Reign Of Error

I'm pretty sure if I am not involved in some sort of fight or controversy every 6 months a little piece of me dies.

Last night I attended a meeting on opting out of high stakes testing. I got some good information.

I am pretty much against all standardized testing. For about a million reasons: It causes anxiety in children, it doesn't show what kids know, the data from the tests are greatly misused, teachers are forced to teach to the test, and overall-I find the tests are pretty pointless (this coming from an educator).

Our school district takes testing to a whole new level. Not only do kids take the state tests for three weeks a year (which starting in two years will be done in every single grade starting in kindie), but they also have to take the MAPS test, which takes another 3 weeks a year. So over 1/6th of their year is spent taking tests. And that does not include all of the time wasted learning how to take the tests.

What is done with all this data? Nothing to benefit kids.

I asked our principal point blank what resources are provided to help kids who are identified as "Partially Profiecient" and what services are provided for students who are "Advanced."

She said none- we don't have the money to provide those extra resources (it's probably all spent on testing). I asked her what the point of the tests were then, and she didn't answer me.

Anyway, I could go on all day about why I hate all the absurd testing that occurs in schools nowadays instead of actual teaching.

So I am opting Audra out of all district and state tests. I already opted her out of the MAPS test which was pretty easy. Hopefully the opting out will grow and enough parents will do it and legislators will start listening to parents' concerns in regards to testing and will stop the madness. Opting out is one area that is bi-partisan- it doesn't matter what side of the political aisle one sits on, many, many parents are sick of all the testing.

One can hope. Here's a site you can go to in order to get more information: http://unitedoptout.com/

(I will  note, I am not necessarily against all testing. I'm against how the data is being used to penalize schools and teachers and students...and so much more).



Then, I am starting to read this book: Reign Of Error by Diane Ravitch.

I HIGHLY recommend this book- even though every time I open its' cover I suddenly become engulfed in anger.

Diane explains how both Republicans (NCLB) and Democrats (Common Core) are purposely destroying public education in order to privatize education so that corporations can make billions of dollars off of our children. She worked for both Bush administrations, Clinton, and briefly with Obama so she is well versed on the issues from both sides.

Basically, it perfectly describes what is happening in our school district and why I hate where we live. What is happening here is a microcosm of what is happening throughout all of America, and it threatens to destroy the foundations of our once great country.

Think I'm being over dramatic? Read this book and you'll see I'm actually quite tame in my assessment- and why I fought so hard in the election, and why it is so frustrating that we lost.

I told Ben we should move to Germany so we can rid ourselves of this educational nightmare that is called "Reform."

But then I'm not sure what fight I would need to start fighting in order to feel alive.