The school committee of Tobrtton, Rhode Island, voted 4-1 to delay Common Core testing.
The state education department insisted that Rhode Island educators were deeply involved in the creation of the standards.
“In its resolution, the committee states that that local school committees, teachers and parents were not involved in the development of the Common Core, a set of education standards developed the National Governors Association and the most of the nation’s state school commissioners.
The state Department of Education, however, says that several Rhode Island educators served on the national committees that reviewed the standards. RIDE also said that public meetings were held in 2009 and 2010, before the standards were adopted.”
Does RIDE mean it is too late to step back as citizens learn more?
Whatever happened to critical thinking?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“The state education department insisted that Rhode Island educators were deeply involved in the creation of the standards.”
and then…..
“The state Department of Education, however, says that several Rhode Island educators served on the national committees that reviewed the standards.”
So… “creation” and “review”mean the same thing now? Wow. I hope Merriam-Webster updates their dictionary accordingly.
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crunchydeb: love your “close reading”!
Who knew that the CC would prove Merriam-Webster was in need of major revisions?
😎
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The town is Tiverton. 🙂
http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20140129-tiverton-school-committee-oks-resolution-calling-for-delay-in-new-state-test-poll.ece
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:01:15 +0000 To: srorme@msn.com
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The correct spelling of the town is “Tiverton, RI.”
It’s also important to know that RIDE’s spokesperson is a former Providence Journal writer.
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Town by town, city by city, then state by state..
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When educators start putting common core under the spotlight it will unravel. When liberals and tea part members come to the same table with the same concerns then you know there is something rotten!
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You are right to say CC will unravel. If not now, as soon as the test scores hit. Consider this http://savingstudents-caplee.blogspot.com/2013/12/is-stumbling-and-bumbling-good-thing.html
Anyone can have concerns, only good educators will have a viable alternative like this http://savingstudents-caplee.blogspot.com/2013/12/accountability-with-honor-and-yes-we.html
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Tiverton, Rhode Island 🙂
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WONDERFUL!
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“RIDE also said that public meetings were held in 2009 and 2010, before the standards were adopted.”
Of course no one remembers these being promoted or hearing about them, since most of the public at large did not know what Common Core was prior to about 6 months ago. And I wonder what could have possibly been discussed 4-5 years ago since The CCSS were not even fuilly developed or written at that point. To say there was transparency is quite a stretch. I consider myself a pretty involved parent, and I served on PTO since 2010. I remember hearing about RTTT grants, but the first Common Core specific presentation to my PTO was made in 2013. Unless you were specificly patroling the RIDE website in 2009 on a regular basis for a list of upcoming presentations, how would the average person have heard of this?
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And replace the tests with assessment http://savingstudents-caplee.blogspot.com/2013/12/accountability-with-honor-and-yes-we.html We must have a viable alternative
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Thank you for showcasing Tiverton’s (not Tobrtton) dedication to educating our families about Common Core. Also at the same meeting, the Committee resolved to eliminate the NECAP test as an indicator for high school graduation. As a Tiverton parent (and a Massachusetts educator) I’m proud of the Committee’s willingness to explore the information and listen to constituents. We all win when our local leaders are willing to consider ideas outside the status quo.
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There is a LOT happening in RI around Common Core. For example, here is coverage of a RIDE Common Core “forum” (read “commercial”) they held in Barrington, RI only to have citizens hold a counter event right afterwards that was attended by about 50 people!
http://www.eastbayri.com/news/barrington-crowds-turn-out-for-common-core-forums/
There is also a petition drive in favor of Rep. Amore’s bill to pause PARCC testing and investigate Common Core generally – more here: http://www.StopCommonCoreRI.org
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There is a LOT happening in RI around Common Core. For example, here is coverage of a RIDE Common Core “forum” (read “commercial”) they held in Barrington, RI (just over the bridge from our Tiverton neighbors) only to have citizens hold a counter event right afterwards that was attended by about 50 people.
http://www.eastbayri.com/news/barrington-crowds-turn-out-for-common-core-forums/
There is also a petition drive in favor of Rep. Amore’s bill to pause PARCC testing and investigate Common Core generally – more here: http://www.StopCommonCoreRI.org
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Reblogged this on Kmareka.com.
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Hi, My name is Deb Pallasch and I am one the School Committee members who voted to support the resolution. Thank you for recognizing our little town of Tiverton. I sent an email to the Projo reporter re: RIDE’s claims, but have yet to see a follow up. Here were my main points.
RIDE claims about hearings are false based upon my research of the timeline followed by RIDE and the Board of Regents to adopt Common Core (I even created a nifty timeline to follow). If RIDE is saying they held hearings in 2009, then they held them without the actual K-12 standards (a very rough confidential draft did go out for K-8 only in Nov 2009). There was a second confidential 1st K-12 draft released until Jan. 2010, but again it was not for public consumption and only a week was given to respond (hardly enough time for RIDE to review, never mind hold “hearings”).
The 1st PUBLIC K-12 draft was not released until March 2010 (this time with a 3 week turnaround time to Apr 2.) Here are RIDE comments at the Mar 18, 2010 Brd of Regents meeting:
“Ms.Snider told the members of the Board that there is still significant work to be done before they meet their goal of delivering a new draft that responds to all the feedback by next week…. Rhode Island is reconvening its Engagement Committee later in March to develop a roll-out plan to gather statewide feedback on this final draft. More specifics will be provided when we are given time frames next week.”
So as of Mar 18 still no hearing or feedback at this point other than RIDE (remember comments were due two weeks after this meeting). And they were going to “come up with a plan” the end of Mar to gather feedback (which would be AFTER comments on the stds were due). The final draft was released June 2, 2010 and the Brd of Regents adopted it at their Jul 1, 2010 meeting. There was no further mention in the minutes of the standards until a June 17 workshop on them. My guess is that many of the “hearings” were about the concept of common core and not the standards themselves or held LONG after the comment period had closed. So, no local school committees, teachers and parents were involved in the development of the Common Core, and we sure weren’t included in the review either.
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Dear Ms. Ravitch, Another example of what’s happening in Little Rhody: We also received an incredible letter from Grace (last name withheld), a High School Junior in a southern Rhode Island town who wrote a “breakup letter” with Common Core. I have independently verified the author’s authenticity but have not published her last name for privacy reasons. You can contact me for more details: tad@stopcommoncoreri.org . I hope you publish this letter on your blog to show everyone the sort of creativity and independent thinking we will lose from our students under the Common Core.
Her “breakup letter” is pasted below and also here: http://www.stopcommoncoreri.org/the_home_room_blog
———
Breaking Up With Common Core
I’ve decided to write a letter. A breakup letter, that is. I am a teenage girl in modern day America and, therefore, one might blame the ever-present Taylor Swift songs for this creation. However, I am a teenager in modern day America and, therefore, one might blame a set of standards. Those assuming the latter case would be correct. Common Core State Standards will have us singing the blues before we know it, so before things get too serious, while I still can, I’m breaking up with Common Core.
Dear Common Core,
I would begin by saying the cliché “It’s not you, it’s me.” But I’d be lying. It is you. I’m sorry, I’m too harsh? Maybe I am, so here are some tips for your future relationships. Take these into consideration and you might spare yourself a broken heart next time.
1. You’re too controlling. You’re changing education to become a form of the factory system. I’ve heard people talk about how robots are replacing humans as our technology grows, but it is your fault. Under your standards we are manufacturing robots in huge factories called “Elementary School”, “Junior High School” and “High School”. The result of such manufacturing is students who are being robbed of individuality. However, this is one of the most important aspects of education. Individuality must be present in school because it allows for an exchange of ideas and a great diversity of perspectives; the very things that I believe make education so valuable. Nobody likes “Bossy Pants” looming over their shoulder, constantly telling them what to do.
2. You make unfair comparisons. There is too much testing because of the use of PARCC. Every student learns differently and tests differently; however, they will still be assessed in the same way. With this taken into account, how is it possible that your standardized testing fairly and accurately measures the students’ abilities and knowledge? Even if you are able to do so, you’re still comparing each person to others, so how can you possibly have the time to focus on each individual and build upon their strengths while helping to strengthen them in their weak areas? Additionally, harder tests do not mean more learning, it simply means harder tests. Therefore, this means that between too many questions, not enough answers and static learning, you’re just bad news.
3. You’re a compulsive liar. You say that you help better prepare students for college and careers; your supporters cling to this statement, but do you truly do so? The National Education Association tried to warn me in their policy briefing, where it is written “there is no research or evidence indicating that national standards are essential for a nation’s students to be high achievers.” You almost convinced me that the “real world” calls for finding functions, answering multiple-choice questions and graphing parabolas. In ending this relationship, I am able to understand that there is more than this. I see a world that demands its inhabitants to achieve greatness of all sorts. Greatness, in my opinion is doing something that makes a change; it is something that makes an impact. Whether it is done in complete anonymity or not does not matter, nor is it important how large or small the impact is. I believe that through education we can set the students up to achieve this greatness, because it is what the world needs. This world craves art, beauty, and passion. It is a place in which a sculptor’s hands are equally important to those of a doctor and where the words of a poet are as powerful as those of a lawyer. So let these words be a lesson, in any future relationship, honesty is the best policy.
It would probably be in everyone’s best interest if you went back to the land of bumbling businessmen and paltering politicians. I’m sure there’s other fish in the sea… not in Rhode Island, but maybe somewhere… maybe not.
Good Riddance Common Core,
Grace [Last Name Withheld by Editor]
RI High School Junior
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If CCSS is so good, why does it have to be mandated? Anyone else tired of mandates from yahoos?
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Not only is it mandated, groups including the National PTA, US Chamber of Commerce and National Catholic Education Association were paid by Bill Gates to promote it.
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I for one am tired of mandates from linear thinkers. Those who dont recognize human growth and development. Be the change! Let´s respond with a viable alternative http://savingstudents-caplee.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-call-to-action.html
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Yvonne,
You’re being kind calling them “yahoos”.
Also no self respecting yahoo would be seen with these edudeformers.
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Wow–I am beyond impressed! Apparently, the adage should be changed to hell hath no fury like a Rhode Islander scorned! Go back & read the Providence student protest post (a couple of days ago, I think). My hat’s very much off to you all–small, but powerful–keep up the good fight–opt ALL your kids out of ANY of your state’s ridiculous bubble tests–after all, POTUS SOTUS said those tests don’t show learning!
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Any word on NY? Rumor has it there may be a suspension of testing this spring . . .
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Thank you Deb – I have always wondered about that timeline, but did not know where to look to find the answers. Excellent research.
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Hi Diane,
Oops, you meant to type Tiverton, Rhode Island! Sandy (from RI)
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Do you mean Tiverton? Make sure you have the name of the town correct.
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So based on some follow up, I have modified that statement somewhat. The national group apparently released drafts in July/Nov/Dec 2009 and Jan/Feb 2010 (that is a lot of drafts!) Not clear which were just for State Brds and which were open for public comment but RIDE stated at a Feb 4th Brd of Regents meeting that the drafts thru that date “were not ready for analysis.” Apparently at some point a CCSS “engagement committee” was formed consisting of RIDE, Governor’s Office, Brd of Higher Ed and RIDE “content specialist” who helped perform review. Hearing for parents, school officials, classroom teachers (other than the few on the “engagement comm”)?? Even if it did happen, and I don’t believe it did…come on, in 3 weeks!
Also just learned our Brd of Regents held a single workshop before adoption during the first week of summer vacation. Yeah that’ll work.
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