Irvinecommuter said:
That is absolutely not true. Business have to constantly innovate or else they get left behind. Go ask Apple, Blackberry, Microsoft, or GM how sitting on your laurels is working out. Education is continuously changing and with new demands. The last set of standards were implemented in 1997...it's time for an update.
Glad we agree that Common Core is new and experimental. We also agree "it's time for an update". But what makes you think so? What data shows it is not working in Irvine? It doesn't. In fact, the opposite, our college-readiness is already outstanding (what Common Core is supposed to somehow make better). "Update" does not = Common Core... that means going backwards and hitting the big "reset" button. An update, though, SHOULD be considered as an alternative.
At the same time, you are pretty far off base here. I have a bit of experience in this area. Never would a successful company completely throw out their only and most successful product line in favor of a new, unproven, experimental product, simply because they get a sweetened no-bid contract offer from an outside vendor to manage it for them. The best companies innovate and improve, but they do not foolishly throw out everything that is working for something experimental and already known to be not as good, especially without thoroughly surveying their customers (esp. parents, in the case of Common Core) and testing it in a few markets first.
In fact, with Common Core, we are throwing out local innovation happening in the states and local school boards, in favor of a "one-size-fits-all" approach coming from lobbyists groups in Washington D.C. This also discounts the smart folks we have in our own state and local schools to come up with our own set of rigorous standards. California and Massachusetts innovated and came up with standards, systems and quality that led to some of the best standards and schools in the nation. Listen to one of those innovators, Dr. Sandra Stotsky from Massachusetts or Dr. Bill Evers from California. Both helped create the top standards in MA and CA and both are opposed to Common Core.
But we are talking about kids, not iPhones. We should NOT be experimenting on our kids and the future of education in this country. If Bill Gates wants to experiment, let him do it by creating a good Windows smartphone. Not with education for an entire generation of our children. And NOT without parents having any input and public debate.
Irvinecommuter said:
You think the test data that is in place now is not being used and analyzed? How do you thin API scores and school ratings are made?
CALPADS is not something crazy...it's just replaces the old system:
Again, not correct. CALPADS is no longer just about annual standardized test data and "federal reporting requirements." It certainly was not developed with much public input or awareness (if any). We never heard of CALPADS until about a couple weeks ago, even though it has now been collecting data on our kids for 3+ years now and has been in the works for years. It is part of the larger Common Core plan to capture LOTS of data on our kids, from pre-K to 12, throughout the entire school year and not just on annual tests. It started with No Child Left Behind (Common Core light) and is now being fully realized with Common Core (full). Each state in Common Core is doing this with the idea that they can then link standards, scores and lots of data across INTERSTATE "longitudinal" databases.
There are about 1,000 data elements (including health, religious affiliation, etc) "suggested" as part of Common Core. California had the sense to reject some of those data elements, but what happens when California falls in line with Common Core and starts to collect those too?
In 2008 and 2011, the federal department of education (without Congressional approval and possibly unconstitutionally) unilaterally "amended" the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to reduce parental rights and protections and to give more access to all kinds of student data to outside contractors, paving the way for Common Core and, for California, CALPADS.
Seemingly inconsistent with FERPA, you also cannot inspect the data on your child that resides in CALPADS. It seems you may only ask your local school to see your child's records (a FERPA right, so we should make sure these records are accurate). But if we are not allowed to inspect our child's CALPADS data records, how do we know if this matches the data at the school? Government folks, school officials and others can see your kid's CALPADS data, but parents cannot, it seems.
By the way, CALPADS also comes with with CALTIDES (the teacher version of CALPADS) where the statute "authorize(s) data... to be used by local educational agencies for purposes of evaluating teachers and administrators and making employment decisions..." (SBX5 1) Though I do not know what subsequent deals may have limited or delayed use of this.
This also comes from the same SBX5 1 law that brought Common Core to California (emphasis added): "Create robust data systems
linking prekindergarten, K-12, higher education and workforce data to measure student success, improve instruction and student learning, and inform teachers, principals, students, policymakers, and the public of school performance." SEC 1(d)
It's right there in CA law enacted in 2010---they want a "cradle to grave" data mining system... linking pre-kindergarten, K-12, college and WORKFORCE data, based on a Student ID number (SSID) all in one place with growing access by an increasing number of databases, organizations and individuals, with the federal DOE amendments and Common Core helping to pave the way.
This is in perfect "alignment with Common Core."
Parents, please do the research and ask questions and let your opinions be heard. Again, it seems you cannot opt your child out of CALPADS or their SSID. Your child's identifying number (SSID) stays with them pretty much forever, it seems. California state colleges already collect the SSID on college applications and guessing so employers will soon as well.
