Re: foolish and harmful

[George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>]

 At 11:45 PM 4/9/2007 -0700, Susan Harman wrote:

    The Director of the Division of Standards and Assessment explained that
    without the test, there would be no way to know until children are
    entering fourth grade whether or not they can read.

  George, is this a quote from Sigman? In a paper? Please give me the context
  so I can write her. Has she forgotten about teachers? Or parents?


Susan:

In January Deb Sigman met  with CTA's Assessment and Student Testing Committee,
together with members of our Language Acquisition Committee. We asked about the
Department's position on extending STAR testing of second graders, and this was
her response.

Whatever she may think privately (if she has private thoughts on this subject)
does not really matter. As a bureaucrat, her position is determined by the
decisions of the State Superintendent, Jack O'Connell. O'Connell has no respect
for our opinion any time it differs from his own.  Spend your time writing to the
Assembly Education Committee; they will listen if they hear from enough of us and
their opinion matters more than O'Connell's.

Not only is the STAR test unreliable; by its very design it is unable to give us
the kind of information parents and teachers really want about children's
reading. So all the K-3 teachers in my school use our district-adopted reading
assessments, which enable us to identify particular strengths and weaknesses for
each child and to provide appropriate assistance immediately. At parent
conferences each fall I share this information with parents so they know exactly
what kinds of help their children need. When STAR test results differ markedly
from what we know about a child (due perhaps to a bad cold or a dispute with a
best friend on test day), we can say with a high degree of confidence, based on
repeated observation and assessment, what the child is actually capable of doing.



  On Monday, April 9, 2007, at 10:38 PM, George Sheridan wrote:

     If you live in California, please call, write or email members of the
    Assembly
    Education Committee to oppose AB 1353 (Huff) a measure to extend STAR
    testing of
    second graders beyond the current sunset date of July 1, 2007. It's
    especially
    important to get parents and teachers of primary-age children to contact
    members
    of the Assembly Education Committee in opposition to this bill.

    The Assembly Education Committee will hold a hearing on AB 1353
    Wednesday, April
    18 in the afternoon. Members of the public will be able to speak at the
    end of
    the hearing.

    Of all the foolish and harmful pieces of legislation created in the name
    of
    "accountability," this is one of the most foolish and harmful. Testing of
    children below third grade is notoriously unreliable, so the results
    would be of
    little value to the state or to districts even if one wholeheartedly
    accepted the
    value of the larger testing enterprise. Thus the tests represent a waste
    of
    millions of dollars and tens of thousands of student hours diverted from
    instruction. But even more seriously, this is an alien and alienating
    experience
    for some of these young children. The impersonal conditions of the test
    preclude
    answering their questions or providing any feedback or encouragement for
    their
    work. Such negative experiences can affect their relationship to school
    for a
    long time to come.

    The California Department of Education wants the test, however. The
    Director of
    the Division of Standards and Assessment explained that without the test,
    there
    would be no way to know until children are entering fourth grade whether
    or not
    they can read.

    The California Assembly Education Committee:

    Mullin, Gene (Chair)
    Sarah Ramirez, Chief of Staff
    Phone:(916) 319 2019
    FAX(916) 319 2119

    Garrick, Martin (Vice Chair)
    Duane Dichiara, COS
    Mike Zimmerman, Leg/Ed
    Phone: (916) 319 2074
    FAX (916) 319 2174

    Brownley, Julia
    Stephanie Burri, COS
    Julie Gallagher, Leg Director
    (916) 319 2041
    (916) 319 2141

    Coto, Joe
    Manny Hernandez, COS
    Mike Welch, Education
    (916) 319 2023
    (916) 319 2123

    Eng, Mike
    Julio Martinez, COS
    Diana Quach, Education
    (916) 319 2049
    (916) 319 2149

    Hancock, Loni
    Hans Hemann, COS
    Rebecca Baumann, Education
    (916) 319 2014
    (916) 319 2114

    Huff, Bob
    Junay Gardner Logan, COS
    Faith Conley, Leg Director
    (916) 319 2060
    (916) 319 2160

    Karnette, Betty
    Ted Muhlhauser, COS
    Kellie Smith, Education
    (916) 319 2054
    (916) 319 2154

    Nakanishi, Alan
    Jeff Hale, COS
    Anne Schmidt, Leg Director
    (916) 319 2010
    (916) 319 2110

    Solorio, Jose
    Adriana Sanchez-Ochoa, Chief of Staff
    Erika Contreras, Leg Director
    Phone: (916) 319 2069
    (FAX: 916) 319 2169

    George Sheridan


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George Sheridan
Northside School
Cool, California 95614