Common Core Resolution Signed by East Newton (MO) School Board

East Newton School Board says "not so fast" to Common Core

There was a huge CCSS development in Missouri yesterday.  The Newton Missouri School Board passed a resolution raising concerns about Common Core implementation in its district.  From an East Newton school district parent:

With a vote of 5 to 1 with one abstaining, the East Newton School Board voted to pass a resolution raising their concerns about the implementation of the Common Core standards. 

 

Voting yes on the resolution:  Mark Knight, Keith Guinn, Greg Kruse, Lance Renner and Lawrence Frencken.  Tal Clubbs voted against with Terry Clarkson abstaining.

 

Thank you everyone, for your support to our school board and school as we held community meetings, attending board meetings and tried to understand this as a community.  This is the first school in the state to vote on such a resolution, but this follows other school boards through the country who have taken similar action. 

 

I know it was a process that the board took very seriously, and I deeply appreciate their courage and diligence in looking into this issue more seriously.  I am most grateful for the example they have set for our children, in raising their voices when they see something amiss.  Senator Ed Emery said, "How much better, that it comes from the home of the Patriots!"  Please, if you have an opportunity, write them a note of appreciation.  I am sure they will appreciate hearing of your support as they act in our behalf and the behalf of our children.  It is often a thankless job.

 

Below is a copy of the resolution to be signed and sent up to Jefferson City, for your review.

 

 

P.S.  There will be a town hall Common Core/education meeting in Joplin at MSSU, Oct. 19th at 7:00 P.M. at the Mills-Anderson Justice Center Auditorium.3950 E. Newman Road
Joplin, MO 64801

   This meeting will be sponsored by Joplin parents and students who are concerned about Common Core and other educational concerns.  You are welcome to attend.

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Resolution of the School District of East Newton, R- 6 to stop and re-evaluate the Implementation of Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) 2013

This RESOLUTION was made and adopted by the Board of Education of the School District of East Newton, R- 6, on the date set forth after the signature of each of the board members set forth below.

1.      CCSSI was never approved by Congress, but was embedded in the “four assurances” that the U.S. Department of Education required of governors to apply for State Fiscal Stabilization Funds and Race to the Top grants financed by the American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  

2.      CCSSI was never evaluated by Missouri State Legislators; the people’s representatives were bypassed.

3.      CCSSI was presented as an enticement for “Race to the Top” funds and the waiver of “No Child Left Behind.” Because “No Child Left Behind” saddled school districts with the unrealistic requirement that 100% of students be proficient in reading and math by 2014, a waiver was a must to avoid loss of accreditation.

4.      CCSSI are copyrighted to non-government trade organizations.  We have concerns regarding access to additional information and the cost of such information.

5.      Individual school districts are committed to paying unknown costs associated with implementing Common Core assessment plans, and purchase of materials, of which tax payers and their elected representatives never had any input.  This would imply taxation without representation.

6.      There is an apparent conflict of interest by  our Governor who sat on the Board of Directors of the National Governors Association in 2010, which holds the copyright to the CCSSI English and math standards when the standards were developed.  He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Achieve Inc. which holds the copyright to the Next Generation Science Standards.

7.      CCSSI, which is an integral component of a U.S. Department of Education plan to collect a large amount of data collection on students as well as teachers, could lead to unauthorized sale or sharing of personal data to commercial sources.  Although, it has not presented a problem to date, MO has no formal restrictions on DESE from populating data systems designed according to the National Data Model of over 400 data points including non-education related information such as religion, voting history, biometric data, etc. 

8.      The Department of Education Organizational Act of 1979, the General Education Provision Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that was reauthorized as the No Child Left Behind of 2001 each prohibits the U.S. Department of Education from involvement in developing, supervising, or controlling instructional materials or curriculum (Federal Law 20 USC 1232a-Sec. 1232a. and The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Pub.L. 89-10, 79 Stat. 27, 20 US.C. ch. 70), CCSSI and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium assessment tests coming in 2014 were funded, incentivized, and will be controlled under the memorandum of agreement with the Federal Department of Education.  This seems to be an overreach of the Federal Government into the state’s educational system.

9.      There is no evidence that DESE complied with Missouri State Statute 160.526 2. prior to administration of Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium pilot tests.  The statute states,

The state board of education shall, by contract enlist the assistance of such national experts, as approved by the commission established pursuant to

section 160.510, to receive reports, advice and counsel on a regular basis pertaining to the validity and reliability of the statewide assessment system.

The reports from such experts shall be received by the commission, which

shall make a final determination concerning the reliability and validity of the statewide assessment system. Within six months prior to implementation of

the statewide assessment system, the commissioner of education shall inform the president pro tempore of the senate and the speaker of the house about

the procedures to implement the assessment system, including a report

related to the reliability and validity of the assessment instruments, and the general assembly may, within the next sixty legislative days, veto such implementation by concurrent resolution adopted by majority vote of both

the senate and the house of representatives.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE EAST NEWTON R6 SCHOOL DISTRICT

1.      Recognizes the CCSS for what it is – a component of the four assurances that are designed to manipulate states and facilitate unconstitutional federal overreach to standardize and control the education of our children for the purposes of workforce planning, agreed to by Governor Nixon outside of due process while on the Board of Directors of the National Governors Association,

2.      Recognizes that, as per Missouri Revised Statute 160.514 of the Missouri Outstanding School Act, curriculum frameworks adopted by the state board of education may be used by school districts, and we have great concerns regarding the adoption of the Missouri Core Standards/Common Core State Standards curricular framework for the East Newton School District,

3.      Recognizes that, as per Missouri Revised Statute 160.514 of the same Act, the state board of education shall develop a statewide assessment system that provides maximum flexibility for local school districts to determine the degree to which students in the public schools of the state are proficient in the knowledge, skills, and competencies adopted by such board, and we exercise our right to insist on that flexibility.  We have great concerns in participating in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium assessments,

4.      Rejects the collection of student assessment data outside of the limits specified in Missouri Revised Statute 160.518; and rejects the collection of personal student data for any non-educational purpose without the prior written consent of an adult student or a child student’s parent and rejects the sharing of such personal data, without the prior written consent of an adult student or a child student’s parent, with any person or entity other than schools or education agencies within the state,

5.      Insists that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall adopt academic standards and a statewide assessment system as required by Missouri Revised Statute 160.526 of the same Act, that is, as approved by the legislature,

6.      Insists that any amending of Missouri’s Learning standards must be done through a transparent public rulemaking process that allows Missouri’s people ample time and opportunity to review proposed changes and provide feedback.  Specifically, the DESE shall ensure that any amendment to the Learning Results be posted for public review and comment for at least 60 days.  Any comments received during this notice period shall be made public prior to final adoption of any changes.

7.      Calls on the Governor and the Missouri State Board of Education to re-evaluate Missouri’s participation in the Common Core State Standards Initiative, and asks the Missouri State Legislature to discontinue funding programs in association with Common Core State Standards Initiative/Missouri’s Core and any other alliance that promotes standards and assessments aligned to them until such re-evaluation can be completed. 

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution shall be delivered to the Governor and the State Legislature for executive and legislative action.

This resolution was adopted by the Board of Education

School District of East Newton, R-6.

East Newton

22808 East Highway 86

Granby, Missouri  64844

You can find the resolution (that first appeared at Missouri Coalition Against Common Core) to take to your school board and it can be adapted to your particular state.  Push back against the elites who have devised educational reforms without taxpayer and legislative approval or knowledge.

Thank the East Newton School Board for being the first school district in Missouri to question the Common Core and following Missouri statutes.

Common Core Legislation in Missouri Moves Forward

From Missouri Coalition Against Common Core, May 6, 2013:

SB210 Passes Out of the Senate

Today SB210 was perfected in the Senate. Discussion centered around the public's need for more information on this very large change to our education system.  

Two amendments were added to the bill. One is a long standing amendment to change the timing and process of the decision for the state to take over a district which has lost its accreditation.

The second amendment sets up an interim committee to study the foundation formula. It was noted during the discussion that DESE has not followed the foundation formula in distributing $130 millions dollars to the district. (For context, DESE's budget is $3 billion and the districts contribute another $4 on top of that making the total the state spends on education, out of a $22 billion budget, $7 billion.) One impact of this misuse of the foundation formula is that the St. Louis Special School District has lost $3 million dollars annually. 

For the perfected language click here.  The bill now goes to the house for reading and a vote. 

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Here is the language from the bill focusing on the Common Core issue:

SS/SCS/SB 210 - This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct at least one public hearing in each Missouri congressional district prior to the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Department must provide each person who wishes to testify a reasonable amount of time to do so. The Department must publish a notice on its internet website at least two weeks prior to each of the public hearings and post the notice at the location of each public hearing. The Department must also notify each district of the public hearing. Districts must also notify parents, in a manner of their choosing, as described in the act.

At least two weeks prior to the first of the public hearings, the Department must perform a fiscal analysis of the projected cost to the state and school districts of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Department must also prepare, at least two weeks prior to the first of the public hearings, a report identifying any data that will be collected as a result of the Common Core State Standards and any governmental or quasi-governmental entities or consortium that collects or receives any data. These reports must be published on the Department's website and must be provided to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Joint Committee on Education. 

All public hearings must be completed by December 31, 2013.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must provide a report to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Joint Committee on Education that summarizes the public testimony heard at each of the public hearings. (Section 161.855)

We currently have 1119 signatures on our petition to stop Common Core in Missouri.  Add your signature here.

Ouch. These Common Core Meetings Didn't Go So Well for School District Officials

Concerns about the Common Core adoption and implementation keep surfacing about the lack of transparency in the process and the lack of any pilot studies providing research based documentation of CCSS proponent claims.  Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent by the states who must adhere to the mandates drawn up by the two private trade organizations, the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Chief Council of State School Officers (CCSSO) without any direct evidence these standards, assessments, change in curricula and computer infrastructure will deliver what these organizations have promised if adopted and completed.

Utah will spend an enormous amount with its new testing system and the state had some meetings explaining the new system and Common Core to taxpayers.  District officials didn't seem to be very successful in answering citizen concerns as shown in the videos embedded in the article.  From Deseret News and Matthew Sanders: Utah Common Core testing fraught with flaws:

A key component of the Utah Common Core implementation is a new online, adaptive testing system called Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence (SAGE). The the Utah State Office of Education (USOE) contracted to pay $39 million to American Institutes of Research, a Washington, D.C., behavior and social science research organization, to build and host the new testing environment.

At the SAGE introduction in Davis County, I observed many concerns raised by parents. While there, I also asked a couple of questions, but the answers left me wanting. Upon further reflection and analysis, I believe the SAGE approach is deeply problematic, and I put forth the following questions:

Where is the evidence?

Public sector projects should carry assurance of maximum societal benefit for optimal cost. For approval, they should present evidence from research and pilot or scaled tests of the proposed reform.

Despite substantial searching, I could find no defensible studies anywhere on the USOE website, and was given no assurance by state officials that any pilot studies underpin the wholesale changes. They have not cited, as would be asked of any high school research paper, any support for their reforms. Thus, the USOE has implemented new standards, new curriculum and has spent scarce state resources on an apparently untested, unproven testing approach.

How will student data be used?

The contract with AIR contains no explicit protections of student data collected in testing by the well-known federally funded researcher. Despite repeated questions to USOE officials, they could provide no reference statutory protection of student data. USOE should provide complete assurance to families and educators that data are protected and not available for personal identification.

One of the key objectives of the Common Core initiative is to provide means for inter-state performance comparisons. However, the USOE FAQ on testing indicates that, "There are currently no national norms for the new common core or Utah Core Standards ... they cannot indicate where Utah’s students stand relative the common-core standards." So no collaborative benefits exist for developing a unique Utah test.

Why not a different approach?

Consistent with its mandate, the USOE is appropriately concerned by the college readiness of Utah students. Rather than wholesale reforms dependent on unproven curricula and tests, why not direct efforts to proven methods with known cost effectiveness?

Watch the videos and listen to the audience questions, the presenters' reactions and determine if you think these groups of taxpayers are satisfied with the districts' answers.  Watch and read more here.

The highlighted questions are questions you should keep in mind when attending one of DESE's meetings to be held around the state on the same evening, May 2 at 6:30 PM.  Listen to what Missouri bureaucrats tell you and write down the reporter's concerns and determine if they parallel your concerns during DESE's presentation:

• Were any pilot studies done on Common Core standards before they were adopted and implemented?
• Is there 3-5 years of research available to consider CCSS "best educational practice"?
• Are they internationally benchmarked?  If so, where is the list?
• How will the student data be used?
• What 61 data points are currently being gathered on students, where is being sent and for what purpose?
• Does DESE have control over data retrieval and dissemination or does our consortia, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia?  Did SBAC sign an agreement with the US Department of Education to send Missouri data to the Federal Government?
• Has a cost effectiveness study been done?  If not, why not?

We'll have to wait and see after Thursday night if Missouri taxpayers are any happier with Missouri DESE answers than the Utah taxpayers were with their state agency's responses. 

Here is the list of meeting places around the state for May 2.  Meetings begin at 6:30 PM.

Hazelwood District Office

15955 New Halls Ferry Rd, Florissant, MO 63031

Lindbergh District Office

4900 South Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63126

Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center (CTC), Room 110

1080 South Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703

Springfield Kraft Administrative Center, Rooms A&B

1359 East St. Louis, Springfield, MO 65802

Marceline Walsworth Community Center

124 East Richie (Downtown), Marceline, MO 64658

Camdenton School District—Hawthorn Elementary School

296 Minor Street, Camdenton, MO 65020

Warrensburg Middle School, Library Media Center

640 East Gay Street, Warrensburg, MO 64093

Center Senior High School Cafeteria
8715 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131

You can access material and download information in preparation for the meeting at
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/Common_Core.html.

Visit Missouri Coalition Against Common Core for further information regarding the adoption, implementation, cost analysis and other details on CCSS probably not provided by DESE.  It is important to know what the government might just leave out telling you about the fundamental transformation of education. 

Teacher Common Core Survey Results

From Utah:

 Utah teachers speak out against common core --anonymously-- on this survey just released today. http://fb.me/11JPpZLWm 

Some comments from the survey:

I opposed Common Core Standards and assessments because they are poorly considered.  The language standard is based upon whole language methods which have a long history of being ineffective and even harmful to developing language skills.  The math standards are likewise proven faulty.  Other standards in Literature, Handwriting, etc. are not based upon sound reasoning.  I fully accept that individuals may use these systems if they disagree with me.  I do not see that one viewpoint should be imposed universally.  The decision about education content, standards and methods would be better accomplished on a more localized and individual level than it is now, not on a more centrist level.  Government agencies have not been demonstrated to manage education well and have no right engaging in the kind of tracking, evaluation and directing of students that has been proposed.

and

Reading under the Common Core is very boring for both the student and the teacher.  The students read for a few minutes and then are tested (constantly).  I love reading but I hate this approach.  There is no chance to get into the story and really enjoy learning to read.  Math has been made into a complicated mess, for example rather than carry the 10 over into the 10′s column, the student must rearrange the numbers into 10′s and ones and then add.  This confuses the student and isn’t necessary.  I especially hate that the testing is based completely on the Common Core.

and

privacy issues; too much testing; too much indoctrination; math is arbitrary and haphazard in intro of ideas and execution; much curriculum is age inappropriate-some too advanced, some too easy, again it is haphazard

These are tales from the classroom/school, not news releases from the two private trade organizations that created the standards, the National Governors Association and The Council of Chief State School Officers.  The news releases gush with the wonders of CCSS and how they will transform education for the better.  What the news releases don't tell the public is that the standards/assessments (not field tested or researched based) are privately owned and copyrighted and cannot be altered in any manner or held legally responsible if the standards do not deliver as promised.  From corestandards.org:

Representations, Warranties and Disclaimer:

THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ARE PROVIDED AS-IS AND WITH ALL FAULTS, AND NGA CENTER/CCSSO MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTIBILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT DISCOVERABLE.

Limitation on Liability:

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL NGA CENTER OR CCSSO, INDIVIDUALLY OR JOINTLY, BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY LEGAL THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER FOR CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR A COMBINATION THEREOF (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH RISK AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, LICENSEE WAIVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK LEGAL REDRESS AGAINST, AND RELEASES FROM ALL LIABILITY AND COVENANTS NOT TO SUE, NGA CENTER AND CCSSO.

If you are a teacher/administrator in Missouri, you are invited to take this anonymous survey on your experience with Common Core State Standards.

Who Endorses Common Core and Who Opposes It?

Missouri DESE published a news release stating it had over 400 endorsements supporting Common Core State Standards.  From dese.com:

More than 400 school districts, businesses, individuals, and colleges and universities have stepped forward to endorse Missouri’s implementation of the Common Core State Standards for math and English language arts.

The Common Core State Standards have been endorsed by more than 200 Missouri school districts, 90 individuals, 50 educational organizations, 40 businesses and business organizations, and 35 institutions of higher education. A complete list of endorsements is available at dese.mo.gov/documents/CCSS-Support-lists.pdf.

What DESE doesn't tell you is that school board members were not asked to sign this letter of CCSS endorsement in some (if not the majority) of the school districts. From Missouri Coalition Against Common Core:

On March 6th, DESE distributed an information packet to House members stating their opposition to HB616. Included in that packet was a list of approximately 60 school districts who appear to support DESE's Statement. In at least two of those districts, the school board was never asked to vote on their support for DESE's statement. The superintendent alone gave DESE permission to list his district. This happened in Lindbergh and Kirkwood school districts. Was your district listed without School Board approval? (see list below)

Do you or your school board members agree that your superintendent can speak unilaterally for your district on questions of policy? If not, your school board needs to make it clear to your superintendent when they can make these decisions alone and when they must get Board approval. They will only be accountable to the public if they are held accountable.

Here is a list of Anti-Common Core signatures that DESE probably won't issue in an agency news release:

• http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/Gidseg.pdf
• http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/Horwitz.pdf
• http://www.edweek.org/media/joint_statement_on_core_standards.pdf
• http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/pdf/pdf_files/comments_signers.pdf
• http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/Miller_4_23_10.pdf
• http://www.k12innovation.com/Manifesto/_V2_Home.html

These lists don't include the signatures of Missouri citizens (not businesses or organizations receiving financial rewards for CCSS implementation) opposing Common Core standards.  You can find Support Local Control of Education - Get Missouri Out Of Common Core here.

DESE also makes statements in the release that are not researched based and factual such as:

The Common Core State Standards will also help make Missouri students competitive in a globally recruited workforce, said David Russell, commissioner of higher education.

“Implementing the Common Core State Standards will lower remediation rates, increase rates of college completion and provide significant savings to students, their families and the state,” Russell said. “The standards are essential if we are to increase the number of Missourians with a college degree, which translates to almost a million more dollars in lifetime earnings for the student and a more robust economy for the state.”

Mr. Russell's statements are supposition and his claims are unproven and untested.  If these individuals, corporations, superintendents and institutions of higher education endorsed an initiative not supported by facts and research, taxpayers should demand answers from them why they signed this support statement of non researched and unpiloted educational jargon.  

Read DESE's letter of support.  Then ask these questions:

• Would you sign a support statement for a state agency that signed on to standards and assessments that had not even been written? 
• Would you sign a support statement for programs that had not been field tested?
• Would you sign a support statement that allowed for private trade organizations to set the standards for your state's educational standards and assessments and your school and district could not alter?
• Would you sign a support statement for unfunded debt to be borne by your school district without nary a vote from a taxpayer? 
• Would you sign a support statement that would allow your district to release personal data (up to 3,000 data sets according to data retrieval company eScholar) on your child and teachers?

If the answer to above questions are "no"...and because your child is not common, please support the effort to stop implementation of Common Core State Standards in Missouri on Missouri Coalition Against Common Core State Standards.