So grateful for Jenks Middle School Principal, Rob Miller, for always being brave and courageous. He is a brave soldier willing to speak truth about what is transpiring behind closed doors.
Please follow his blog and get the insight here:
http://viewfromtheedge.net
And another great blog I happened to read, don't miss this DAD on a mission's summer discovery here relative to "higher standards" and common core:
http://norinrad10.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/expectations/
P.S. Can somebody, anybody PLEASE define "higher standards"??????????????
STOP COMMON CORE
Friday, July 25, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Common Core 101....History Behind It!! PART 2
Please click on the link below and listen to Senator Josh Brecheen as he debates common core on the Senate Floor....A MUST WATCH, I apologize in advance....it is very hard to hear, due to it being recorded from the Gallery. (you might need to rewind and replay as needed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbBTzgc-PI4
Common Core 101...the history behind it!! PART 1
So here is an attempt at giving you a brief run down about common core. Common Core is a complicated beast...this is a Part 1 of a series it will take me in order to break it down and explain it as simple as possible! Get your "thinking hat" on...
1. Race To The Top (RTTT) Federal Grants were given in exchange for "national education standards" which were voted on and adopted before they were written. A long time teacher and educator details Race To The Top in his blog here:
http://truthinamericaneducation.com/race-to-the-top/
The US Department of Education RTTT info is here:
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/executive-summary.pdf
2. No Child Left Behind Waivers were also used as incentive for the Elementary Secondary Education Act which was also adopted (ESEA) you can find all the twisted and complex information about this Federal Law and Mandate here:
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/obama-administration-sets-high-bar-flexibility-no-child-left-behind-order-advanc
2. In Oklahoma specifically, Common Core was adopted in 2010 via Senate Bill 2033 titled "Teacher Incentive Pay" and only had a couple specific paragraphs pertaining to the standards and the TLE (Teacher Leader Evaluation) system concretes a teacher "teaching to the test". SB 2033 drastically failed the first time (36 YES, and 60 No votes) and then was presented again the same exact day with an emergency and passed (75 YES and 25 NO votes). Legislators were very skeptical and did not understand the bill...many admit it now, saying they regret ever voting for it...biggest mistake.
Please read Senate Bill 2033 (the archive is tough to find and does not have a link) but you can find it through an advanced bill search on the www.ok.gov website under the 2010 Regular Session, type SB 2033 into the search bar. I have copy and pasted it below...
BILL SUMMARY
2nd Session of the 52nd Legislature
Bill No.: SB 2033
Version: Conference Committee Sub
Author: Speaker Benge
Date: 5/24/2010
Impact: FY-11 and thereafter: $10,000
Annually; $200,000 for
Training by FY-14
Bill Summary
Research Analyst: Dawn Marks
The conference committee substitute for Senate Bill 2033 restores the title and authorizes school districts to establish incentive pay programs for teachers and leaders. Teacher and leader performance shall be measured using the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System, established in the measure and success in improving school, grade level or subject area performance. Awards shall be based upon achieving certain ratings within the system and grade level, subject area or school level performance success.
Districts may develop additional performance pay plans to provide incentives for teachers and administrators in critical shortage areas, low-performing schools or hard-to staff districts.
Incentive pay awards shall not be part of any employee’s continuing contract and awards will be excluded from the process for calculating retirement benefits. Incentives shall not amount to more than 50 percent of a teacher’s salary. The state Board of education must approve or reject plans within 60 days of submission.
Boards of education must adopt the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System by the 2013-14 school year. The system will have a five-tiered rating system, annual evaluations, remediation plans for teachers rated as ineffective, quantitative and qualitative assessment components and an evidence-based qualitative assessment tool. For teachers in grades and subjects for which there are no state-mandated testing measures, an assessment using objective measures of teacher effectiveness including student performance on unit or end-of-year tests shall be used. The measure defines when a teacher shall obtain career status, in three to four years, according to the evaluation system and outlines when teachers and administrators may be dismissed according to the rating system. It also requires districts to dismiss a principal who receives an ineffective rating for two consecutive school years.
A teacher shall receive compensation for 63 days after the filing of the petition for the trial de novo. If the district seeks an extension to the process without the consent of the teacher, the teacher shall continue to receive compensation if the trial continues past 63 days but shall not if the teacher requests extension without the consent of the district. If the district, without the consent of the teacher, asks for an extension beyond the 63 days, and the judge rules the teacher should be reinstated, the teacher shall receive back pay.
Districts shall use the evaluation system as the primary means for determining retention or reassignment of teachers and administrators during reductions in force.
The State Board of Education shall adopt the K-12 Common Core State Standards by August 1, 2010.
A school identified by the State Board of Education as one of the persistently lowest-achieving schools in the state shall adopt one of four intervention models that include staffing changes, converting the school to a charter school or closing the school.
The measure also creates the 19-member Oklahoma Race to the Top Commission to oversee development and implementation of the evaluation system and monitor the flow of federal Race to the Top program funds.
Fiscal Summary
Fiscal Analyst: Nicole Barnes
The Conference Committee Sub for SB 2033 contains numerous provisions related to incentive pay plans, teacher and leader evaluations, the Due Process Act, curricular alignment, and the Race to the Top Commission. Regarding incentive pay plans, the measure authorizes salary schedules that reflect new evaluation ratings, increases the maximum incentive pay amount from 20% to 50% of a teacher’s regular salary, and authorizes certain new incentive pay plans. The measure also requires the State Board of Education to adopt a new statewide system of teacher evaluation known as the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System (TLE), including new evaluation components, evaluation frequency, remediation plans, school leader assessments, and system oversight. The measure also creates the Oklahoma Race to the Top Commission, states the Commission’s purpose, and provides for members’ travel reimbursement. Furthermore, SB 2033 contains provisions related to the nonreemployment of certain school teachers and leaders, and modifies conditions under which trails de novo take place. Finally, the measure requires the State Board of Education to adopt revisions by August 1, 2010, to English, Language Arts and Mathematics curricula to align with K-12 Common Core Standards.
Fiscal Analysis
The FY-11 impact relates to travel reimbursement for Commission members and will depend on frequency of meetings and distances traveled, but is estimated to be less than $10,000 annually. There is no immediate impact associated with the remainder of the measure, as the new statewide system of evaluation can be developed by the State Board of Education with support from the Race to the Top Commission, development of new teacher assessments for subjects and grades that are not currently being tested are not mandatory (they can use existing data), evaluation system training for new personnel is not required until the system is in place at the local level, employment provisions are based on local decisions, and the State Board of Education was already planning on examining state curricular alignment with Common Core Standards.
School districts may implement the new evaluation system by FY-13, but are not required to until FY-14; therefore the $200,000 estimate for training would be applied in those out years. The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Commission, may utilize other sources of funding aside from the state’s to implement the measure’s provisions.
TRICKY LITTLE RASCALS --- Schools R 4 Learning NOT 4 PROFIT!!!
To Be Continued in Part 2 with more fun and exciting information to put inside your "thinking hat!"
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
And This Fat Lady Sings
These past 8 months I have met some BRAVE souls, stepped way outside my comfort zone, became a GIANT target, endured more slander than in High School, saw some heroic efforts by a few Godly politicians, witnessed grown men weep over poor political decisions, saw recognized leaders get up and walk out refusing to vote for unjustice, truly understood the meaning of "money is the root to all evil", been disappointed to be a republican, cried the ugly cry in front of MANY people (at the Capitol, school, even at the grocery store) and yet, have also been encouraged and inspired by some of the most genuine and virtuous people I've ever come in contact with.
The 2014 legislative session and school year has come to an end. Summer is here, most people have moved on and forgotten what was painful for some to endure. We did not necessarily accomplish what we came for, the fat lady sang and we move on. Did we truly win repeal? No!!! Did we lose? NO WAY!! God sees every heart, God sees all the focused efforts, God convicts those that need conviction and He will water and fertilize the MANY seeds that have been planted. Virtue remains virtue, and evil eventually will be judged by Him in His timing.
Until then I rejoice in knowing that He is in control of EVERY situation, I re-focus my efforts on leaning on Him preserving my own family and their needs and I exercise ALOT to remove these extra 2 inches I gained while trying to fight the good fight!
THIS FAT LADY is hitting the road with my music, my quiet moments, and MANY more prayers!!!
And just for the record, especially those of you that have children going into 3rd grade...demand a portfolio be maintained starting on day 1 in August....because once testing was complete we signed the Good Cause Exemption Form which allowed my 3rd grader's portfolio to be used as proof to move onto 4th grade because we opted him out of ALL state testing!! We will do the same for both our children for the remainder of their school years...every teacher and every child is more than a test score. I feel accomplished, I just saved our school district approximately $120! Now imagine how much funding we could save next year if all 9,500 students opted out!!
9,500 X $120 = $1,140,000!!!!!!!! How many teachers, assistant's and extra reading specialists could we hire with that amount of money?
And if we did not renew the NWEA adaptive MAP testing contract that would give us an additional $84,000!!!!
WOW, and there are more testing companies and vendors than this, in fact, there are 4 vendors next school year. Saying goodbye to common core would save us MILLIONS!!!! KEEP PRAYING
Teachers should be valued!! Watch this one teachers' inspiring story: Jesse's Journey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_vKxvNysnU
"Schools should be student centered" Do you have what it takes? Where is your BRAVERY? Most important, if you care...PLEASE SHARE!! Dig into your gut, find your grit, and overcome...Oklahoma children, a nation of children, are at stake.
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