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.)

Comments

#BS said…
I spoke to a few south -end high school teachers over the weekend. Larry Nyland sent-out an e-mail and threatened teachers with job loss if they didn't give the SBAC. These teachers are feeling incredibly frightened and intimidated.

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.
4/6/15, 11:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Can the teacher ask: "Would anyone like to ASK for paper and pencil?"

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
4/6/15, 12:02 PM
Kyle Stokes said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
4/6/15, 1:02 PM
Kyle Stokes said…
Hi all,

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.)
4/6/15, 1:04 PM
Anonymous said…


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
4/6/15, 6:29 PM
Anonymous said…
I know of a secondary school teacher who is being bullied by admin because there are more students from this teacher's classes opting out. The assumption is that the teacher urged opting out. Come on. Don't you think teenagers talk to each other? It doesn't take much for the dominos to line up and fall. Admin is so peeved that now the teacher is being called out for unprofessional conduct per the Nyland letter. So, when you opt your kid out. you might mention in the letter that this decision is YOUR OWN as a parent.

Can't sign today
4/6/15, 6:53 PM
seattle citizen said…
nh illustrates an equity (and reliability) issue: some parents/guardians or students might think to bring in own mouse, which to many would make test more manageable. Many will not. Another strike against reliability.
nh - That the questions didn't get harder MIGHT mean he was getting some wrong. But who really knows? It's all a mystery.
4/6/15, 7:44 PM
Anonymous said…
nh, what grade? My third grader said the same thing today about the math.

Lmk
4/6/15, 9:19 PM
Anonymous said…
A significant percentage of students opting out at Thornton Creek Elementary (I've heard so far around 75 kids). At parent run Curriculum meeting it was definitely clear that teachers are feeling threatened by district (they didn't say so but they didn't feel free to speak).

Alt-Ed Parent
4/6/15, 10:16 PM
Anonymous said…
Lmk, Our child is also in 3rd. Yes, it's strange that the test did not get harder.

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
4/7/15, 1:04 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
NH,write the Governor, your legislative reps and the Board.

Tell them your story. They need to be flooded with these stories.
4/7/15, 6:53 PM
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