Friends and Colleagues:
The Legislature recesses on March 29 and will hear AB 1353 (Huff)
in earlyApril. The committee requested position letters on key
bills by March 29. Please urge committee members to
VOTE NO ON AB 1353 AND IMPLEMENT THE SUNSET OF THE GRADE 2 STAR TEST
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2007
* AB 1353 would break the agreement to exclude pupils in grade 2
from the standards-based achievement test requirement effective July
1, 2007. This agreement was made when California's assessment
system was reauthorized in SB 1448 Alpert (Chapter 233, Statutes of
2004)
* Ending the grade 2 statewide tests in SB 1448 aligned
California's
Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program with federal
requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education
Reauthorization (No Child Left Behind Act) which requires statewide
testing of pupils beginning in third grade.
* When the grade 2 test sunsets, California will save about $3.2
million
annually - money that could be spent on vital education reforms.
* Testing second graders for several hours every year takes too
much
valuable instructional time and robs students of meaningful classroom
instruction.
* Implementing the end of the grade 2 tests improves California's
student assessment system and allows teachers to teach our youngest
students actual knowledge and skills instead of test-taking
strategies that are inappropriate for young children.
* Studies have shown standardized statewide testing of young
children is developmentally inappropriate and is not a sound basis
for an accountability system.
* Dedicated and experienced classroom teachers across the state who
administer the grade 2 STAR test to their 2nd grade students do not
believe the test produces instructionally useful data to improve
student learning or to strengthen the curriculum.
* According to an Education Week report "Quality Counts 2006"
forty-one states do not mandate standardized statewide testing for
pupils in grade 2. On July 1, 2007 California will join these
states by exempting over 470,000 pupils in grade 2 from an
unnecessary test with low reliability.
* Assessments should be used as a diagnostic/prescriptive tool to
improve instruction and advance student learning. Multiple, varied
and
age-appropriate performance assessments of student achievement
including district, school, and classroom-based assessments
conducted by teachers for the purpose of supporting and
strengthening instruction as well as for summarizing and evaluating
student learning are consistent with professional standards on
assessment and support a students' positive self- image by
reflecting accomplishment of curricular objectives.
* Testing should not detract from time allotted for the delivery
of the
required curriculum or cause a negative impact on students'
academic performance.
CTA urges a "NO" vote on AB 1353 (Huff), a bill that would bar the
implementation of the sunset of the grade 2 STAR test on July 1,
2007.
All emails, letters, faxes, phone calls, and district visits should
be made
to the members of the Assembly Education Committee, especially
Assembly Member Gene Mullin (AD 19), chair of the Assembly Education
Committee. The goal is to secure confirmed "No" votes among the
democratic members of the committee and for
them to hear from many grade 2 teachers who are their constituents.
Below is specific information on how to contact members of the
Assembly Education Committee.
In 2004 the school administrators joined CTA in calling for the end
of the grade 2 test and they supported CTA's testing bill AB 356
(Hancock). Today, since their members are supposedly divided ACSA
will conduct a survey next week of their members to determine their
position on the AB 1353 (Huff). Please urge administrators to join
CTA in opposing AB 1353. It would be dreadful if administrators
supported the continuation of the grade 2 test.
Contact Assemblymember Gene Mullin, Chair of the Assembly Education
Committee at:
Assemblymember.Mullin@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
916.319.2019
916.319.2119 fax
District Office
1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 302
San Mateo, CA 94402
(650) 349-1900
(650) 341-4676 Fax
Assemblymember Julia Brownley
Assemblymember.Brownley@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0041
Tel: (916) 319-2041
Fax: (916) 319-2141
District Office:
6355 Topanga Canyon Boulevard,
Suite 205
(Topanga Canyon Blvd at Victory Blvd
Free street parking on the west side of the building.)
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Tel: (818) 596-4141
Tel: (310) 395-3414
Tel: (805) 644-4141
Fax: (818) 596-4150
Assembly Education Committee Members
Gene Mullin, Chair
Dem-19
(916) 319-2019
Assemblymember.mullin@assembly.ca.gov
Martin Garrick, Vice Chair
Rep-74
(916) 319-2074
Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov
Julia Brownley
Dem-41
(916) 319-2041
Assemblymember.Brownley@assembly.ca.gov
Joe Coto
Dem-23
(916) 319-2023
Assemblymember.coto@assembly.ca.gov
Assemblymember Mike Eng
Dem-49
(916) 319-2049
Assemblymember.Eng@asm.ca.gov
Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0049
Tel: (916) 319-2049
Fax: (916) 319-2149
Capitol Office Staff
District Office:
9420 Telstar Avenue, Suite 103
El Monte, CA 91731
Tel: (626) 450-6116
Fax: (626) 450-6117
District Office Staff
Loni Hancock
Dem-14
(916) 319-2014
Assemblymember.hancock@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office
State Capitol P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0014
Phone: (916) 319-2014
Fax: (916) 319-2114
District Office
712 El Cerrito Plaza
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Phone: (510) 559-1406
Fax: (510) 559-1478
Assemblyman Bob Huff
Rep-60
(916) 319-2060
Assemblymember.huff@assembly.ca.gov
Assembly District 60
Proudly Serving: Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Anaheim, La Mirada,
Orange, La Habra, Yorba Linda, Walnut, Whittier, Villa Park, La
Habra Heights, San Dimas, Industry
Capitol Office
State Capitol
Room 4098
Sacramento, CA 94249-0060
Phone: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
City of Diamond Bar District Office
23355 E. Golden Springs Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Phone: 909-860-5560
Fax: 909-860-5664
Betty Karnette
Dem-54
(916) 319-2054
Assemblymember.Karnette@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office
State Capitol . P.O. Box 942849 . Sacramento, CA 94249-0054 . (916)
319-2054
District Office(s)
3711 Long Beach Boulevard, Suite 801 . Long Beach, CA 90807 . (562)
997-0794
461 West 6th Street, Suite 306 . San Pedro, CA 90731 . (310) 548-6420
Alan Nakanishi
Rep-10
(916) 319-2010
Assemblymember.nakanishi@assembly.ca.gov
Assemblyman Jose Solorio
Dem-69
(916) 319-2069
Assemblymember.solorio@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0069
Tel: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169
District Office:
2400 E. Katella Avenue, Suite 640
Anaheim, CA 92806
Tel: (714) 939-8469
Fax: (714) 939-8986
Assemblymember Joe Coto
State Capitol
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0023
916.319.2023
FAX 916.319.2123
District Office
100 Paseo De San Antonio, #319
San Jose, CA 95113
408.277.1220
Fax: 408.277.1036
George Sheridan
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