PARCC will help in reforming education since the US ranked 27th out of 34 countries in 2012 for math when measured by PISA
The samples of students who take PISA across countries and cities are not comparable. Schools in other areas of the world, particularly China, stratify students by ability and wealth and unnaturally cluster the best and brightest into prestigious high schools. Lower performing students end up in programs outside of major cities or workforce. Poverty affects the test scores.
Source: My Central Jersey.Com 11/16/14-Chris Tienken, Professor Seton Hall University
If you pull poverty down to a level EQUAL to other countries (Finland has a 3.4% poverty level; Japan 14.3%) the US would actually outperform their foreign counterparts.
The U.S. has over a 21% poverty level.
Source: nasspblogs.org/principaldifference/2014/02/pisa-its-still-poverty-not-stupid/
Source: My Central Jersey.Com 11/16/14-Chris Tienken, Professor Seton Hall University
If you pull poverty down to a level EQUAL to other countries (Finland has a 3.4% poverty level; Japan 14.3%) the US would actually outperform their foreign counterparts.
The U.S. has over a 21% poverty level.
Source: nasspblogs.org/principaldifference/2014/02/pisa-its-still-poverty-not-stupid/
PARCC is the only way to truly assess our students
Teachers assess students every single day. Parents see the results through quizzes, chapter tests, mid terms and finals and through these results have the ability to “hone” in on the problems and work with the child at home and school. PARCC results will not be provided until the following year at which point students will have moved to the next grade. Since PARCC was developed without input from experts, educators, parents, students, or administrators, there is no understanding of what is being assessed. At this time 1/16/15 there are only 9 states remaining plus the District of Columbia that are participating in PARCC. Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, Massachusetts. New Jersey’s public schools lead the nation in school achievement, high school graduation rates, school attendance, SAT scores, and AP exam scores.
Souce: Education Week, Quality Counts 2014; District Disruption and Revival: School Systems Reshape to Compete - and Improve.
January 2014 New Jersey leads the nation in student achievement and growth among lowincome and minority students, according to the Education Trust.
Source: The Education Trust. Differences in State Track Records Foreshadow Challenges and Opportunities for Common Core. July 2013
Souce: Education Week, Quality Counts 2014; District Disruption and Revival: School Systems Reshape to Compete - and Improve.
January 2014 New Jersey leads the nation in student achievement and growth among lowincome and minority students, according to the Education Trust.
Source: The Education Trust. Differences in State Track Records Foreshadow Challenges and Opportunities for Common Core. July 2013
PARCC is a High School graduation requirement
For the Classes of 2016-2018, students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in both ELA and math by meeting ONE of the criteria in each section below:
Section One – English Language Arts
Passing score on a PARCC ELA Grade 9 or
Passing score on a PARCC ELA Grade 10 or
Passing score on a PARCC ELA Grade 11 or
Accuplacer Write Placer >= 6 or
SAT >= 400 or
ACT >= 16 or
PSAT >= 40 or
ACT Aspire >= 422 or
ASVAB-AFQT >=31 or
Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal
Section Two - Mathematics
Passing score on a PARCC Algebra I or
Passing score on a PARCC Geometry or
Passing score on a PARCC Algebra II or
SAT >= 400 or
ACT >= 16 or
PSAT >= 40 or
ACT Aspire >= 422 or
ASVAB-AFQT >=31 or
Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal
As of this printing (1/16/15), the Department of Education’s plan is that the PARCC will be the only option for students graduating in 2019 and beyond.
The DoE is unclear on other options; they have not made a decision. Which is another reason why parents are upset and should “refuse” the test as this is one way parents can take a stand.
The DoE is also considering setting retro-active passing scores after a single administration of the PARCC test. This is a violation of federal guidelines set forth for parental/student notification of new graduation requirements in federal court cases.
DOE Director of the Office of Assessment, Jeff Hauger stated in a department paper about the implementation of a new Algebra I test as a graduation requirement: “As a rule of thumb, the state needs to send out due notice to the districts regarding the graduation requirement and give them a three year period to adjust.”
The Commissioner’s proposed polices are inconsistent with fairness, best practices and previous Department policy statements. There are numerous other unanswered implications, especially for current HS students who will suddenly face new and unproven graduation policies.
Source: State of NJ Department of Education Memo http://www.state.nj.us/education/intervention/memos/120214grad.pdf
http://www.app.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/10/14/karp-parcc-rule-change-unfair-highschool-students/17258473/
Section One – English Language Arts
Passing score on a PARCC ELA Grade 9 or
Passing score on a PARCC ELA Grade 10 or
Passing score on a PARCC ELA Grade 11 or
Accuplacer Write Placer >= 6 or
SAT >= 400 or
ACT >= 16 or
PSAT >= 40 or
ACT Aspire >= 422 or
ASVAB-AFQT >=31 or
Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal
Section Two - Mathematics
Passing score on a PARCC Algebra I or
Passing score on a PARCC Geometry or
Passing score on a PARCC Algebra II or
SAT >= 400 or
ACT >= 16 or
PSAT >= 40 or
ACT Aspire >= 422 or
ASVAB-AFQT >=31 or
Meet the Criteria of the NJDOE Portfolio Appeal
As of this printing (1/16/15), the Department of Education’s plan is that the PARCC will be the only option for students graduating in 2019 and beyond.
The DoE is unclear on other options; they have not made a decision. Which is another reason why parents are upset and should “refuse” the test as this is one way parents can take a stand.
The DoE is also considering setting retro-active passing scores after a single administration of the PARCC test. This is a violation of federal guidelines set forth for parental/student notification of new graduation requirements in federal court cases.
DOE Director of the Office of Assessment, Jeff Hauger stated in a department paper about the implementation of a new Algebra I test as a graduation requirement: “As a rule of thumb, the state needs to send out due notice to the districts regarding the graduation requirement and give them a three year period to adjust.”
The Commissioner’s proposed polices are inconsistent with fairness, best practices and previous Department policy statements. There are numerous other unanswered implications, especially for current HS students who will suddenly face new and unproven graduation policies.
Source: State of NJ Department of Education Memo http://www.state.nj.us/education/intervention/memos/120214grad.pdf
http://www.app.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/10/14/karp-parcc-rule-change-unfair-highschool-students/17258473/
Districts will lose Title 1 Funding for our schools
There is no federal or state law that requires penalties on schools if parents opt out/ refuse the test. The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law did include a mandate that required schools to have a 95% participation rate on state tests or face sanctions. However, since 2012, NJ has had a waiver to NCLB that replaces those sanctions with a new accountability system.
Under the waiver, only schools designated “priority” or “focus” schools face direct intervention for missing state targets. Priority and focus schools can have up to 30% of their federal Title I funds “re-directed” by the NJDOE for specific “interventions,” but even these funds are supposed to be used for school improvement, not taken away.
The overwhelming majority of the state’s 250 “priority” and “focus” schools are in high-poverty urban districts. See explanation and 2014 list here: http://www.state.nj.us/education/reform/PFRschools/PriorityFocusSchools.pdf
Under the waiver, only schools designated “priority” or “focus” schools face direct intervention for missing state targets. Priority and focus schools can have up to 30% of their federal Title I funds “re-directed” by the NJDOE for specific “interventions,” but even these funds are supposed to be used for school improvement, not taken away.
The overwhelming majority of the state’s 250 “priority” and “focus” schools are in high-poverty urban districts. See explanation and 2014 list here: http://www.state.nj.us/education/reform/PFRschools/PriorityFocusSchools.pdf
Colleges and Universities utilize PARCC scores
Colleges and Universities utilize SATs/ACTS scores however there is a growing number of colleges/universities that are choosing to either eliminate the SAT/ACT or place less emphasis on it. The following links include institutions that are "test optional," "test flexible" or otherwise de-emphasize the use of standardized tests by making admissions decisions about substantial numbers of applicants who recently graduated from U.S. high schools without using the SAT or ACT http://www.fairtest.org/schools-do-not-use-sat-or-act-scores-admitting-substantialnumbers-students-bachelor-degree-programs http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional
PARCC is a great replacement to the HSPA
1- HSPA was a one-time test given to 11th graders.
2- The HSPA math section was a one day test and the language arts section was a 2 day test vs. PARCC which is a 10 day test given over 2 separate dates. (3/9-3/20 and 4/20 -5/15)
3 - PARCC is now a test given to 3rd - 11th graders, which has been untested and unproven.
4 - HSPA was designed to help determine whether your child is making satisfactory progress toward mastering the skills he or she will need to graduate from high school. Students who enter the eleventh grade on or after September 1st of each school year were required to pass the Mathematics and Language Arts Literacy sections of the HSPA as a graduation requirement.
5- Local school districts used the results to determine the appropriateness and strength of the local curriculum and to develop remedial programs to help students improve their knowledge and skills. The results are also used to satisfy federal requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
6 - New Jersey is exempt from NCLB
7 - Test passages and items for the HSPA were developed and then reviewed by state-level committees for Mathematics, Language Arts, and Sensitivity before and after they were included in the test. New Jersey teachers and other educators participated in the committee review process. All test passages and items for the HSPA were subjected to a rigorous field test.
Source: http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/hs/hspa_guide_english.pdf
2- The HSPA math section was a one day test and the language arts section was a 2 day test vs. PARCC which is a 10 day test given over 2 separate dates. (3/9-3/20 and 4/20 -5/15)
3 - PARCC is now a test given to 3rd - 11th graders, which has been untested and unproven.
4 - HSPA was designed to help determine whether your child is making satisfactory progress toward mastering the skills he or she will need to graduate from high school. Students who enter the eleventh grade on or after September 1st of each school year were required to pass the Mathematics and Language Arts Literacy sections of the HSPA as a graduation requirement.
5- Local school districts used the results to determine the appropriateness and strength of the local curriculum and to develop remedial programs to help students improve their knowledge and skills. The results are also used to satisfy federal requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
6 - New Jersey is exempt from NCLB
7 - Test passages and items for the HSPA were developed and then reviewed by state-level committees for Mathematics, Language Arts, and Sensitivity before and after they were included in the test. New Jersey teachers and other educators participated in the committee review process. All test passages and items for the HSPA were subjected to a rigorous field test.
Source: http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/hs/hspa_guide_english.pdf
The PARCC Field Test was given to determine if it was properly designed
The PARCC Field test was given to determine if schools had the proper technological “band-width”. Results of how well students did/did not do has not been provided to any district.
“The dry-run allows districts to determine their technological capacities for the computer-based exam. Roxbury has spent $500,000 in upgrades to meet the technical requirements of the PARCC, including improvements to its software, network infrastructure and computers” http://www.nj.com/education/2014/04/nj_schools_take_the_parcc_test_for_a_testdrive.html
Here in Newark Public Schools no data has been released advising the community how much money has been spent to meet the technical requirements of PARCC.
“The dry-run allows districts to determine their technological capacities for the computer-based exam. Roxbury has spent $500,000 in upgrades to meet the technical requirements of the PARCC, including improvements to its software, network infrastructure and computers” http://www.nj.com/education/2014/04/nj_schools_take_the_parcc_test_for_a_testdrive.html
Here in Newark Public Schools no data has been released advising the community how much money has been spent to meet the technical requirements of PARCC.
Student’s cannot "opt-out" of PARCC
Though some states do have an “opt-out” provision, New Jersey does not— so parents must REFUSE testing on behalf of their children. As State Board of Education President Mark Biedron acknowledged at the January 7, 2015 NJ State Board of Education meeting, “We know we cannot force any kid to put their hands on a keyboard”
NJ Commissioner of Education David Hespe said that it’s up to districts to determine how to handle refusals. A district cannot instruct parents to keep their children home to avoid testing. As for those who refused to take the tests, Hespe said: “Every district should apply its own policies. “If a student comes in and is disruptive, you should have a disciplinary policy for that,” he said. “If they’re not disruptive, you should have a policy of what you do with that child. We should not automatically assume that coming to school and not wanting to take the test is a disciplinary problem.”
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/01/07/anti-testing-turnout-puts-state-board-of-education-tothe-test/
NJ Commissioner of Education David Hespe said that it’s up to districts to determine how to handle refusals. A district cannot instruct parents to keep their children home to avoid testing. As for those who refused to take the tests, Hespe said: “Every district should apply its own policies. “If a student comes in and is disruptive, you should have a disciplinary policy for that,” he said. “If they’re not disruptive, you should have a policy of what you do with that child. We should not automatically assume that coming to school and not wanting to take the test is a disciplinary problem.”
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/01/07/anti-testing-turnout-puts-state-board-of-education-tothe-test/
Students refusing the test are not considered “non-testing students”
Per the PARCC Test Coordinator Manual Spring 2015, “non testing students are not permitted in rooms where testing is taking place.
Link: http://avocet.pearson.com/PARCC/Home#alpha-T
In contacting PARCC directly, they concur that “non-testing students” include students who have refused the test.
Link: http://avocet.pearson.com/PARCC/Home#alpha-T
In contacting PARCC directly, they concur that “non-testing students” include students who have refused the test.
Students did not opt out of NJASK
Students across New Jersey refused to take the the NJ ASK over the past several years, because parents had the right to do so.
Under the U.S. Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment and in the 2000
Supreme Court Case:
TROXEL V. GRANVILLE (99-138) 530 U.S. 57 (2000) 137 Wash. 2d 1, 969 P.2d 21, affirmed;
www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-138.ZO.html; your parental rights to direct the education of your child are clearly outlined.
U.S. law supersedes state administrative codes, which is NJ is found in NJAC 6A:8-4.1.
Under the U.S. Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment and in the 2000
Supreme Court Case:
TROXEL V. GRANVILLE (99-138) 530 U.S. 57 (2000) 137 Wash. 2d 1, 969 P.2d 21, affirmed;
www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-138.ZO.html; your parental rights to direct the education of your child are clearly outlined.
U.S. law supersedes state administrative codes, which is NJ is found in NJAC 6A:8-4.1.
There is no additional costs to our district with PARCC implementation.
While districts will claim that they have been improving the technology in classrooms over the years, many districts had top systems in classrooms already, including but not limited to MAC Books. Many districts had no technology at all, or they were limited to a certain amount per school.
Now, technology had to be purchased to meet the requirements of the PARCC test. Districts had no choice.
In some districts, Chromebooks (a less expensive computer), replaced MACs because MACs did not support the PARCC Test.
Districts had to also invest in the requisite software and improve their internet “bandwidth” to support the additional requirements.
Various think-tank estimates have put those costs for New Jersey at up to $500 million, when counting all the technology, teacher training, textbooks, and other essentials. These costs are being absorbed by each school district.
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/07/23/with-online-testing-on-the-way-the-multimilliondollar-question-is-what-will-it-cost/
Because taxpayers are paying for this increase either through additional taxes or cuts in current budgets, a bill (A3077) is currently on the desks of our legislators which would require districts to inform parents of every standardized test they give (why given, how used, who takes it , how much it costs, what's done with the data, etc.).
Now, technology had to be purchased to meet the requirements of the PARCC test. Districts had no choice.
In some districts, Chromebooks (a less expensive computer), replaced MACs because MACs did not support the PARCC Test.
Districts had to also invest in the requisite software and improve their internet “bandwidth” to support the additional requirements.
Various think-tank estimates have put those costs for New Jersey at up to $500 million, when counting all the technology, teacher training, textbooks, and other essentials. These costs are being absorbed by each school district.
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/07/23/with-online-testing-on-the-way-the-multimilliondollar-question-is-what-will-it-cost/
Because taxpayers are paying for this increase either through additional taxes or cuts in current budgets, a bill (A3077) is currently on the desks of our legislators which would require districts to inform parents of every standardized test they give (why given, how used, who takes it , how much it costs, what's done with the data, etc.).
The information garnered from PARCC will only remain in the district.
PARCC has signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education in which the Department is allowed access to all student-level data the consortium gets through the testing. This access is to be allowed “on an ongoing basis” for purposes including undefined “research.”
“Parents are told not to worry about this, because any sharing of data will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). HOWEVER, as of January 2012, FERPA has been gutted, and no longer protects our children’s data from almost unlimited sharing. Under the new regulatory interpretation, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) (and in fact state departments of education) may disclose personally identifiable student data to literally anyone in the world, as long as the disclosing agency uses the correct language to justify its action.
The National Education Data Model includes over 400 data points, including health history, disciplinary history, voting status, religious affiliation, and family income range, and on and on.
On January 12, 2015, President Obama announced that he is releasing new legislation for Safeguarding Student Data in the Classroom and Beyond, however it is too early to tell how our students will be protected from invasions of privacy http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/12/fact-sheet-safeguarding-americanconsumers-families
“Parents are told not to worry about this, because any sharing of data will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). HOWEVER, as of January 2012, FERPA has been gutted, and no longer protects our children’s data from almost unlimited sharing. Under the new regulatory interpretation, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) (and in fact state departments of education) may disclose personally identifiable student data to literally anyone in the world, as long as the disclosing agency uses the correct language to justify its action.
The National Education Data Model includes over 400 data points, including health history, disciplinary history, voting status, religious affiliation, and family income range, and on and on.
On January 12, 2015, President Obama announced that he is releasing new legislation for Safeguarding Student Data in the Classroom and Beyond, however it is too early to tell how our students will be protected from invasions of privacy http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/12/fact-sheet-safeguarding-americanconsumers-families