Tag: SBAC

Hartford Courant’s Editoral Board Has More Courage Than State BOE: Rails Against Watered Down Teacher Evaluations
In the State

Hartford Courant’s Editoral Board Has More Courage Than State BOE: Rails Against Watered Down Teacher Evaluations

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If you want an example of how politics has stunted the state’s progress towards a more equitable education system, look no further than the latest State Board Of Education decision to remove Smarter-Balance assessment data from teacher evaluations. In one of their latest commentary pieces, the Hartford Courant’s Editorial Board’s explains why this decision was a mistake:… Continue reading Hartford Courant’s Editoral Board Has More Courage Than State BOE: Rails Against Watered Down Teacher Evaluations

And We Wonder Why We Can’t Have Nice Things? Fact Check On News Surrounding The Removal On Teacher Evaluations
In the State

And We Wonder Why We Can’t Have Nice Things? Fact Check On News Surrounding The Removal On Teacher Evaluations

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Thursday afternoon while researching information on the state school board’s recent decision to permanently remove annual mastery exam data from teacher evaluations, I stumbled upon a Channel 12 News segment entitled: “State teachers to no longer be rated on test scores.” *Spoiler Alert:* That’s not a factual statement. State teachers have never been rated based… Continue reading And We Wonder Why We Can’t Have Nice Things? Fact Check On News Surrounding The Removal On Teacher Evaluations

Sorry, Not Sorry: Recent Events In New Haven Prove “High-Stakes Testing” Is A Complete And Utter Myth
Bridgeport · New Haven · Students

Sorry, Not Sorry: Recent Events In New Haven Prove “High-Stakes Testing” Is A Complete And Utter Myth

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Editor’s note: The following rant is not for the eyes of children. You have been warned. —–   What does the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and high-stakes testing in Connecticut all have in common? Stumped? Well, I hate to break it to you, but none of those things exist.   Have I destroyed your… Continue reading Sorry, Not Sorry: Recent Events In New Haven Prove “High-Stakes Testing” Is A Complete And Utter Myth

No, Leaving The Smarter Balanced Testing Consortium Would Not Save Connecticut Money
Budgets · Reform · Standards

No, Leaving The Smarter Balanced Testing Consortium Would Not Save Connecticut Money

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I hate to break to everyone, but John Bestor is wrong. Leaving the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) isn’t likely to save Connecticut money — far from it. In his recent Op-Ed for CT Viewpoints Bestor, a former school psychologist and anti-reform activist, makes the extraordinary claim that Connecticut could save money by designing a… Continue reading No, Leaving The Smarter Balanced Testing Consortium Would Not Save Connecticut Money

Connecticut Education Association Latest Attack On Teacher Evaluation System Fails to Mention How Lack Of Accountability Will Lead To Equity
Students

Connecticut Education Association Latest Attack On Teacher Evaluation System Fails to Mention How Lack Of Accountability Will Lead To Equity

meganLeave a comment

Here’s a great question for the Connecticut Education Association (CEA): How will eliminating student achievement data from teacher evaluations help close achievement gap? How will it help “every child succeed?” The reason I ask this question is because, incredibly, the CEA is trying to cast their opposition to teacher accountability as promoting equality.   Two… Continue reading Connecticut Education Association Latest Attack On Teacher Evaluation System Fails to Mention How Lack Of Accountability Will Lead To Equity

CT Education Committee Choses Unions Over Children: Votes To Cut State Assessment from Teacher Evaluations
Students

CT Education Committee Choses Unions Over Children: Votes To Cut State Assessment from Teacher Evaluations

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On Friday afternoon, the Connecticut General Assembly’s Education Committee voted 23-10 to push forward Senate Bill 380, which if passed, would ban the use of state assessments in teacher evaluations, including for schools currently using the assessment data. That would mean schools districts like New Haven, which has been using state exam data in evaluations… Continue reading CT Education Committee Choses Unions Over Children: Votes To Cut State Assessment from Teacher Evaluations

State Teacher’s Union’s Bogus Claims About The SBAC: The Truth From The Lies
Students

State Teacher’s Union’s Bogus Claims About The SBAC: The Truth From The Lies

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About two weeks ago, the state’s largest teacher’s union, Connecticut Education Association (CEA), held a press conference announcing their proposal to eliminate the Smarter-Balance Assessment (SBAC), the Common Core-aligned test that schools began administering statewide for the first time last year. During the conference one reporter asked a very important question that we should all… Continue reading State Teacher’s Union’s Bogus Claims About The SBAC: The Truth From The Lies

How Can Bridgeport Students Learn When They Don’t Have A Teacher?
Students

How Can Bridgeport Students Learn When They Don’t Have A Teacher?

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  Harding High School graduate Jessica Gonzalez told the Bridgeport Board of Education at their last meeting that she struggled in math. The reason: In her sophomore year, the teacher assigned to her Geometry class resigned and was never replaced. Though Gonzalez lost almost an entire year of math, she is currently studying at Boston… Continue reading How Can Bridgeport Students Learn When They Don’t Have A Teacher?

CAPSS Suddenly Decides They Are Against Accountability
Students

CAPSS Suddenly Decides They Are Against Accountability

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It looks like Connecticut Education Association (CEA) isn’t the only one making an about-face on accountability. A few days ago, the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) announced in a Connecticut Viewpoints op-ed that they want to “radically overhaul” the state’s testing system – a system CAPSS was directly involved in developing. CAPSS Executive… Continue reading CAPSS Suddenly Decides They Are Against Accountability

Politics At Its Worst: Opposing Free SAT Tests For Connecticut
Students

Politics At Its Worst: Opposing Free SAT Tests For Connecticut

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In a blazing act of political cynicism, Jon Pelto has come out in opposition of free SAT testing for Connecticut’s students and eliminating the SBAC test for high school juniors. Why would anyone oppose this? Well, in Jon’s case, it’s probably because the Malloy administration was behind it. Pelto recently called the state’s decision to… Continue reading Politics At Its Worst: Opposing Free SAT Tests For Connecticut