The school board in Pittsburgh voted this week to reduce testing in K-5 by 50%. This is a huge win for children.
What this means is an additional 33 hours for learning, for recess, for all manner of things other than standardized testing.
Jessie Ramey, who blogs as Yinzercation, said:
“We scored a big victory in Pittsburgh last night! The school district and school board agreed to substantially reduce testing for students in grades K-5. The biggest winners are children in grades 3-5, where testing will be cut from 85.5 periods a year to 41.5 periods. At 45 minutes per period, that is 1,980 minutes of instructional time – or 33 hours of real learning time – that our children just got back in their lives.
“Thirty-three hours! And that’s just in test-taking. When tests are eliminated, students also gain back time that had been dedicated to test-prep, so there is a multiplier effect here, too.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It’s still 41.5 periods of testing too many.
Agreed, but it’s a start.
Let’s ask the likes of Obama, Duncan, and Gates, how they would feel if their children were told they had to sit for 85.5 periods of testing. But have no fear Mr Gates, Mr Duncan, or Mr Obama, you would have probably said, “no…no…not for my children”. So, we reduce the number to 41.5 periods…I know that you would still find this preposterous…so would I….As a parent I would ask each of you, why is it that while I would not subject your children to this sickening regimen, why do you force it onto ours? Is the selling out of the children of others the best way you can think of to gain more wealth and power? Human beings should not do this to others, especially to children…what kind of examples do you represent?
I also question what these schools the elite send their children to really achieve. All thee of the men you mention attended private schools. Why are the top schools producing leaders that want to test away childhood? Are these schools failures?
Below are the mission statements of the schools Obama, Gates and Duncan attended.
If we were to use VAM for these schools using their mission statements as the rubric and the data being the decisions and policies Obama, Gates and Duncan have implemented, then these schools are failures.
Barak Obama’s school
“MISSION
To provide an environment where students can:
Develop moral and spiritual values consistent with the Christian principles on which Punahou was founded, affirming the worth and dignity of each individual.
Develop intellectual, academic and physical potential to the fullest degree, preparing them for college and for challenges facing them now and in the future.
Develop and enhance creativity and appreciation of the arts.
Appreciate cultural diversity and develop social responsibility.”
Bill Gates’s school:
“Mission
The mission of Lakeside School is to develop in intellectually capable young people the creative minds, healthy bodies, and ethical spirits needed to contribute wisdom, compassion, and leadership to a global society. We provide a rigorous and dynamic academic program through which effective educators lead students to take responsibility for learning.
We are committed to sustaining a school in which individuals representing diverse cultures and experiences instruct one another in the meaning and value of community and in the joy and importance of lifelong learning.
Mission Focus
Lakeside School fosters the development of citizens capable of and committed to interacting compassionately, ethically, and successfully with diverse peoples and cultures to create a more humane, sustainable global society. This focus transforms our learning and our work together.”
Arne Duncan’s school:
“The Laboratory Schools are home to the youngest members of the University of Chicago’s academic community. We ignite and nurture an enduring spirit of scholarship, curiosity, creativity, and confidence. We value learning experientially, exhibiting kindness, and honoring diversity.”
…and for George W. Bush:
“Mission Statement
Public and community service is integral to the educational mission of Phillips Academy. In accordance with the school’s motto, non sibi (not for self), the Phillips Academy Community Service Program strives to:
promote and provide structured opportunities for students, staff and faculty to engage in public service;
foster collaborative relationships with individuals, organizations and schools that address problems and build upon assets of local and global communities;
connect academic learning to community problem solving through the development of service-learning courses across disciplines;
inspire responsibility and personal growth by supporting volunteers, encouraging student initiatives and providing a comprehensive Leadership education project; and
motivate students to consider and act upon issues of social justice and civic responsibility and thus foster a commitment to a lifetime of effective participation in public life.”
“Why are the top schools producing leaders that want to test away childhood? Are these schools failures? ”
Who says that those are “top schools”???
Why are they supposedly “top schools”???
Because they cost an arm and a leg to attend???
Oh come now, Duane, it’s obvious why they are top schools. Because they produced geniuses like Obama and Duncan – isn’t that proof enough for you?
Because I and others always say the people making decisions don’t want their children in public schools and it is implied that these schools provide a superior education.
God, but they are pushing ed tech. This is from the US Department of Education:
http://tech.ed.gov/futurereadypledge/
It’s a “pledge” for superintendents to buy devices and programs. I mean, for goodness sakes. Why don’t they just go join a sales team?
I think is is unseemly that they are pushing product out of that office. We have a private sector. They can BE salespeople. It’s not like anyone is forcing them to work in the public sector. If they want to sell this stuff to schools, go work for one of the companies and do that! I don’t know: is this complicated for them? Some part of “public sector/private sector” they don’t understand?
I can feel my hair blowing in the breeze as the pendulum finally begins to swing back.
People are sick of the testing.
It’s barbaric.
Exclusive schools do not necessarily represent top schools, its just that they are….exclusive. I went to private schools my entire life, and when I got to college I realized the gaps in my education. I ended up in the remedial class in math my freshmen year. It also does not mean students from private schools are better, more intelligent, more capable. Many of my peers in high school skated by doing as little as possible toward their education.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
I see this as more important than gaining 33 educational hours. Assuming this means, on average, 33 less hour long tests on 33 days, it means 33 less nights before of undue stress and 33 less days of associating education with fear.