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Validity and Reliability Correction
I was wrong! I don’t know if even this bold confession will please some people, but I made a mistake and I need to correct it. From IDAPA page 24: Any assessment used for federal reporting shall be independently reviewed for reliability, validity, and alignment with the Idaho Content Standards. In February, I wrote a […]
The $10Million Question
Now that testing season has begun there are a lot of threats going around about what is going to happen if Idaho doesn’t reach the 95% testing requirement in No Child Left Behind and the NCBL Waiver. When I asked some very pointed questions to the State Department of Education I received this reply, “If you are […]
IACI Tirade and Common Core
Take a minute to think about the profanity-laced, vulgar tirade that took place in the leaked email by IACI president LaBeau the end of February. It was so foul that I’m not even going to link directly to it. You’ll have to go to the article and the link to it from there if you […]
Illegal to Refuse? Why Does the SDE Say You Can?
SBAC/ISAT 2.0 testing begins on Monday for all Idaho teachers and students. As parents from across the state attempt to exempt their children from the test, they are being told that it’s illegal to refuse to take it. If it’s illegal to refuse, why does the SDE say you can? In fact, two separate Idaho documents list parent refusal as a […]
Multiple District’s Refusal Forms
Their words, not mine. Opt out. I usually try to use the word refuse, but when a district has a form that says “Opt Out” I figure it’s safe to use. Attached are different forms from three school districts. It’s well know that Madison School District has opted out from taking the SBAC. This form was used last year. Fortunately for students, parents […]
Show Me in Writing
Yesterday Idaho Ed News posted an article fretting about what could happen because Madison School District made the choice to use the MAP test rather than the SBAC as the assessment vehicle for testing this spring. The concern expressed is since Madison is refusing the SBAC, Idaho’s test participation percentage will fall to 98% of […]
Common Core, Citizen Resolution
March 12, 2015 Dear Governor Otter and Honorable Members of the Idaho House and Senate: In a recent news article appearing in the Idaho Education News, you, Governor Otter, were quoted as saying “We’ve overcome most of the resistance to (Common Core),…” implying that all public concerns about Common Core have been adequately addressed. Herein, […]
No SBAC ANYTHING for your kids!
Why would I be reposting a blog from the Missouri about a story from California? Because it may have relevance to your children. Idaho has contracted with the same company California did to administer the SBAC. Warning!!! When they say graphic pics, they mean it. I would not look at this post or click on the links […]
Pay for Success
Originally printed in the Idaho Press Tribune House Bill 170, “Pay for Success,” is sponsored by Sen. Bob Nonini. The bill would let Idaho’s education department contract with private companies for education programs and then pay once the programs are shown to work. The phrase “Pay for Success” seemed familiar, so I turned to Google, […]
Teacher Career Ladder, One Teachers Take
Sometimes we hear so much about the standards, assessments and data collecting that I think we forget there are two more pillars involved in the Common Core reform package. The third pillar is Teacher Accountability Measures. It’s right there along with the other three pillars in all our major documents: The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, Race to […]
