tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post6310058967937766483..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Feds Told NY State that Financial Penalities for Opt-Outs up to StateMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24156745004198320562015-08-25T09:05:48.890-07:002015-08-25T09:05:48.890-07:00Very informative – Good Post<a href="http://pasadenalocal.com/" rel="nofollow"> Very informative</a> – Good Post<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01026355466812383655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8743517450660721712015-08-25T04:21:46.357-07:002015-08-25T04:21:46.357-07:00It has been my experience that student families ar...It has been my experience that student families are much, much better informed on the issues of concern to them than the school district officials.<br /><br />And it makes sense. School district officials have to build a knowledge base on a wide variety of issues - the rules around enrollment, IDEA, ELL, state laws and regulations, District policies, and much more. They can't gather deep details about any individual issue and can't hold them all in their heads. A parent or guardian with a narrow interest, however, focuses largely on that single issue and, therefore, often knows more about it and knows it better than the school district officials.<br /><br />The problems come when district officials have a need to appear to be the authorities on the issue when in conversation with student family members who actually know more.<br /><br />This is the case with just about every issue, including testing. That's why it is the more engaged and informed families who are opting out and why the school district officials are unable to persuade them to participate.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69399460946416270942015-08-24T19:14:40.206-07:002015-08-24T19:14:40.206-07:00SES is not for special education. In fact, I'...SES is not for special education. In fact, I'll bet tutoring and support is likely deprived students with disabilities because, as some idiots say "they have their OWN money". SES is for Title 1. Namely those children that are poor, English-speakers, in low-performing schools and are NOT disabled. Check your "facts".mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47540991427278986832015-08-24T18:27:58.981-07:002015-08-24T18:27:58.981-07:00"and ensures that schools are paying attentio..."and ensures that schools are paying attention to traditionally under served populations like low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities and English language learners."<br /><br />Are ELL, color or low income students covered under federal laws and funded like special ed?(SES) You see the district receives millions ($9K) extra per SES and still fails to serve a large percentage of SES. A percentage of SES or also students of color and ELL and low-income. How's that handled ? <br /><br />SES parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38911694667940810812015-08-24T16:42:26.988-07:002015-08-24T16:42:26.988-07:00"and ensures that schools are paying attentio...<i>"and <b>ensures that schools are paying attention to traditionally underserved populations</b> like low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities and English language learners."</i><br /><br />Really????<br /><br />Does the fact that various subgroups are reported annually indicate anyone is paying attention?<br /><br />Check out scores for rural Native American's over the last decade. Check out the percent of African American 8th grade students scoring at level 1 (far below standard) in math.<br /><br />Paying Attention ??? what does that mean?dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59267518578194860092015-08-24T13:13:17.036-07:002015-08-24T13:13:17.036-07:00Ivan, that's an interesting poll because I hav...Ivan, that's an interesting poll because I have seen other polls that don't support opting out (which I'm not sure is the public's call but it is parents').<br /><br />What I think this speaks to -in VOLUMES - is that the public largely supports testing but, like parents and teachers, believes it is a single data point and should be minimal and looked at holistically.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7939802035571257042015-08-24T11:53:46.595-07:002015-08-24T11:53:46.595-07:00And then there's this:
http://www.theatlantic...And then there's this:<br /><br />http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/08/timeout-for-opt-outs/401969/<br /><br />--- Who KnowsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69081499579213395092015-08-24T09:26:13.776-07:002015-08-24T09:26:13.776-07:00And then there's this:
http://www.seattletime...And then there's this:<br /><br />http://www.seattletimes.com/life/poll-low-marks-for-grading-teachers-based-on-kids-tests/<br /><br />-- Ivan WeissAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8134895648301878632015-08-24T08:57:46.680-07:002015-08-24T08:57:46.680-07:00These SBAC tests, and Amplify/Beacon/Benchmark tes...These SBAC tests, and Amplify/Beacon/Benchmark tests too, are unethical.<br /><br />I have no power to make this education system make sense.<br /><br />The ONLY power I have is to 'protest' the stupid tests by NOT having our children sit for them.<br /><br />Our children get NO benefit from them, their teachers get NO benefit from them (teachers are competent, they know how to figure out what our kids strengths and weaknesses are and how to help support them grow WITHOUT THESE tests).<br /><br />So, since our Board can't vacate the tests, and apparently, OSPI won't vacate or set aside this testing regime, it is up to the PEOPLE, specifically, the PARENTS.<br /><br />Parents, you have the power. DO NOT LET YOUR KIDS TAKE THE SBACs.<br /><br />IF WE ALL OPT OUT, then, the feds taking away funding will be totally stupid. They can't ignore all of the people all of the time.<br /><br />If we all stay home and sit it out, it is essentially jury nullification. They won't have the moral authority to enforce a bad and wholly rejected law.<br /><br />I have no problem with standardize tests, as long as they are really well-normed and non-intrusive, for a simple vehicle to 'take the temperature' of how things are going. The key is NON INTRUSIVE. A simple achievement test, no more than 40 minutes in elementary, an hour in high school, for math and language arts. That I wouldn't have a problem with. But the SBAC is utter nonsense.<br /><br />If they think they are scarring me by threatening about the money, they are total whack jobs. This is America after all, we are independent thinkers who can and will critically think for ourselves. If they were looking for deaf, dumb, blind sheep, they should have picked a different country.<br /><br />Actually, I hope the opt outs do grow, and, the feds try and take away money punitively, as that will cause a huge ruckus and push the issue to a critical tipping point. It may be too late for public education, but I certainly hope we can take back the schools!<br /><br />Opted Out (and now mad)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com