Every School Will Be Giving SBAC (Give or Take a Couple of Days)
I checked with SPS Communications - all SPS schools are giving the SBAC.
There ARE some schools - for different reasons - that are postponing/suspending the testing to some other point during the two-weeks.
I was told a postponement could be, for example, for a high number of ill students in a single day or technical difficulties but it appears it means that there are a high number of opt-outs and they may be trying to contain that.
They do report a high number of opt-outs in high schools especially for 11th graders. I think this makes sense because high school kids are likely to have heard about opting out from multiple venues, and know how to get it done.
I could not find any info at SBAC on postponements.
Update: KPLU is reporting at least 150 students are opting out of SBAC at Garfield. Maybe we should have a contest for the school that has the most opt-outs. (I'll front the ice cream or candy bars.)
There ARE some schools - for different reasons - that are postponing/suspending the testing to some other point during the two-weeks.
I was told a postponement could be, for example, for a high number of ill students in a single day or technical difficulties but it appears it means that there are a high number of opt-outs and they may be trying to contain that.
They do report a high number of opt-outs in high schools especially for 11th graders. I think this makes sense because high school kids are likely to have heard about opting out from multiple venues, and know how to get it done.
I could not find any info at SBAC on postponements.
Update: KPLU is reporting at least 150 students are opting out of SBAC at Garfield. Maybe we should have a contest for the school that has the most opt-outs. (I'll front the ice cream or candy bars.)
Comments
I also learned: Teachers are not permitted to OFFER paper and pencils to students; students must ASK for pencils and paper.
We can only hope that there are enough opt-outs to disqualify SBAC as valid.
What a farce.
Many elementaries begin testing third graders today. Hoping people will check in with how it's going for the younger set.
LM
Kyle Stokes from KPLU here — the guy who Tweeted the "~150" number referenced in the update. When I tweeted the number, I was under the impression that number was firmer than it was.
That's not a hard number. The district says that's more like a best-guess from Garfield administrators.
But I think it is fair to say that the number of refusals at Garfield is significant.
Thanks! I'm at @kystokes on Twitter if you want to holler at me.
(The earlier comment I removed didn't make clear I was referring to Garfield.)
Our child reported that the Day 1 of SBAC math test did not get harder. Not sure what that means. Our child wished they could do MAP instead which used to get harder.
Also, we were able to send a mouse from home to plug into the school laptop.
-nh
Can't sign today
nh - That the questions didn't get harder MIGHT mean he was getting some wrong. But who really knows? It's all a mystery.
Lmk
Alt-Ed Parent
Seattle Citizen, I wish there was something we can do. SPS should have handled this better. I just wanted to give the heads up on the mouse issue so parents know ahead of time that it is an option if the trackpad is a problem.
I wish that Director Peters and Patu had been able to stop/pause this test. From the quality of the practice questions and the poorly designed interface it is clear to see that this test is not ready for prime time. Someone had posted a video of tech savvy 5th graders unable to figure out how to enter fractions so any math test where you can't even easily enter fractions is going to be a problem with or without a mouse.
After the practice test our school did look into the mouse issue and the parents did get an email saying that they will have a few extra mice on hand, but parents can send a mouse and headset from home. We don't have a headset, but with all the lice problems at school it may be worth getting one. Anyone have any thoughts on where to get a kids headset? I will be pretty mad if my child gets lice because of this test. I don't know what other schools are doing, but I am sure they are all trying to make the best out a bad situation.
I find it strange that common core and it's tests are only for public schools and not private. If it's the "law of the land" then it should apply to everyone. I dislike the laws that you can bypass if you are wealthy. In England everyone, public and private schools, take the same high stakes tests at ages 16 and 18. English is not my native language, but if this ELA portion of the test is any indication of what our children are supposed to learn then I am concerned. I'm sure our teachers will try and do their best, but if class instruction turns into learning skills there will be less time for learning actual content. ELA is going to be hard to supplement at home.
I am not sure what we can do. Do we write to the governor? the legislature? sign a petition?
-nh
Tell them your story. They need to be flooded with these stories.