Originally Posted on October 28, 2013 by Nancy Bailey I changed the title of this old post to include high-stakes testing because it reminded me of the word “appropriate” and the situation in Florida surrounding The Ethan Rediske Act. I think it is important to revisit some of these court cases. What meaning do they […]
Common Core State Standards Don’t Rhyme With Individual Educational Plans
Originally Posted on October 3, 2013 by Nancy Bailey Think about it. Common Core State Standards do not rhyme with Individual Educational Plans. Say it slowly. Listen to the words. They don’t go together. The whole point of CCSS is for everyone to get to the same standard. It is the same goal. You can […]
Growing a New Website and Book this Spring!
I am going to stop posting new posts for a while on my blog (probably for some of you sighs of relief!), while I work to improve my website. I am adding links to activism sites—including more material. And I am including some new features which I hope will be more interactive. In the meantime, […]
SAT Scores Damned Public Schools and Teachers for Years—Why a Facelift NOW?
We’re told the SAT needs a facelift to level the playing field and make the test more relevant for disadvantaged students. Whoa! Let’s rewind that tape a bit shall we? The SAT has been used for years to damn public schools and teachers who were unjustly accused for not preparing all students well enough for […]
Could it End High-Stakes Testing?—The Bizarre Practice of Irrelevant Testing of Students with Severe Disabilities
Could the odd practice of using high-stakes testing to test students with severe disabilities put an end to America’s obsession with high-stakes testing overall? There is nothing that speaks to individual differences more than students like Ethan Rediske. America may have lost Ethan, but his mom, Andrea Rediske, and Orange County Public School board member […]
The NEA’s Band-Aids for Common Core are Not Good Enough!
It’s not looking good for Common Core State Standards—one would think. The recent flurry of activity could trick educators and parents into thinking something is going to happen to rid schools of the standards. Even the NEA’s Dennis Van Roekel, spoke out. But if you read closely enough, the standards are not considered to be […]
Every Child, Every Day, College Bound AND Common Core?—Changing the Tune on What Constitutes College Preparation
For years the mantra has been every child must go to college. Of course, that’s why Americans were given the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). And that’s why students are being pushed with “rigor” to master skills at earlier levels than ever before. It is also why K-12 students are being pressured to fit into […]
Do Americans Love Their Children?—Yes! Many of them DO!
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (New International Version) A while back I was talking with a friend about school problems, and she surprised me by saying “America doesn’t love its children!” I was taken aback. I’d never […]
It’s What President Obama Didn’t Say about Education in the State of the Union Address….
The president, of course, could not speak about all the following disputes in one State of the Union Address. But the problem is he rarely speaks about these issues with the American people. There is little, if any, discussion or debate. The president might be surprised to find not everyone approves of his education policies. […]
Pete Seeger…if you sing for children, you can’t really say there’s no hope.
Yesterday we lost Pete Seeger, one of the all-time great folk singers and activists. The LA Times calls Seeger “the conscience of America.” A larger than life figure, there is no way one can write enough about Seeger. He dedicated himself to peace, civil rights, labor, and the environment. He sang folk music and songs […]