Peter Greene reports that Kentucky absolutely prohibits opt outs from state tests. No parental choice whatever. The children belong to the state, and that is that.
Kentucky parents should organize and demonstrate civil disobedience. That’s the American way when oppressed.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
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Push has indeed come to shove….
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If the test KY is using is invalid, couldn’t those in charge be reported for child abuse?
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It’s not a question of “If the test. . . ”
The test is COMPLETELY INVALID as proven by Noel Wilson’s treatise “Educational Standards and the Problem of Error” found at: http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/577/700
Brief outline of Wilson’s “Educational Standards and the Problem of Error” and some comments of mine. (updated 6/24/13 per Wilson email)
1. A description of a quality can only be partially quantified. Quantity is almost always a very small aspect of quality. It is illogical to judge/assess a whole category only by a part of the whole. The assessment is, by definition, lacking in the sense that “assessments are always of multidimensional qualities. To quantify them as unidimensional quantities (numbers or grades) is to perpetuate a fundamental logical error” (per Wilson). The teaching and learning process falls in the logical realm of aesthetics/qualities of human interactions. In attempting to quantify educational standards and standardized testing the descriptive information about said interactions is inadequate, insufficient and inferior to the point of invalidity and unacceptability.
2. A major epistemological mistake is that we attach, with great importance, the “score” of the student, not only onto the student but also, by extension, the teacher, school and district. Any description of a testing event is only a description of an interaction, that of the student and the testing device at a given time and place. The only correct logical thing that we can attempt to do is to describe that interaction (how accurately or not is a whole other story). That description cannot, by logical thought, be “assigned/attached” to the student as it cannot be a description of the student but the interaction. And this error is probably one of the most egregious “errors” that occur with standardized testing (and even the “grading” of students by a teacher).
3. Wilson identifies four “frames of reference” each with distinct assumptions (epistemological basis) about the assessment process from which the “assessor” views the interactions of the teaching and learning process: the Judge (think college professor who “knows” the students capabilities and grades them accordingly), the General Frame-think standardized testing that claims to have a “scientific” basis, the Specific Frame-think of learning by objective like computer based learning, getting a correct answer before moving on to the next screen, and the Responsive Frame-think of an apprenticeship in a trade or a medical residency program where the learner interacts with the “teacher” with constant feedback. Each category has its own sources of error and more error in the process is caused when the assessor confuses and conflates the categories.
4. Wilson elucidates the notion of “error”: “Error is predicated on a notion of perfection; to allocate error is to imply what is without error; to know error it is necessary to determine what is true. And what is true is determined by what we define as true, theoretically by the assumptions of our epistemology, practically by the events and non-events, the discourses and silences, the world of surfaces and their interactions and interpretations; in short, the practices that permeate the field. . . Error is the uncertainty dimension of the statement; error is the band within which chaos reigns, in which anything can happen. Error comprises all of those eventful circumstances which make the assessment statement less than perfectly precise, the measure less than perfectly accurate, the rank order less than perfectly stable, the standard and its measurement less than absolute, and the communication of its truth less than impeccable.”
In other word all the logical errors involved in the process render any conclusions invalid.
5. The test makers/psychometricians, through all sorts of mathematical machinations attempt to “prove” that these tests (based on standards) are valid-errorless or supposedly at least with minimal error [they aren’t]. Wilson turns the concept of validity on its head and focuses on just how invalid the machinations and the test and results are. He is an advocate for the test taker not the test maker. In doing so he identifies thirteen sources of “error”, any one of which renders the test making/giving/disseminating of results invalid. And a basic logical premise is that once something is shown to be invalid it is just that, invalid, and no amount of “fudging” by the psychometricians/test makers can alleviate that invalidity.
6. Having shown the invalidity, and therefore the unreliability, of the whole process Wilson concludes, rightly so, that any result/information gleaned from the process is “vain and illusory”. In other words start with an invalidity, end with an invalidity (except by sheer chance every once in a while, like a blind and anosmic squirrel who finds the occasional acorn, a result may be “true”) or to put in more mundane terms crap in-crap out.
7. And so what does this all mean? I’ll let Wilson have the second to last word: “So what does a test measure in our world? It measures what the person with the power to pay for the test says it measures. And the person who sets the test will name the test what the person who pays for the test wants the test to be named.”
In other words it attempts to measure “’something’ and we can specify some of the ‘errors’ in that ‘something’ but still don’t know [precisely] what the ‘something’ is.” The whole process harms many students as the social rewards for some are not available to others who “don’t make the grade (sic)” Should American public education have the function of sorting and separating students so that some may receive greater benefits than others, especially considering that the sorting and separating devices, educational standards and standardized testing, are so flawed not only in concept but in execution?
My answer is NO!!!!!
One final note with Wilson channeling Foucault and his concept of subjectivization:
“So the mark [grade/test score] becomes part of the story about yourself and with sufficient repetitions becomes true: true because those who know, those in authority, say it is true; true because the society in which you live legitimates this authority; true because your cultural habitus makes it difficult for you to perceive, conceive and integrate those aspects of your experience that contradict the story; true because in acting out your story, which now includes the mark and its meaning, the social truth that created it is confirmed; true because if your mark is high you are consistently rewarded, so that your voice becomes a voice of authority in the power-knowledge discourses that reproduce the structure that helped to produce you; true because if your mark is low your voice becomes muted and confirms your lower position in the social hierarchy; true finally because that success or failure confirms that mark that implicitly predicted the now self evident consequences. And so the circle is complete.”
In other words students “internalize” what those “marks” (grades/test scores) mean, and since the vast majority of the students have not developed the mental skills to counteract what the “authorities” say, they accept as “natural and normal” that “story/description” of them. Although paradoxical in a sense, the “I’m an “A” student” is almost as harmful as “I’m an ‘F’ student” in hindering students becoming independent, critical and free thinkers. And having independent, critical and free thinkers is a threat to the current socio-economic structure of society.
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Duane,
No only that, the way these ‘tests’ are designed guarantees that the ruling class stays in power. Read S.J. Gould’s masterpiece, “The Mismeasurement of Man”. By the end, you’ll see the connection.
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Ironic, as their Senator Rand Paul, is openly opposed to Common Core.
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Instead of dumping tea, Kentuckians should dump bourbon. It should be interesting how all those don’t tread on me or my blue grass voters who elected Rand Paul will react.
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You know people are serious when they start dumping bourbon.
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I am not a fan of Rand Paul….but, since the media has a lot of disdain for him, and. of course, THEIR MAJOR DISDAIN OF REPORTING ABOUT ANYTHING OPPOSED TO “REFORM”…. maybe they could disdain two birds with one stone….”Rand…you are from KY….what do you think of your state opting to ban opt out?”
(I hate my job—I think I will take it out on Rand, somebody who does not matter, and ask him a question about education, which also does not matter, then drown my sorrows in the one thing that Kentucky gets right.)
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Ok. I won’t dump bourbon and join you. After finishing SLOs, make mine a double. Paul is on the education committee last I heard, but never shows up. I would think forcing students to take tests and ignoring the rights of parents by the State would make Mr. Shush speak up.
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Don’t tread on my bluegrass!
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Putting up a wall like this is actually a good thing. In most states we’re up against fuzzy “rules” that schools and districts use to try to coerce parents – but it’s been a moving target. The buck doesn’t stop anywhere.
The KY position makes the target stand still, and makes it legally very vulnerable.
Isn’t this a state with a libertarian leaning senator?
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Don’t hold your breath for any reporter to try and pursue the connection.
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“Libertarian Lite” — May Contain No Actual Liberty
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You can drink as much as you like, and never gain anything.
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From the same crowd that gives us such rhetorical gems as “government monopoly schools” [aka public schools] and “choice” [but no voice] and “union thugs” [aka long-suffering teachers], we now get the mantra:
“You belong to us.” And they’re not kidding—rheeally AND really!
😡
Their hypocrisy is shameless and knows no limit.
😎
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Quote of the day!
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Kids should be advised to leave tests blank–or to intentionally fill them out in a random response pattern then turn in for a nap. When government desperately tries to force their agenda on the people–against the will of the people–the people will always win. The tests are junk–subvert them! Rise up–be defiant! Do not let your children become a part of the corporate test for profit agenda! People ahead of politicians and corporations!
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Sorry, Memphis, I replied to your piece but posted it below.
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As I posted on Peter’s blog, parents need to demand to see the actual laws and policies that state this. I think they’re bluffing – no such laws exist. On the off chance I’m wrong and such laws actually have been passed, parents should demand to see a list of who voted which way, along with minutes of any meetings or legislative sessions in which the measure was debated.
Don’t just accept their word like well trained sheep – make them put their cards on the table.
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Agreed. I hate to generalize, but it seems to me that a lot of the thinking in the South is based on paternalism and blind allegiance. Sometimes it pays to question and engage in civil disobedience, if necessary.
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I do think it is a conservative trait to place a high value on authority and order. On the positive side, admirable traits like loyalty and dependability. On the negative side, blind obedience and rationalizing the absurd. I am amazed how the South struggles with deep poverty and accepts disproportionate government aid, yet votes Republican with calls for less government and supports limited labor rights.
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Isn’t this a constitutional issue? Sending your child to tax supported public school does not mean you’ve given over the right to determine what your child will participate in. Parents opt their children out of books that they feel are detrimental, sex and alcohol education, special ed assignment. I find it hard to believe that the Supreme Court (even a conservative court) sould support this slippery slope. Imagine what else the state could decide.
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It’s been said before that this war over our children and education is going to get brutal as the 0.1% fight to take over control of our children and our lives. What’s happening in Kentucky is one example of this happening.
I think that if the Walton and/or Gates cabal and the Milton Friedman worshiping neo-liberals in addition to the neo-conservatives do not get the message, then this war will eventually become a violent rebellion or civil war—an uprising that will lead to some home grown terrorist factions who will fight to reclaim their Constitutional rights.
And, eventually, it will tear the United States apart. The country we knew will no longer exist.
The resistance to save public education either wins or everyone loses—even the short sighted, biased, probably racist 0.1% who are mostly old and white that are funding this war against the 99.9%.
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Lloyd…I agree with you completely. The most precious gift a person can ever have is a child. And we will not back down. We will defend our children from any dangers, and at all costs. The unfortunate thing is that the 0.1% do not see the damages they are inflicting upon our country…they would risk tearing it apart if it meant 1) profit, and 2) control over the children of others.
We have no choice but to prepare ourselves for this to get worse…the oligarchs are accustomed to grabbing whatever they want, by buying politicians, and quislings willing to do their dirty business.
It is very sad to see our nation headed in this direction, but unfortunately for us, the 99.9%, our backs are increasingly pushed harder and harder against the wall. As with all other societies, when the oppressed are faced with situations that range from difficult to impossible, they become more and more desperate, for the right reasons, and forego diplomatic channels and turn to more extreme methods.
I pray that this does not befall us, but with each passing day, my glass of optimism becomes more and more empty, than full.
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Until the bullets start flying and the IEDs exploding, there is always hope that someone will talk since into the few billionaires who are funding this engine of destruction.
The U.S. has 536 billionaires (at last count). A very small number of that total have been exposed as engaged in this deception and attempt to hijack out education system and government.
I’s possible that some of the other billionaires will attempt to put a stop to this insanity.
I keep thinking that the billionaire who owns The Washington Post might already be doing this, because that paper has been publishing a string of exposes on the corporate education reform movement. The only major traditional media source that I’ve seen doing this.
Maybe Jeff Bezos is letting his newspaper do his talking for him. I know that I’ve seen his name linked to the reformers and this fake school reform, but if that was true, why would his major newspaper be so outspoken against the corporate reformers. Wouldn’t he control the content like the other billionaires are doing on the papers they own?
Maybe, just maybe, Bezos is having doubts and he might change his mind.
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I couldn’t agree more, Lloyd. Your observations are generally spot on. I fear that one of these days we will have an incident like the ones that took place in Edmond, Oklahoma in 86, or Goleta, California in 06. The term “going postal” might be replaced with “wacked-out teacher” or “pissed-off parent.”
Those in charge just want to keep poking the hornet’s nest…
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Excellent Idea, Memphis. It is important, however, for the revolt to be carried out in ‘better’ neighborhoods as well, since if only ‘poor’ schools opt out, the scores will simply be used to prove ‘poor’ schools are ‘failing’.
I don’t know Memphis neighborhoods, but near Nashville, if the Brentwood kids filled in bubbles in a geometrical pattern and then (instead of writing about the ‘passage) wrote about how stupid the test was, that would cause quite a stir. Probably kill the test.
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Well said. Now our children belong to the state.
As blogged before, now we are emulating the chldren/state relationship much as Hitler did. Have they no shame?
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A message for Cuomo, Tisch, Terry Halliday, and other of their ilk:
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All You Fascists
Words by Woody Guthrie, Music by Billy Bragg
I’m gonna tell you fascists
You may be surprised
The people in this world
Are getting organized
You’re bound to lose
You fascists bound to lose
Race hatred cannot stop us
This one thing we know
Your poll tax and Jim Crow
And greed has got to go
You’re bound to lose
You fascists bound to lose.
All of you fascists bound to lose:
I said, all of you fascists bound to lose:
Yes sir, all of you fascists bound to lose:
You’re bound to lose! You fascists:
Bound to lose!
People of every color
Marching side to side
Marching ‘cross these fields
Where a million fascists dies
You’re bound to lose
You fascists bound to lose!
I’m going into this battle
And take my union gun
We’ll end this world of slavery
Before this battle’s won
You’re bound to lose
You fascists bound to lose!
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A law of humanity, etched in song.
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“This machine kills fascists.”
I don’t think he meant his guitar.
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Anyone drawing parallels re: history? FASCISM is well and alive in this country. It’s about $$$$$.
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This cannot possibly be constitutional!
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That video montage rather confounds fascism, communism, and naziism, technically speaking, but the common element we are really talking about is totalitarianism, and capitalism is just as totalitarian as all the others.
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I agree! I run the move to opt out Facebook page for KY. I’m trying to get them fired up!
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I just liked it and tweeted it from Metro Issues. Thank you for taking the lead!
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Shouldn’t this be illegal?
Sent from my iPhone
>
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I have never thought I’d compare Kentucky to Vermont, but here I go. I live in Vermont and have recently tried to abstain from having my kids take the SBAC. The superintendent and principal were adamant–if my kids are in school at any time between now and the end of the school year, they WILL be tested. I have spoken with people at the state level and am getting no support. What happened to my rights as a parent?
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I’m sorry to say that it’s the same way here in Vermont. I have been told flat out, if my kids are in school at any time between now and the end of the school year, they WILL be tested. I’ve spoken with people at the state level about this, and they’re all telling me the same thing. It’s either keep my kids home, or they will be tested. Of course, at that point they would be truant. What happened to my parental rights?
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How long will it be before the Divergent’s five faction system is put into place here? Which faction would the ed-deformers and venture/vulture philanthropists fall into?
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Blue grass Ed politicians have made a wrong choice. This is none other than educational fascism under deformers and C.C.R.A.P promoters. What would the authorities do if thousands of students opted out? Arresting teachers and principals for boycotting testing?
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Reblogged this on stopcommoncorenys.
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I’m a member of a SBDM Council and this was never brought up.. we were never given any decision making power to reject Common Core anything.
I suspect because he was initially on the spectrum until therapy helped him overcome the symptoms, my child consistently makes outstanding scores on all of these standardized tests. The school could not be more thrilled with his results and keeps adding on more and more. I’m not happy about all these tests and want to opt out of all but the few federally mandated ones.
He enjoys Academic Team and is always happy, but I’m still considering jerking him out of public school and homeschooling my son over this.
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