting.  Out of 92 items only 28 were
=8Cproblem-free=B9 bearing out problems for the remaining two-thirds.  One item
had two possible correct answers; one had misleading visuals; 34 had
formatting problems; 24 had readability problems; 12 had unclear links to
state standards.  Readability issues included graphs that were too small,
grid lines without sufficient visual contrast, confusing arrangement of
answer choices on graphs, math function signs easily confused because
equations were not separated on their own line, math problems written out
thus requiring unnecessary language interpretation, such as, =8Cequivalent to=
=B9
instead of using the more universal  =3D sign.
 =20
Given copious authoritative research citing negative consequences to
specific large subgroups, several attempts to remedy through legislation,
major legal challenges stacking up, and indisputable technical evidence
against the CAHSEE---one can only hope key state education officials will
take immediate steps to salvage the senior year and life-options for
100,000+ seniors.  These seniors have taken what they were handed by the
system and done well enough during the past 13 years, 2.000 days, and 12,00=
0
hours to meet or surpass all traditional graduation requirements. Amazingly=
,
with help from dedicated teachers and parents they accomplished these feats
in spite of California=B9s near rock bottom education infrastructure ratings
compared to all other states.
=20
So before losses mount the state should admit a 2 day snap-shot bubble test
and cold-turkey writing sample with no margin for it=B9s own technical errors
is not a valid indicator of past academic achievement or predictor of futur=
e
collegiate or job performance. The CAHSEE and has never been longitudinally
researched to confirm any such relationships.
=20
Printers need to roll their presses to get out graduation announcements,
invitations, photos, yearbooks, and diplomas in time to resurrect the
glorious graduation seniors in the Class of 2006 have earned.
=20
 =20
Jo Behm, RN, M.S. Public Policy Consultant
Marin County California  jobehm@behmer.us

------------------------
Jo Rupert Behm, M.S., RN
State and Federal Health and Education Public Policy Consultant
Phone:  415-897-2426
FAX:    415-897-8115
email:  jobehm@behmer.us

"Convincing Grown-ups to Enact Responsible Policy and Legislation When
Deciding the Future of Children"  JRB January, '04



> From: Marilyn Langlois <langlois-rine@comcast.net>
> Reply-To: <ca-resisters@interversity.org>
> Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 12:58:02 -0700
> To: <ca-resisters@interversity.org>
> Cc: <jobehm@behmer.us>
> Subject: Re: [ca-resisters] District to Vote on Defying Exit Exam Law
>=20
> Dear ca-resisters--
>=20
> Any of you who are in the Bay Area, please join us Monday April 10 in
> Richmond if you can!
>=20
> 3:30 pm outside of Lavonya DeJean Middle School at 33rd and Macdonald. No=
te
> also that students and others will be marching from Richmond High School
> after school that day.   See below for details.  The full wording of Dave
> Brown's proposed resolution is posted at www.march4education.org
>=20
> George, thanks for posting the SF Chronicle article about the resolution
> being presented to WCCUSD about an alternative to the exit exam.
>=20
> Jo, I was so impressed with your presentation on the exit exam at the
> literacy and HST conference in Fresno.  Hope you can make it across the
> Richmond-San Rafail bridge Monday afternoon!
>=20
> Marilyn
> Richmond CA
>=20
> ------
> From: vivaraul@sfsu.edu
> Date: Fri,  7 Apr 2006 18:34:44 -0700
> Subject: Richmond-April 10. SAVE OUR DIPLOMAS Flyer
>=20
> (please forward widely--flyers on attachments)
> WHAT: MARCH 4 STUDENT RIGHTS TO SAVE OUR DIPLOMAS!
>=20
> WHEN: MONDAY APRIL 10TH, 3:45PM IN FRONT OF RICHMOND HIGH (1250 23rd St.)
>=20
> WHERE TO: LOVONYA DEJEAN MIDDLE SCHOOL 3400 MACDONALD AVE., RICHMOND, CA
>=20
>=20
> NEARLY 500 STUDENTS OF THE WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY =
NOT
> RECEIVE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA THIS JUNE BECAUSE OF THE CALIFORNIA HIG=
H
> SCHOOL EXIT EXAM... UNLESS YOU COME TAKE A STAND TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTIO=
N
> (that will be voted on April 10th) TO AWARD STUDENTS DIPLOMAS REGARDLESS =
OF
> WHETHER THE HAVE PASSED THE EXIT EXAM--SO LONG AS THEY HAVE FULFILLED ALL
> THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
>=20
>=20
> STUDENTS SAY ENOUGH OF THIS RACIST TEST!
> JUSTICE FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR!
> JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS!
> JUSTICE FOR ALL STUDENTS!
>=20
> ***P.S. Please call these board members right now and say, "I support Dav=
e
> Brown's resolution to award our students diplomas--Please vote YES on Mon=
day
> April 10th!"
>=20
> Board Members:
> Karen Fenton 510-236-8460
> Charles Ramsey 510-682-5600
> Karen Pfeifer 510-526-5367
> Glen Price 510-528-1315
>=20
>=20
>

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<TITLE>Re: [ca-resisters] TODAY- CALL ALL MEMBERS OF WEST CONTRA COSTA SCHO=
OL BOARD- District to Vote on Defying Exit Exam Law</TITLE>
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<BODY>
<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'>I wen=
t the WCCUSD Press Conference sponsored by &#8216;Justice Matters&#8217; las=
t Wednesday April 5 [my 26th anniversary] at Lovonya Dejean Middle School &a=
mp; gave public input at special board hearing on CAHSEE afterward and staye=
d until 9 for two more minutes during public comment period at their officia=
l WCCUSD board meeting which started two hours late because of their closed =
session to discuss mostly the CAHSEE. &nbsp;Will be there tomorrow, Monday A=
pril 10 too. <BR>
<BR>
There will lots more wedding anniversaries for me to celebrate but only one=
 in a lifetime graduation ceremony for the Class of 2006... so where I neede=
d to be last Wednesday was no contest. &nbsp;&nbsp;Jo Behm<BR>
<BR>
Meantime, everyone please pick-up the phone today if possible or asap tomor=
row morning. &nbsp;Advocate on behalf of all students at risk of unprecedent=
ed direct and collateral damage from being denied their hard-earned diploma,=
 and possibly barred from graduation or handed a campy, useless Certificate =
of Completion [not recognized at all be employers or colleges, or for for fi=
nancial aid/scholarships in college---these are 2nd class token, insulting d=
iploma replacements--- sorry, no offense to the dear 10% of students with di=
sabilities [1% of all tested] with severe cognitive impairments who will rec=
eive such certificates---but these students have not been performing at grad=
e level all along. &nbsp;The 48,000 WCCUSD students are otherwise fully qual=
ified to graduate grade level seniors...<BR>
<BR>
CALL EACH MEMBER OF THE WEST CONTRA COSTA SCHOOL Board and tell them to vot=
e to protect the graduation/diploma rights and dignity and future access to =
scholarships, financial aid, and access to living wage employment.<BR>
<BR>
Charles Ramsey: &nbsp;510- 682-5600<BR>
Karen Pfeifer: &nbsp;510- 526-5367<BR>
Karen Fenton: &nbsp;510-236-8460<BR>
Glen Price: &nbsp;510-528-1315<BR>
Dave Brown: &nbsp;510- 758-7077 &nbsp;[thank Dave, this initiative for civi=
l disobedience taking a stand for students was his idea]<BR>
<BR>
High stakes tests may be acceptable to professional licensures/certificatio=
n such as physicians, nurses, accountants, attorneys, but not for the longes=
t publicly mandated educational requirement in the world---13 years, 12,000 =
hours, 2,000 days of public school, nearly half of child's life on the plane=
t persevering, meeting all requirements in K-12.<BR>
<BR>
CAHSEE 2 subjects v. &nbsp;Graduation requirements 13 mandatory courses inc=
l sciences, social studies, economics, world and U.S. History, etc<BR>
CAHSEE scrantron tells more v. opinions and grades from 30-40 high school t=
eachers who spend 90-180 days or more with students<BR>
CAHSEE cold-turkey/surprise topic essay v. real life requiring references, =
drafts, edits, word processor to be minimally acceptable<BR>
CAHSEE no computers or calculators v. real life jobs/college require techno=
logy<BR>
<BR>
STAR has going on 3 alternate assessments [CAPA] and 2 more under developme=
nt [the one for 2% flex modified grade level students with disabilities &amp=
; STS [Standards-based Tests in Spanish] vs. &nbsp;zero alternate assessment=
 for the CAHSEE [persistent state violation of NCLB &amp; IDEA]<BR>
<BR>
Plus, multiple, gross universal design flaws [from an earlier op ed of mine=
] reported in Chpt 2 of last HumRRO-Human Resources Research Organization, i=
ndependent contractor headquartered in Alexandria, VA to analysis the CAHSEE=
 :<BR>
<BR>