Re: foolish and harmful

["Kristen Lombardo" <kristengrace@sbcglobal.net>]

Thank you for replying. I cannot believe it but some of my fellow 2nd grade
teachers have actually bought into this test garbage, and I wanted to be
able to tell them the correct figure on other states.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George Sheridan" <learn@jps.net>
To: <ca-resisters@interversity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: [ca-resisters] foolish and harmful


> At 11:01 PM 4/9/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>
>   I understand that 42 states do not test 2nd graders at this time. Is
that
>   true?
>
>
> Correct. According to Education Week ("Quality Counts 2006"), besides
California
> only eight states (out of 51, counting D.C.) mandate testing of second
graders.
> Not only that, California 2nd graders are on average younger than those in
other
> states, because we allow kindergarten entrance at an earlier age.
>
>
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: "George Sheridan" <learn@jps.net>
>   To: <ca-resisters@serv1.ncte.org>; <ca-resisters@interversity.org>
>   Cc: <ARN-l@interversity.org>
>   Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 10:38 PM
>   Subject: [ca-resisters] foolish and harmful
>
>
>   > 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
>
>
>
>
>   <SNIP>
>
> George Sheridan
> Northside School
> Cool, California 95614
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Direct questions about the list to listmom@interversity.net
>