Fwd:

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Lets make July 10 a NATIONAL call-in day.

Susan

Begin forwarded message:

  From: monicalucido@comcast.net

  Date: Sat Jul 7, 2007 9:47:03 AM US/Pacific

  To: ca-resisters@interversity.org

  Subject: [ca-resisters]

  Reply-To: ca-resisters@interversity.org

  Hello, everyone. This are the plans for Educators and Parents Against Test
  Abuse

  below. It is the email I sent out to everyone in our group. Email or take the

  ideas that we have come up with. I cannot post the PDF attachment for the
  quick

  handout online, but if you email me directly I will send it to you. There IS

  resistance!

  June 28th Meeting Results for EPATA

  1.) As a group we have decided that JULY 10th will be a call in day to

  Congressman George Miller and Senator Kennedy?s offices. We need to all let
  them

  know that NCLB is damaging and that it is not working. I have attached a
  quick

  sheet (PDF file) that you can pass out to parents by making copies, AND use
  for

  your phone call. Their numbers are as follows:

  Miller: (925) 602-1880 or (510) 262-6500 or (707) 645-1888 or (202) 225-2095

  Kennedy: (202)224- 4543 or (617) 565-3170 or (877) 472-9014

  I will try to contact other national groups so maybe we can make this a
  national

  day of action! WE NEED ALL OF YOU.

  2.) We have also decided to do presentations to community and parent groups.

  They will be given a power point presentation along with action steps, such
  as

  writing and signing our petition. The following will be contacted in the near

  future:

  a.) League of Women Voters

  b.) First Five

  c.) Hope Lutheran Church

  d.) Unitarian Church

  These are only a start. We can contact many others to get them educated and

  moving on stopping

  NCLB. If you know any more SEND ME THE INFO!

  3.) It was decided that we would contact supportive private businesses and
  have

  a booth out in front with our members meeting with the public. At the
  location,

  we would have our quick handout, Elizabeth Jaeger?s NCLB booklet for parents
  who

  want more, and our petition for them to sign. YOU can print out her booklet
  too

  at :

  http://oaklandea.org/front_page_docs/may_07/NCLB%20Jaeger.pd

  We would love to have volunteers email and either sit at a booth OR send the

  name of a business that would support this action.

  4.)Saturday, July 14, 11:00 AM 12:00 Noon

  There will be a Town Hall Meeting with Congressman George Miller.

  Location:

  IBEW Hall, 1875 Arnold Drive, Martinez, CA

  Congressman Miller will discuss Iraq War, Energy Independence and No Child

  Left Behind for 30 mins., and then take questions for 30 mins. or so.

  For further information, call Congressman Miller¹s office at (925) 602-1880.

  I am VERY interested in going. Who would like to car pool? Emaill me back!

  5.) Some members will be meeting with Californians for Justice to connect on

  NCLB and hopefully, with their support, we will have more man power to
  improve

  communicating with parents.

  6.) We have not decided on our next meeting date, as we are into an ?action?

  mode right now, but a date will be chosen after July, more than likely.
  Continue

  to visit WWW.TESTINGABUSE.BLOGSPOT.COM and WWW.EDUCATORROUNTABLE.ORG for

  information. Below is a letter to us from Monty Neil of Fairtest.

  Thanks,

  Joseph Lucido

  EPATA

  Educator Roundtable

  Ensure U.S. House Really Overhauls NCLB

  The House Education Committee is about to adopt language for the next version
  of

  the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/No

  Child Left Behind (NCLB). It could approve a bill in early July, with the
  full

  House voting later in July!

  Now is the time for assessment reformers like you to act. The next steps

  include:

  1) Keep pressure on the leadership, especially Chairman George Miller.

  Demand they make needed major improvements (as outlined below) and allow

  substantial time for discussion and amendments. Tell your Rep. to

  deliver this message to Mr. Miller. (See contact info at the bottom.)

  2) If your Representative is on the Education Committee, ask her or him to
  vote

  ?No? to any bill or parts of the bill that do not make

  sufficient changes in the law. Ask them to propose amendments to advance the
  key

  changes and to take leadership on these issues.

  3) Focus on key changes needed in the law:

  ? End unrealistic "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) requirements. Expect
  schools

  to make reasonable progress based on real-world rates of student improvement.

  ? Require testing once each in elementary, middle and high school, scrapping

  requirement to test in grades 3-8. Over-testing takes time

  away from real teaching and learning.

  ? Assess academic progress using multiple sources of evidence, not just

  standardized test scores. Provide funding to help states and districts

  develop locally-based, performance and classroom assessments to improve
  teaching

  and learning as well as accountability.

  ? Replace the test-and-punish approach with support for improving educational

  quality. Expect all schools to take reasonable steps to

  improve, including use of high-quality professional development and strong

  parental involvement. Replace current sanctions-based system with a focus on

  targeted assistance.

  4) Get other people and organizations to fax, call, or write Congress. Tell
  your

  Representatives and Senators to rely on the Joint Organizational Statement on

  NCLB and the legislative recommendations of the Forum on Educational

  Accountability to guide their votes on reauthorization of NLCB.

  http://www.fairtest.org/FEA_Home.htm

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