Early Warning Updates

I titled this thread "Early Warning" because I believe we are starting to see the signs of some major upheaval.

First, I'd like to just take a pulse about opting out.  If you feel comfortable, could you comment if you are opting your child(ren) out of the SBAC and at what school (or, if not the school, the region - NE, NW, Central, WS, SW or SE)?  You don't have to give grade level, gender or names, of course.  

As well, let us know if this is a source of open discussion or quiet discussion and if you are getting pushback from staff.

Next, I believe the Charter Commission will be releasing a statement soon - probably in the next couple of days - that they will either be suspending First Place Scholars' charter or closing it down entirely.  This will be sad but my impression is that the new Board/Director at First Place have not been able to meet the requirements set out by the Charter Commission when FP was placed on probation. 

Lastly, below is a letter from Chief Sealth teachers to the Nathan Hale Community.  It is a beautifully written letter and it has some key points that I want to pull out.

Dear Parents, Students, Teachers and Staff of Nathan Hale High School,

We, the undersigned teachers and staff at Chief Sealth International High School, are writing to you in a show of support for your efforts to forego administration of the SBA tests to your 11th graders. We object to this sort of testing and agree with your reasoning on the tests.

As a school with a high percentage of students with IEPs, English Language Learners, Black and Latino students, students that live in or near poverty, and other traditionally marginalized populations we expect to be particularly devastated by this invalid and unreliable measurement of our students. We are concerned that these students in particular, aside from being labeled failures continuously, will also be subjected to further testing, more so than other students. This model is not in the interest of our students. This test will serve to widen the achievement gap and decrease graduation rates.

We, like you, have struggled with the implementation of different and higher standards without the resources to support that implementation. Our Special Education department continues to be understaffed. Our building budget continues to lack the resources we need to prepare students to achieve the high standards required by this test. Of course, we support having high expectations for each and every student and supporting each and every student in developing their potential to the fullest, but have been frustrated with the lack of resources to make that happen. Implementation of this test will only serve to show us what we already know: our schools are not well-resourced enough to implement these much higher standards. We agree that this is unnecessary self-flagellation and not a wise use of spare educational resources. In particular, this testing comes at a time when our building is experiencing budget cuts where we are being forced to choose between student services and class offerings, an annual Sophie’s choice that the implementation of this test only exacerbates.

We further recognize the arbitrary nature of the “cut scores”--those scores that will determine proficiency on the test. We were shocked to learn that the scores were set by a select group who simply decided what they thought should be grade level proficiency. This does not reflect the evidence and research based practices to which we try to hold ourselves accountable.

We agree that it seems like more than a waste of time to implement this test to 11th graders in particular. These students will not see any benefit from having taken this test. These students have not been instructed to the Common Core standards so why would we assess whether they can perform to them? We wonder who does benefit from this implementation.

Of course we are operating in the same context as you are. A context in which our state legislature is being held in contempt for its unwillingness to adequately fund basic education in our state. As a result, in an environment of inadequate and declining Federal, State, and District funding and a new law tying teacher salaries to the results of this inadequate test, as Superintendent Larry Nyland says, “we are each being asked to do what seems daunting.” Of course, our hesitation earns us the label of having a “fixed mindset rather than a growth mindset.” We reject this formulation. In fact, we encourage growth and strive for growth every day, in ourselves and in our students. We would encourage District, State and Federal officials to adopt the same mindset and provide some growth in funding and resources.

We continue to believe that a world class education system that prepares students for college and career requires the investment of significant resources and cannot be done on the cheap by implementing new standards and tests. We recognize that this strategy has been attempted most recently with the latest iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, colloquially known as No Child Left Behind, and has been a miserable failure.

Thank you for taking this stand and know that you have the support of many of your fellow educators and community members. 

End of letter



This test will serve to widen the achievement gap and decrease graduation rates. 

I believe this thought is one that is echoing throughout the country.  I think ed reform has overstepped in its zeal in believing that they know what is best especially for underprivileged kids of color.   (I'll have a separate thread which speaks to this issue via, what I believe, is a particularly damning column in an ed reform blog.)

Of course, we support having high expectations for each and every student and supporting each and every student in developing their potential to the fullest, but have been frustrated with the lack of resources to make that happen.

Again, other meme for ed reform is that if you believe poverty is an issue in public education, then you believe poor children cannot learn and that teachers have lower expectations for those students.

Poverty is an issue in public education, should be addressed at the same time as public education issues but it does not mean that poor kids can't learn.  It's insulting to both the general public and teachers to hold that this is the main belief system for most people in those two categories. 

In particular, this testing comes at a time when our building is experiencing budget cuts where we are being forced to choose between student services and class offerings, an annual Sophie’s choice that the implementation of this test only exacerbates. 

And there is your early warning about school budgets. Schools are suffering from proposed budget cuts.

I have to write about the last Work Session that included school budgets but this feeling from Sealth teachers is exactly what I am hearing districtwide. 

However,  Budget's Linda Sebring told the Directors that principals were to be given a one-year hold on losing any more staff as principals said they just could not take this in-and-out of staff especially assistant principals, counselors and office staff.  (I will confirm this but it is what I believe Ms. Sebring to have said.) 

We were shocked to learn that the scores were set by a select group who simply decided what they thought should be grade level proficiency. This does not reflect the evidence and research based practices to which we try to hold ourselves accountable. 

Again, this accountability piece that gets pushed but without real research-based data.  

We agree that it seems like more than a waste of time to implement this test to 11th graders in particular. These students will not see any benefit from having taken this test. These students have not been instructed to the Common Core standards so why would we assess whether they can perform to them? We wonder who does benefit from this implementation. 

Take a test on information you haven't been taught that will not be reflected in your grades or ability to graduate..rather than being in class learning?  Yes, who benefits from this?

I truly hope that we all continue to rise up against this testing excess AND hold the Legislature's feet to the fire over McCleary.