A reader reflects on the rapid advance of privatization in Florida, which has been abetted by the hard demands of the state’s high-stakes testing regime:
Having been in education in FL for over 30 years, it is gut wrenching to me to watch what is going on. Jeb Bush and his band of merry men (and women) have taken over public education in FL. Some of the best and most innovative public educators I have known are now working for him or one of his groups. I am beginning to think folks in FL have decided the privatization of public education in FL is inevitable, and our best shot at helping kids is to get involved now in that transition to make sure there will be some folks in those private enterprises that actually care for kids. The climate and culture in the public schools has become toxic to people who believe in the duty of the state to provide a free quality education to our kids (that’s actually in the FL Constitution).
I observed in a summer school class today for students who didn’t pass the third grade FCAT. Their only shot at fourth grade is to pass a similar test this summer. The teachers in those classes are some of the best in our county. And most of the summer has been spent in quality reading instruction. But the final two to three weeks is totally focused on test prep and testing, teaching ‘strategies’ to use to pass the test. “Remember, next Wednesday, use all these strategies so you can pass the big test.” You can see the stress in the faces of these eight year old children. They get one more chance to bubble in the right answers, or they get to spend another year in third grade.
What are we doing? Have we all lost our minds?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The only thing that is going to stop this is to either eliminate standardized testing or to integrate the strategies into classwork and tests given in the classroom such as by using the same format, including answer sheets, on the tests the teachers give and the kinds of skills the tests require in learning other subjects.
There is no getting around the fact that standards and standardized testing is a false process and is harmful to student’s learning.
Florida parents are fighting back. We’ve already begun a campaign against the parent trigger bill, which is bound to make a comeback in 2013. Follow us on Twitter @StopTrigger and like and share our Facebook page: Americans Against the Parent Trigger. This is a national fight and we can’t defeat the corporate profiteers on our own.
What happens when children fail third grade again, and again? Just because they can pass this test the second time around does not mean they are reading at third grade level. Test level is not comprehension level reading or math or anything else. We may see many small children suffering from stress related test taking pressure. These politicians and some educators know nothing apparently about tests or children, and they seem to care less.
The whole process of educational standards and standardized testing is so fraught with error that it should be rejected at face value.
One of the worst tragedies is they are having to spend their vacation in summer school being taught the things the TFAs did not get into their heads during the school year. I notice you said they got QUALITY reading instruction during the first part of summer school. That means they were not being taught from scripted lessons. I hope they all pass, a friend in New Orleans said that she read studies that there is a very high correlation between boys who have trouble with reading in the 2nd grade have a very high chance of going to prison later. These kids had already been passed on and since there is no high stakes testing for second grade may be seriously behind.
I’ve heard of something similar…..the number of prisons to build is based on 3rd grade retention rates.
We know that boy are slower than girls at an early age, but they catch up. This was one of the first things I learned in my reading classes. Many young children also have a reversal problem at an early age and are often mislabeled as learning disability. Reversals are normal in both genders until age 10 or 11. Correction should start as soon as possible, and it takes some simple techniques to correct the reversal if it is a normal maturation problem. I have a MA in Reading from Arizona State University where I had excellent teachers in both History and Reading. It is difficult for me to tolerate all the negative, political remarks about our great teachers. Surely, everyone has figured out by now, the money changers want to get rid of the higher paid teacher, those with the most experience , and degrees, who wish to teach their content subjects not train young children for a career path and how to score high on a worthless test.
This saddens me to read what is happening in Florida because at some point, if it is not stopped, it will be happening in every state.
My pre-k children now are subjected to performance tasks which are scored with a rubric.
We are told not to tell the children that it is a test, but even pre-k children are not stupid. They can tell when I am having conversations with them about their work as opposed to giving them the dreaded word “test”. Many of them have older siblings and already understand what that means.
Some of them cry. Some of them refuse to respond to questions. And some of them just say anything that pops in their head.
I will, not, however, give up fighting against this terrible time in our country
Sheila’s, your reply breaks my heart .. Even pre-k students! ‘Glad to know you are there standing in the gap for these little ones. In our Maryland school district parents can opt their child out of state testing. It is their right although many probably are not aware of this.
“What are we doing? Have we all lost our minds?” I wish i could answer the first question in a less than obnoxious, destroying kids lives. To the second, YES!!
I am going to be really unpopular for expressing this – as I have expressed it in other forums and have been roundly castigated for it – AND the only way to stop this is to STOP THIS…. and it has to happen NOW….
Teachers (experts in eucation) know that ed deform hurts children…
(parents trust teachers to be informed, to know what they’re doing and to do the best for their children)
Teachers are implementing this ed deform agenda…
Teachers are acting as AGENTS for the ed deformers…
Teachers know that their unions have taken money from the ed deformers – BROAD, GATES, PEARSON et al and so are complicit in theroll-out of ed deform …
Teachers are losing their profession and their jobs with the implementation of ed deform…
When will teachers STOP enabling ed deform?
When will teachers STOP damaging children by implementing ed deform in their classrooms every day?
When will teachers STOP cowering under the threat of losing their jobs/profession, when, with ed deform, they’re losing their jobs/profession already/anyway?
All the complaining and handwringing in the world will not change anything…
As Bob Newhart so succinctly said: “Just STOP it”… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0lr63y4Mw
I have made myself a pariah by posting this view in other public ed activism places over the past month…
I’ve been hearing teachers advocating that children be encouraged to “Opt Out”, that high schoolers be encouraged to ‘fight for their own education”, that the ed deformers will be sent packing when student voices are raised and students revolt…
And I’ve responded that its immoral for teachers to expect/ask students to do their ‘dirty work” for them…
If teachers want students to “Opt Out” of taking standardised tests, for example, why are teachers not leading by example by “Opting Out” of administering those tests?
I am being called unstable, that I am projecting my anger at my own (difficult) situation onto teachers, that I am attacking them, that I need to support them because they are suffering from Stockholm/Stepford Wives Syndrome and I should be compassionate and on and on and on it goes….
Yes, teachers are under attack from ed deform AND they are the adults in this…
Get over it…
Step up, stop playing the victim card – teach your students THE SINGLE MOST VALUABLE LESSON THEY WILL EVER LEARN – RESPECT YOURSELVES, STAND UP, STAND IN YOUR INTEGRITY, FACE DOWN YOUR OPPRESSORS…