WA State PTSA Survey
This is a fairly quick survey and it was interesting to see what they are pushing this year. It closes on September 18th. The topics are:
For highly capable, 68% said it was very important/important.
Naturally, this is a small survey of a select group of people so not really valid results.
- early childhood learning
- school zone signs
- opportunity gap
- charters
- juvenile justice
- highly capable
For highly capable, 68% said it was very important/important.
Naturally, this is a small survey of a select group of people so not really valid results.
Comments
Surveyor
You do need to click and read the descriptions to fully understand some of the questions. Still, perhaps the survey takers are paying better attention that we give them credit for, the charter schools question doesn't appear to have nearly the same support as any of the other questions.
Solvay Girl
But what do I know? I'm just a teacher, not a billionaire, thus I am too dumb to have any idea what is best for my profession or my students.
-CT
Solvay Girl
Thanks for the information on the Survey and your thinking about it.
Surveys are often the foundation for proposing nonsense.
As Richard Feynman, noble laureate said during the 1964 California high school math text book adoption: (I do not think WA uses nobel laureates in Physics on their math textbook adoptions)
If you want a solution to a problem get 5 true experts together. A panel of 1000 will produce very little of value.
YUP this survey will tell us what a bunch of people think after reading the Seattle Times etc. ... that hardly indicates a path worth pursuing.
Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, Nova will have any one rep at this year's training. Any other vocal alt/progressive/anti-corporate reform folks planning to attend? Anyone in Region 6 able to help organize some kind of collaborative response to this proposed agenda?
WSPTA Region 6 Leadership Conference
8:30am-1:15pm a@ JSCEE
--owlhouse
Here is the proposal
Opportunity Gap
Eliminate the state’s achievement gaps and create equitable opportunities for all children.
We will do this by working to implement policies and practices that:
• Set high expectations for every child and provide challenging and engaging curricula
(same stuff we've heard for a decade)
• Use data to ensure each child gets the academic intervention and support he or she needs.
(Yet the data about instructional practices and materials that have proven to be effective is ignored)
• Improve family engagement, cultural competence and home-school communication
(Without improved instructional programs this will be only marginally effective .. children from highly dysfunctional families will see little if any benefit from this.)
• Provide a positive learning climate and promote positive behavior intervention.
(Is this any different than what we've heard for the last decade?)
• Promote collaboration that helps staff maximize instructional time, materials and strategies.
(seems these are just words ... that lack any real meaning)
• Equitably distribute learning resources and ensure funding meets need
(No definition of equitable funding ... look at the complete failure of Seattle's Southeast Education initiative ... it met the criteria above and was a dismal failure.)
Until the PTSA faces up to the fact that ideology, instructional practices and materials are in use that are extremely poor ... all these words and a 48% very important will mean absolutely nothing to most educationally disadvantaged learners.
An in depth look at proposed Core 24 and the coming Common Core State Standards and how the CCSSI will impact educationally disadvantaged learners would be a much more appropriate action than writing words like those on the opportunity gap.
=======
Keep in mind that the PTSA supported the adoption of the CCSSI which will require local districts to pay from district funds $165 million over the next 5-years .... that likely means 330+ fewer teachers per year for the next 5 years.
Smooth move PTSA ... Pierson Publishing appreciates your work as they will make billions on the largest expansion of testing in the universe ... this coming disaster will make the WASL actually look worthwhile by comparison.
At any rate, the question is stated in such a way that you're one of those "status quo-ers" if you wanted to (and had the opportunity to) call bs on certain aspects of the gap and its use - It takes at face value some concepts that I believe to be faulty, makes you sound mean if you disagree, and gives you no opportunity to choose an answer reflective of discomfort.
-reader
Not impressed with the PTSA Survey