God's NOT Dead -- Don't Compromise!!!!

It's amazing how God will place you in the perfect situation at exactly the right time, inspire you when you need it most, and wake you up out of a dead sleep and put something in your heart that you absolutely have to take action on!! For me it connected last night after watching this incredible movie......then God placed the following words in my heart and I knew exactly what I needed to do to ensure my message would be heard loud and clear, please read my letter below, which I sent to the email addresses listed below:

Janet.Barresi@sde.ok.gov

Liz.young@sde.ok.gov

katie.altshuler@gov.ok.gov

Dr Clark Ogilvie

diana.bjornson@owasso.k12.ok.us

Senator Rick Brinkley

david.derby@okhouse.gov

anncoody@okhouse.gov

dennis.casey@okhouse.gov

gusblackwell@okhouse.gov

ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov

donnie.condit@okhouse.gov

dougcox@okhouse.gov

leedenney@okhouse.gov

daledewitt@okhouse.gov

sallykern@okhouse.gov

curtis.mcdaniel@okhouse.gov

jeanniemcdaniel@okhouse.gov

jason.nelson@okhouse.gov

jadine.nollan@okhouse.gov

dustin.roberts@okhouse.gov

jason.smalley@okhouse.gov

todd.thomsen@okhouse.gov

emily.virgin@okhouse.gov

fordj@oksenate.gov

John Ford

stanislawksi@oksenate.gov

brecheen@oksenate.gov

whitep@oksenate.gov

halligan@oksenate.gov

holt@oksenate.gov

jolley@oksenate.gov

paddack@oksenate.gov

shaw@oksenate.gov

shortey@oksenate.gov

sparks@oksenate.gov

sharp@oksenate.gov

katie.henke@okhouse.gov

March 29, 2014

Dear State Department of Education,

As a parent of a 3^rd grade student, I signed an amended Reading Sufficiency Act notification back on August 29, 2014. Not knowing exactly what this included and not with enough information to understand all of the repercussions and or legislative tricks that it would constitute. I in turn was mislead in thinking this was a reading law. However, I came to realize that this test includes more than reading comprehension including but not limited to: writing, language arts, and grammar. How does that constitute whether or not my child (or any child) is reading at grade level?

I have researched your website thoroughly and refuse to agree to any of it. http://ok.gov/sde/reading-sufficiency-act

Due to my further investigations, I retract my signature on this document attached! I refuse to subject my child to Mrs. Barresi’s or any legislators trick to determine my child’s destiny. Ultimately these tests are the instruments by which the so-called “reformers” are dismantling public education systems nationwide. We are also making the choice to refuse these tests because we know that his teacher is a professional and we trust her expertise in teaching. She is an AMAZING veteran teacher and it does not take a $34.4 MILLION testing consortium, and a tiny snapshot on one day to determine whether or not he deserves to move on to 4^th grade. We trust her judgment as a long-time teaching professional to recognize our child’s strengths, identify his weaknesses, and determine next steps much more effectively than ANY standardized test. These tests are excessive and unnecessary, not to mention they are also a waste of valuable learning and class instruction time. Your decisions are removing, without my permission as a constituent and taxpaying citizen, my parental rights and the teacher’s abilities as a teacher and I refuse to comply. I refuse these tests in order to put the power back into the classroom where it belongs!! We also refuse these tests because they are being used to fail children, teachers, schools, and communities all over the country.

I ask that my son shall be able to read or engage in alternative learning activity during ALL state testing times. Lastly, we request a meeting with you before any of Logan or Kendall’s “data” is uploaded into any data mining software program such as InspirEd, NAEP, the SEA, ACE, DLM, or REAC3H network, or any other data collection program that is being developed for Oklahoma State Department of Education (via Mr. John Kraman) to house personal information about Oklahoma resident children and students.

I trust that neither of my children, nor their teachers will be held responsible for the choice that we, as parents, have made. Dr. Ogilvie, the Owasso School District superintendent, and our district testing coordinator have been copied on this letter, as well as, our district Senator and both the Senate and House Education committees that are responsible for this horrendous law in the first place. This letter shall remain in their permanent student records. Logan will also have a copy of this letter in his backpack at all times to share with teachers as necessary. We value and respect what Owasso Public School District does for the Owasso community children and we strive to keep these public schools exceptional!

Also, I need to know if I shall withdraw my student from school and remove district funds during this testing window, so that he as a minor is not subjected to the abuse of being put in an adult situation by still being offered a test despite the fact that I, as his legal guardian and parent, have already refused the test on his behalf. I call that BULLYING!!  

If these state mandated high-stakes tests are so important that you are bound and determined to hold EVERY student and their teacher accountable for; then maybe each of you would kindly volunteer to take this SECRET test yourself and publicly post your score, and if you do not pass as satisfactory you automatically get terminated? Have any of you ever proctored the 3rd grade exam, maybe you should volunteer this year like I have for the past 4 years?

Sincerely,

Kristal Picolet

74055 – Owasso, OK

Nehemiah 4:14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

P.S. Attached is a letter I presented at our local school board meeting back on March 13th, until every question and/or any evidence is provided to me in writing that my child shall be retained there shall be no need for him to be subjected to the RSA or ANY high-stakes mandated state testing.



God gave me these two precious gifts to protect, if I don't, who will?



Oklahoma Funding is 49th -- What they forgot to tell you!!!

 I can say that driving down 86th street in Owasso one thing is for sure, this is NOT a lack of funding school district!! Our schools and especially the High School are nicer than MANY NCAA Division I college campuses around the country.

Just because you throw money at something does not constitute it being successful, therefore, money does not make an education. The TEACHERS that teach make our children's education!! So a little investigating and discovered that Oklahoma teachers are paid some of the lowest wages in the nation :(

I also investigated the 49th in funding rankings! To my surprise the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce left out some of the details...such as yes, according to page 27 of the 2014 ACE statistics our State Per Pupil Spending is ranked 49th in the nation for "Instructional Spending," however, we are ranked 21st for "Administrative Spending."

On page 26, the Oklahoma Educational spending per $1000 of personal income we ranked 40th on "Instructional Spending" and 11th on "Administrative Spending."

It also states, "While Oklahoma's education spending compared to personal income remains lower than most states, spending on administrative expenses outpaces 39 other states and is 59 percent higher than the national average." WOW!!!!! (Top-Down approach anyone?)

And you want me to continue raising my taxes and vote YES on the upcoming April 1st bond measure because......??? Oh yes, the administration needs more funding to fund the rest of the education system. Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? Maybe we just need to re-prioritize the budget back into the classroom?!

Last, is the 2013 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores on page 25 of this same report. They have been declaring that children are so behind, the test scores are terrible, kids are dumber than ever before! (despite the fact the Kindergartener's are reading stuff you and I never read until we were in 3rd and 4th grade) So what do the scores REALLY say?

Oklahoma 4th Grade Reading scores ranked 41st, but if you notice Masschusetts who scored 1st, their scores were 232 and Oklahoma scores were 217, a mere difference of 15 points!!! 8th Grade Reading for Oklahoma, we ranked 39th, again Massachusetts ranked 1st with a score of 277 and Oklahoma's score was 262 a difference of 15 points!!!

In conclusion, we are basically 15 points below the Top Ranking schools in the entire nation!! Oops, 49th isn't sooo bad after all. And by the way Oklahoma is also ranked near the bottom for cost of living compared to Massachusetts so once again funding is NOT the issue!

I've been doing my homework!!!! We LOVE Owasso schools, and I will fight hard to keep them exceptional, I pray daily more parents, teachers, and citizens will join me!!!!

Oklahoma State Chamber 2014 ACE Report:
http://www.okstatechamber.com/additional/researchfdn/2014%20ACE%20Book_WEB.pdf

iRefuse! Give our teachers and students back their instruction time!

High-Stakes Testing Questions – Owasso School Board Meeting

1.       Why do we need a $34.4 MILLION testing consortium to prove that our children deserve to go on to the next grade level? Isn’t 9 months worth of independent assignments, teacher assessments, and report cards or progress reports enough? Shouldn’t a student and teacher’s entire year of hard work and effort account for something and carry more weight than any given test?

2.       Who grades these tests? Especially the writing portion? What 3^rd party vendor is responsible for this? What is the grading criteria? Where do these tests go to get graded?

3.       Do we ever get the test results back or just a score? If we only receive a score then what is the purpose for the test in the first place? Especially if we can’t ever get them back in order to use them as a teaching tool to help students and teachers learn and grow.

4.       Does a parent have a right to refuse these tests?

5.       If a parent does choose to refuse these tests what is the school district policy or protocol? Is there an alternative option for that student?

6.       What are the ramifications and repercussions to the student, teacher, principal, superintendent and our school district?

7.       I looked up the definitions and there is a huge difference between mandated and mandatory! Which tests are mandatory NOT mandated for a student to graduate high-school?

8.       Will students be testing on PASS standards or Common Core/Oklahoma Academic Standards?

I have certainly learned a lot in these past few months, most important, I have learned that our local authority has been stripped away. At one point I blamed you as administrators and our school board, but I must say that I deeply apologize for that. I have gained a ton of respect for each of you realizing now that you are simply caught in between a rock and a hard spot!

 However, I also realize now that it is NOT the school district’s duty to protect our children. It is our duty as parents first. I am here to awaken our community of parents, these are our children and they are our responsibility. We need to start paying attention and start standing up for them. I’m not here to cause strife, I’m not here to do any harm to the district, and I’m not here to cause tension. I am simply here because these are our children, our babies, and our future. Yesterday while sitting in Church the pastor reminded all of us of one thing, and it certainly hit home for me.

It is much easier to train up a child in the way that they should go rather than attempt to repair a broken adult.

When is enough, enough? I am here tonight to urge every single parent across the state of Oklahoma to do our due diligence and stop allowing our children to be human capital and instead demand teachers the ability to spend classroom time teaching NOT testing!

Lastly, I would like to play for you a very short clip of our house representatives discussing the testing errors back on Feb. 17^th while a bus load of us Owasso parents had the painful experience of sitting in on the meeting and witnessing this first hand…Kim Ritchey is the General Legal Counsel for the State Department of Education.

http://okhouse.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=867  (start at the 1:27:00 mark)

Therefore, out of our 9,500 students enrolled here in Owasso essentially 950+ students will NOT get the correct or accurate result of their efforts, 10%!!! Children as young as 8 years old, enduring the increase in stress and anxiety for nothing, and at what cost? That is one entire grade level of students, essentially the entire 3^rd grade!!! And according to statisticians this would essentially declare these tests as invalid, wouldn’t you agree? I am not willing to gamble on whether or not my child moves on to the next grade level if I don’t even know if he got the right results!!  

Kristal Picolet (Owasso Parent Refusing the Tests)

Profiting from Trials --- If it doesn't challenge you, it's doesn't CHANGE YOU!!

I would have never guessed I would be sitting in front of my computer watching live feed legislative sessions for upto 6 hours waiting, WAITING, WaItInG, PLEASSSSE for the right bill number to be called. (Yes, me, and I hate to admit this, but TODAY was my first time to EVER cast a single VOTE!!) Now I sit and listen painfully to the MOST excessive and ridiculous conversations between adults attempting to pass laws and represent us but instead represent NOTHING but their own selfish view points. It takes EVERY bit of what little self control I have left in me to resist shredding my computer monitor into the oblivion of a million tiny pieces. Thankfully, I know God and I still have that self-control although it gets harder and harder the more legislation takes place.

I'm sorry it took these laws to directly impact my kids before I ever cared to get involved, but now here I am, NO LONGER SILENT. I will be a doer of Your word and not just a hearer, I fully understand now that it is my civic duty to not allow my silence to be consent. Thank you God for this painful lesson and trial.

I will wait patiently PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING during this trial, AND I WILL NEVER GIVE UP because I know God is bigger!! Thank you God for the reminder!!

James 1:2-6
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

    February 17, 2014 - President's Day RALLY at the Capitol     < Oklahoma City, Oklahoma >

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQzTiIKPby0