Recently a letter was written to the Lincoln school board about concerns and questions that some have had concerning Common Core and what is being implemented in Lincoln. Here is a copy of the letter and the board/and Jake Hunts response. We are grateful that they have taken the time and energy to address these concerns and open this subject up for discussion. We appreciate the willingness of Lincoln to help us better understand the direction that Lincoln is going. I know that they are open to address concerns that we as parents have. There will be a board meeting this Thurs. Evening, starting at 6:30 where State school board member Joel David Wright (who is also a Lincoln parent) will be speaking to the board, He is willing to answer a limited amount of questions after he addresses the board, but is under time restraints due to other commitments. Dear Lincoln Board of Trustees, We want to write to thank you for having the vision to create Lincoln Academy. For ten years hundreds of families have chosen this school above many other options in our community. Thousands of students have benefited from your vision and commitment to classical education and the care of individualized teaching to each student. As parents we sought out this school for the following reasons: 1. Small class size 2. Teaching Assistants in every class 3. Curriculum focusing on Classical Education (including specifically: Core Knowledge Scope & Sequence, Saxon Math, Multi-Sensory Education based on Orton-Gillingham, The Spalding Method & The Write Source & Six Traits of Writing with Science & Social Studies taught daily, P.E. & Music twice weekly, Art, Library, Computer, & Character Education once weekly) 4. Ability grouping in Math 5. Parents being Partners in the educational process (i.e. regular parent volunteers in every classroom, easy access to teachers & administration to discuss concerns or needs) 6. Support of the arts (i.e. parent art docents in each class, school plays) In return we are willing to commit our time, resources and financial support to Lincoln because we care about the quality of our children’s education. We have boasted to our family and friends about the curriculum, small class sizes and the ability to individualize education through ability grouping here at Lincoln Academy, which in turn has brought more interested student to apply for the lottery. Our word of mouth has helped to create the full waiting list for enrollment and so now we respectfully ask that you hear the voice of over 80 families who have voiced concern amongst each other over the growing issue of Common Core and the possible changes this might make in the vision and focus Lincoln Academy has become known for. We chose Lincoln Academy because of it’s founding Charter. We especially like these three specific points in the founding Mission Statement and on Lincoln Academy website under Curriculum: 1. “To inspire children to love learning.” 2. “To empower them to explore and achieve their individual potential.” 3. “The curriculum is made more successful through the teachers driving it.” These specific items set Lincoln Academy apart from traditional public schools, which are governed by a School District. We are concerned that these specific qualities, which are stated in Lincoln Academy’s Mission Statement and Curriculum page on the school website, will be negatively affected by full adoption of Common Core Standards, Curriculum, and Assessments. We acknowledge that in order to receive funding from both the State and Federal Governments, we must conform to minimum requirements, such as participating in SAGE Testing once per year. We are grateful that Lincoln has not agreed to more testing than the required minimum. Here are the concerns that Common Core is in direct conflict with the important points Lincoln Academy was created to address: 1. Under Common Core, children will be taught to the test instead of developing creativity and a love of learning. A nine-year study by the National Research Council (2011) concluded that the emphasis on testing yielded little learning progress and caused significant harm by narrowing the curriculum, teaching to the test, pushing students out of school, and undermining student engagement. High school tests, used by 25 states, disproportionately penalizes low-income and minority students, along with English language learners and students with disabilities. nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12521&page=R1 fairtest.org/how-standardized-testing-damages-education-pdf 2. Under Common Core the individual needs of children will not be fully recognized or met. Currently in SAGE Testing accommodations made for children with IEPs or 504 Plans will only be allowed if parents go through an extensive process to have specific accommodations approved by a SAGE Committee. Their current IEP or 504 Plan, which is acknowledged by the law is not enough. This arduous process implies that SAGE Testing is a “one size fits all” model. Most parents are not currently aware of the need to apply for these accommodations for their child(ren). Decisions regarding accommodations and modifications must be made by an ELL, IEP, or Section 504 team and documented in the student’s file. ELL team members, IEP team members, and Section 504 team members must actively engage in a planning process that addresses the assurance of the provision of accommodations to facilitate student access to grade-level instruction and state assessments. Individual teachers may not make decisions regarding assessment accommodations at the time of test administration. These decisions must be made in advance by the appropriate team. To obtain detailed information about the official state policy for assessment accommodations, examine the document entitled Utah Participation and Accommodations Policy. This document is available at sageportal.org or from the following URL: sageportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2013-11-19-Accommodations-Policy.pdf 3. Under Common Core, Teachers are not trusted to teach as they see best to meet their individual students’ needs. In Utah, just this last November, the USOE sent out an email to all schools saying that by 2015, teacher evaluations (read: pay) will be directly tied to the Common Core SAGE tests. This is a heavy blow to teacher autonomy in the classroom, as teachers are pressured so heavily to teach to the Common Core test and its standards alone, leaving little room for classic literature, cursive writing, art, music, and other subjects not deemed important by those who control Common Core. whatiscommoncore.wordpress/2014/11/16/leaked-letter-utah-teachers-evaluations-pay-will-depend-on-common-core-test-scores-in-2015/ A study by Dr. Kyung-Hee Kim (an educational psychology professor at the College of William and Mary) shows that teaching to the test discourages purposeful creativity and development in schools as it forces emphasis on rote learning instead of critical and creative thinking. It diminishes students’ natural curiosity and the joy for learning. Teachers’ abilities are stifled because of the high pressure to cover the Common Core content required to produce passing test scores within a very unrealistic time constraint. The mandated testing has led to the elimination and/or impoverishment of content areas and activities including gifted programs, electives, arts, foreign languages, and elementary science and recess in many districts. Again, these very tests and standards defeat their own fundamental purpose. education.wm.edu/announcements/inthenews/kim-kyung-hee.php We ask that you not penalize those families who choose to opt their children out of SAGE testing. According to the Utah State Board of Education, every parent has the legal right to opt out of SAGE testing without any penalties to their child(ren) and parents should know this legal right. “(9) (a) Upon the written request of a student’s parent or guardian, an LEA shall excuse the student from taking a test that is administered statewide or the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (b) The State Board of Education shall ensure through board rule that neither an LEA nor its employees are negatively impacted through school grading or employee evaluation due to a student not taking a test pursuant to Subsection (9)(a).” le.utah.gov/~2014/bills/static/SB0122.html le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53A/Chapter13/53A-13-S109.html?v=C53A-13-S109_2014040320140513 le.utah.gov/xcode/Title30/Chapter5A/30-5a-S103.html?v=C30-5a-S103_1800010118000101 le.utah.gov/xcode/Title62A/Chapter4A/62A-4a-S201.html?v=C62A-4a-S201_1800010118000101 We also ask that you openly advertise the need for parents of children with 504 Plans and IEPs to work with the school and other advisory boards as necessary to obtain the necessary accommodations for each individual student in a timely manner before the SAGE Test is administered each year. Not to do so would have a negative impact on these children with special needs. In closing, we as concerned parents appeal to you and ask you to protect the ideals you first committed to ten years ago in our mission statement and curriculum and teaching structure. Please make sure we are staying accountable to what this great school started out to accomplish. Respectfully, Parents FOR Lincoln Academy Response (sorry for any weird spacing issues, this would not copy and paste normally, I tried to correct them) Dear Parents, Thank you for your interest, continued support, and loyalty to Lincoln Academy. We value parental input and appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. We recognize that many new families have come to Lincoln because of your efforts. Because of the dedication and support of good families like you, we are successful! As you indicated, Lincoln has much to offer through small class sizes, teaching assistants, research-based proven curriculum, ability grouping, support of arts, and the partnership created with parents. Lincoln Academy values each of these noted strengths; as a result, the administration and board have worked continually to ensure students receive the support they need through each of the mentioned aspects of Lincoln Academy. Historically, these characteristics have distinguished Lincoln, and we will continue to uphold our commitment to excellence in these areas. The concerns mentioned in the letter were: 1. Under the adopted Utah State Standards, children will be taught to the test instead of developing creativity and a love of learning. 2. Under the adopted Utah State Standards, the individual needs of children will not be fully recognized or met. (Specifically children with IEP or 504 plans) 3. Under the adopted Utah State Standards, teachers are not trusted to teach as they see best to meet their individual students’ needs. 4. Additionally, you asked that the school not penalize families who choose to opt their children out of SAGE testing and requested we advertise the need for parents of children with 504 and IEP’s to work with the school to obtain the necessary accommodations. To address these concerns we spent time getting additional information from state guidebooks, test administration manuals, and the input of current teachers who were here before 2011(when the new core was adopted) and have continued to teach at Lincoln as the state and school transitioned to the new standards. The points of concern are addressed below. PARENT CONCERN #1: Children are taught to the test instead of developing creativity and a love of learning. In order to teach to a test, teachers must understand what is going to be asked and how a question will be asked on a test. In a survey of all current teachers, no one indicated a significant confidence in being able to predict how students will be assessed. They indicate they understand that the test is based on the standards and therefore must cover the standards and ensure students understand the standards. The SAGE assessment uses random questions and multiple types of questions. Our teachers are trying to help student develop creativity and a love of teaching as they teach the standards. 2 There is an added element of the new test that requires students to be better problem solvers. Teachers have implemented this element into some of their own assessments. One of the strengths of Lincoln is its curriculum. Experienced teachers responded at a 4 to 1 rate that there have been very few changes to the curriculum they use. Additionally, they indicated that they had to make minimal adjustments because they were already teaching to a very high standard. Lincoln’s teachers still use creative methodologies and hands on learning activities to support the standards and student learning. Teacher input confirms what the board and administration believed was the case. Because of Lincoln’s high standards teachers have not had to make significant changes to their curriculum or methodologies in order to meet the new adopted standards. Teachers are teaching to the standard, not the test. PARENT CONCERN #2: Under the adopted Utah State Standards the individual needs of children will not be fully recognized or met (504 and IEP students) At Lincoln Academy, when students need individualized instruction or accommodations to be successful, parents and teachers meet yearly as an IEP or 504 team. During the meeting, any accommodations that need to be made for end of level testing are documented. These documents are used at the time that the school indicates within the testing system what accommodations are to be provided on the assessment. Lincoln believes this is the requirement of the state and the law and therefore follows this procedure. At Lincoln, it is not necessary to “apply” for these accommodations. This has been the procedure for the history of the school and is not new for SAGE testing. Additionally, as you point out and as has been the case previously, the individual teacher may not make decisions regarding accommodations at the time of the end of year test administration. This decision is one that a team should make. The team is comprised of the teacher, parents, administration and other key educators. This is a protection for student and parental rights. A violation of those rights would occur if a teacher had the ability to not provide or provide accommodations at the time of testing without parental consent. Lincoln will remind parents of students with IEP’s or 504’s to notify the school if they want to add accommodations for end of level testing. PARENT CONCERN #3: Teachers are not trusted to teach as they see best to meet their individual students’ needs. (Student performance on SAGE testing will become a part of raises) Experienced teacher input on the survey indicated at a 4 to 1 rate that they felt trusted at Lincoln to teach as they see best to meet their individual students’ needs. It should be noted that a couple of years ago a team of teachers spearheaded an effort with administration to develop a teacher “raise formula” to present to the board. A small portion of the raise formula includes student performance on end of level testing. There is more of an emphasis placed on growth over proficiency within the formula, but both are included. Teachers felt that this was a way to reward those teachers whose students demonstrated growth throughout the year. At Lincoln, our teachers are valued. They are trained professionals who are capable of assessing and meeting the individual needs of their students. PARENT CONCERN #4: Penalization of students who opt out Lincoln Academy allows parents to opt students out of SAGE testing. As SAGE testing is providing data on student understanding and achievement, those who opt out will be assigned an alternate test developed by Lincoln teachers to measure student understanding and achievement. This assessment will be administered at the same time as their classmates take the SAGE assessment and testing results will be kept in-house. We do not see this as a punishment. OVERALL EFFECT OF NEW STANDARDS AT LINCOLN To get an overall picture of the effect of the new core standards we asked teachers the following question: “Do you agree/disagree with the following statement: I feel my teaching has been hampered by the new core standards.” • 5 strongly disagreed • 7 disagreed • 1 Neither agreed or disagreed • 3 Agreed • 0 Strongly Agreed SUMMARY Lincoln Academy’s board and Administration has diligently remained true to their original mission and vision. The majority of Lincoln’s teachers had to change very little about their teaching with the adoption of the new standards. Most teachers were already teaching to a higher level than previous standards dictated. Lincoln’s board and Administration has balanced executing new expectations from the state while at the same time remaining true to the school’s traditional curriculum and methodologies. Lincoln teachers are trusted to teach and meet the needs of individual students. The board and administration will continue to communicate with teachers to understand the impact that the adopted state standards have in the classroom and upon the original mission and vision of Lincoln Academy. As a public school, we are bound by state regulations placed upon us by the Legislative Body, State Board of Education and State Office of Education. We encourage you to take concerns you have about the adoption of the Utah Core Standards and the accompanying SAGE assessment to the individuals who represent you in these positions. Thank you for your continued support and for championing causes in support of your children. Sincerely, Lincoln Academy Administration and Board of Trustees
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 04:34:48 +0000
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