There's lots of controversy about next month's NY state field tests, and due to be given next month in all public schools statewide, in certain grades and subjects.
Most parents still do not know about these exams, but those who do are fighting back and some are planning to have their children boycott them. See the resolution in support of a boycott, passed by CEC 20, and articles in GothamSchools, WSJ, NYT SchoolBook.
To the right is a copy of a memo (click to enlarge) recently sent to high schools by Candace Shyer, head of the NY State Education's Office of State Assessment, which says:
To the right is a copy of a memo (click to enlarge) recently sent to high schools by Candace Shyer, head of the NY State Education's Office of State Assessment, which says:
“Students should not be informed of the connection
between these fields tests and State assessments. The field tests should
be described as brief test of achievement in the subject.”
5 comments:
Should students who are boycotting leaflet their peers, I wonder?
Funny, I just read the constitution and found at least 2 violations. Cruel and unusual punishment and slavery are both prohibited.
Bloomberg's DOE, NYSED, and Pearson have already stolen enough instructional days from our children.
If they want to field test their exams, they should do it when school is not in session, look for volunteers willing to take them under simulated testing conditions, and compensate the volunteers.
Instead, Bloomberg's DOE and NYSED are enriching our Pearson at our children's expense. If Pearson wants test subjects, let it pay them instead of using the law to round up our kids and subject them to more of its torture.
High school students are old enough to realize how absurd it is for them to have to take meaningless tests,so we can't tell them the truth.Only a test crazy administration which really knows nothing about education would sanction this.
I am a high school student who, in one week (last week), took two of these field tests. One in English, and one in Math. I am in eleventh grade and I know the type of tests my teachers give. I also know that whenever they give a test or a quiz, I WILL know about it ahead of time. When I was handed the field test, I quickly noticed that it was not one of my teachers test and also thought that it was unfair that I didn't know about the test ahead of time. I was not told that these tests were field tests but I was smart enough to figure it out. Field tests are a huge waste of time in class. Does it help me review for the Regents exams that are rapidly approaching? Yes. But I am reviewing in other ways that aren't as stressful. Field tests add stress to my already, brain-crunching hours of school each day. Taking two of these tests were unnecessary. I could have been using that time to work on my AP projects, studying for Chemistry or Trigonometry finals or typing out my English portfolio or History interview. Students should not be bothered to take field tests at all. They especially should not be burdened with them during their last few weeks of school. It is their "crunch time" and need every second we can get.
What is happening in Louisiana gives away the truth of what is going on - this is not about better education or testing to help children - it is all about going backwards way backwards in our educational and labour thinking - and the inherent contradictions involved in the stated policies of our politicians right and righter as well as the abysmal ignorance of the public to its own self interest witness wisconsin. Create jobs in a country so anti-labour - what a joke- and john and jane q public buy all this senfeldian lot of nothing about nothing
Advocates for public education need to wage a major media campaign against what is happening or count yourself lost
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