Seattle School District Updates: Teachers to Walk out May 19th

Update on the teacher walkout:
I heard SEA prez Jonathan Knapp on KUOW during the noon hour.  He said that it should be about 5,000 teachers.  They will be having rallies in front of high schools in the morning (I'll try to get details) with teachers busing downtown for a rally (not sure of the location but I'd guess JSCEE).

Two main issues:
Will schools be closed on May 19th?  I will try to get an answer.  KUOW said they had asked the district but no answer yet (ditto for me).

Will a day extra be tacked on at the end of the year if schools do close?  Probably.  Again, I will verify this today.

end of update

The Times is reporting that the SEA voted to strike on Tuesday, May 19th. 

Some districts' teachers have already walked while there are still at least five others in the wings with three more to walk on Friday.

While I understand the teachers' frustrations with the Legislature, I'm not sure I agree with the walkout.  If it was done in coordination with other unions on one day at the Legislature, it might have some punch.  But this way, I think it loses any punch it might have had. And I don't think legislators will even be paying attention.

Seattle Education blog is reporting that Nova High School had 100% of BOTH 10th and 11th graders opting out of the SBAC.  (I'm not sure how many that is in actual numbers - maybe 100?)

After researching the Common Core Standards and much deliberation by parents and students, parents opted their students out of the SBAC and the remaining students refused to take the test.
There was zero participation on the first day of the SBAC testing for Nova High School.

I know what you may be asking; so how will those 10th graders graduate?  Nova is known for its smart, off-the-grid students - I'm sure every single one of them will find a way.

Apparently comedian Steve Harvey was at Garfield entertaining students (and apparently lecturing girls on their sex appeal and to protect it).  Why was he there?  I don't know.

Message from district Communications on test results (red mine):

I have to smile as the district says the state is still making "scoring decisions" about 10th grade scores so those scores will not be available "immediately."  Well, it would be nice if someone would shake a leg as those students need to know.

As well, the district is going to use the math scores for math placement.  I'm not sure that's what SBAC was developed to do.

Dear Seattle Public Schools family,

We want to update you on how you will receive scores for your student’s spring state assessments in reading, writing and math. We expect to receive results sooner this year because the assessments are now taken online. In previous years, families did not receive state test scores until late summer. With the new Smarter Balanced assessments, we anticipate being able to provide a printed version of the state-generated score report in early summer.

How scores will be communicated

• For most families, schools will send score reports with final report cards in June – or in a separate mailing if the school tested late and scores are not available by then.
• Scores will not be posted electronically to The Source until fall.
• The state plans to provide a somewhat more detailed score report later in the summer; your school principal can provide information at that time about accessing it.
• Third-grade Level 1 reading only: Families of some third-graders will receive one score earlier. If a third-grader’s reading score places him or her in Level 1, the state requires the school to offer more reading support right away to help the student be more successful in fourth grade. School staff will contact these families as soon as those results are available.
• 10th grade only: Sophomores take only the English language arts portion of the assessment, to be used as a state graduation requirement. Because the state remains in the process of making decisions about those scoring levels, those score reports will not immediately be available. We will update those families when we know more.

A look at scoring
Not only are the assessments new, but also the scoring approach is different. While the state will continue to place scores within four levels, the Smarter Balanced levels cannot be directly compared to previous state scoring levels, for several reasons:

More rigor. Students are simply doing more challenging work under Washington’s newly adopted College and Career Readiness Standards (Common Core). Achievement levels may be lower at first, but that’s because the bar is higher.
A different scoring approach.  While the previous state tests presented a fixed set of questions, the Smarter Balanced assessments are “adaptive.” Questions become easier or more challenging depending on each student’s answers, so the level of difficulty factors into the score – a more accurate way to measure performance and growth.
A new baseline. It is early in this process. Our teachers and students are still adjusting to new standards and expectations, and this simply takes time. For this reason, educators will view this year’s scores as a new baseline from which future progress would be measured. As such, we will alter scoring expectations for opportunities such as math placement.

How scores will be used
We don’t view your child’s scoring level as “passing” or “failing.” Rather, we see the scores as one way (among several) to help us determine which resources and supports are needed. Unlike previous tests, Smarter Balanced breaks down scores by “claims” and “targets” – or specific categories – by district, school and even classroom. This allows principals and teachers to use the results in their planning. For example, if your student “does not meet state standards” (Levels 1 or 2), school staff can use details from the report to determine where the student may need more support or where lesson plans may need adjusting. If your student is above grade level, staff can see where the student may need more challenges.