Maine Ed Committee Votes to Drop SBAC
The members of their legislative education committee took that vote because 74% of students opted out. From WMTW:
Among elementary schools, middle schools and high schools, 74 percent of students opted out of testing this year.
We’re using that to evaluate teachers. We’re using it to determine funding, but that is not what those tests are designed to do,” (parent Jacky) Boyd said.
“If any time the going gets tough, if we immediately reverse direction, I think it’s a sign that the federal and state government really needs to think twice about doing anything in regard to education,” (Superintendent Bill) Webster said.
Webster supported Smarter Balanced tests for their rigor and the effort to make diploma standards-based. Without consistency, he said, he’s concerned about how the federal government would approach state funding for education.
I would say to Superintendent Webster that creating a massive overhaul of standards AND of curriculum to meet those standards AND testing isn't exactly consistent either. Especially when most of the standards were not written by educators.
Among elementary schools, middle schools and high schools, 74 percent of students opted out of testing this year.
We’re using that to evaluate teachers. We’re using it to determine funding, but that is not what those tests are designed to do,” (parent Jacky) Boyd said.
“If any time the going gets tough, if we immediately reverse direction, I think it’s a sign that the federal and state government really needs to think twice about doing anything in regard to education,” (Superintendent Bill) Webster said.
Webster supported Smarter Balanced tests for their rigor and the effort to make diploma standards-based. Without consistency, he said, he’s concerned about how the federal government would approach state funding for education.
I would say to Superintendent Webster that creating a massive overhaul of standards AND of curriculum to meet those standards AND testing isn't exactly consistent either. Especially when most of the standards were not written by educators.
Comments
Really Webster... huhh?
Let us look at Arne Duncan's actions in regard to WA State.
#1 The Feds put in place NCLB which put in place a requirement that no state could possibly meet.
#2 No state met the requirements
#3 Most all states were given NCLB waivers
#4 Arne wanted WA State to put VAM in place for evaluating teachers... when WA State did not follow his whims he denied WA an NCLB waiver
#5 WA's NAEP testing absolute performance and increase in performance from 2011 to 2013 ranks in the top 10 states nationally.
#6 VAM is a statistically unreliable farce.
Webster needs to be concerned about how the federal government currently approaches state funding for education.
-- Dan Dempsey