Stephanie Zimmerman
Stephanie Zimmerman's Latest Posts
Idaho Common Core Hearings
In 2010 Governor Butch Otter and Superintendent of Public Instruction unilaterally signed up the state for the Common Core State Standards. Before the standards were finished and without the proper consent of the legislature. You might say they overstepped their constitutional bounds. Due to a unique set of circumstances, eight years after initial implementation, you […]
Nuture the Bear, Refuse the Test
SBAC/ISAT testing has started and parents, who have every right, are being told they cannot opt their children out of the tests. Attached is a Parental Directive that will make it abundantly clear that your children are not to take the test. You can fill in the blanks with your children’s names, school district and all […]
SIX THINGS THE US DEPT OF EDUCATION DID TO DEPRIVE YOUR CHILD OF PRIVACY
This is a summary of a post that was made in 2013. I know that was a lifetime ago but the article is still relevant. SIX THINGS THE US DEPT OF EDUCATION DID TO DEPRIVE YOUR CHILD OF PRIVACY 1. Sneaky Thing Number One: It bribed the states with ARRA Stimulus monies to build 50 […]
Mastery-based Education – A New, Olde Idea
Mastery-based = competency-based = outcome-based education. None of this is new. Four decades ago, outcome-based education was implemented and failed, so education reformers simply brought it back with a shiny new name. Maine calls it Proficiency-based; Utah, Competency-based; and Idaho, Mastery-based. This document from 1984 shows the correlation. 1984FederallySponsoredOBEProjectHL I agree that the idea of […]
Trusting Institutions
Trusting Institutions By Bill Zimmerman While discussing the new Comprehensive Sex Education standards (CSE) and a new bill that was making its way through the Idaho legislative process last month with my wife, Stephanie, I made a comment that apparently struck a chord with her and Mila Wood. Because I opened my big mouth and […]
Testing is Upon Us
Spring is a wonderful time of year, except for the allegries and standardized tests that come along with it. Recently Truth in American Education ran a post about opting out of the tests. We thought we’d share it here. Five Tips for Refusing the Test February 8, 2018 By Shane Vander Hart and J.R. Wilson […]
AdvancEd Survey Violates Idaho Statute.
Several weeks ago we received a letter from a group of concerned citizens regarding the Panorama survey the State had chosen to give our student population. As we were preparing to post the letter we were made aware that the state, who had also received the information from this group of concerned citizens, had decided […]
House Bill 579: Relating to Sex Education
House Bill 579: Relating to Sex Education By Stephanie Gifford and Julianne Young The sex education bill has been rewritten and is now House Bill 579 (H579). The new version replaces the previous draft (HB 414) and includes language that confirms some of our strongest objections. Parents who wish to maintain their legal rights and […]
Science Standards- Action Needed Now!
This needs to happen today. The Senate Education Committee meets Wednesday, February 14th at 3:00 p.m. Fellow Idahoans. We need your help today! The adoption or rejection of Idaho’s proposed science standards has been highly politicized and this hurts children and teachers. Know that there is an organized movement that wants to legislate content. […]
