Most of what you’ve heard (or will hear tonight) about testing, or “Quality Core” assessments and the amount of time being consumed by it is completely and demonstrably wrong. In fact, testing has replaced nearly all instruction at the elementary levels, including even one of Dr. Wardynski’s favorite activities: Physi [...]
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Canceling PE In Favor of Testing
Most of what you’ve heard (or will hear tonight) about testing, or “Quality Core” assessments and the amount of time being consumed by it is completely and demonstrably wrong. In fact, testing has replaced nearly all instruction at the elementary levels, including even one of Dr. Wardynski’s favorite activities: Physi [...]
The State of the Schools: 191 Volunte...
Tonight the Superintendent had an hour on stage all to himself to describe for us what he believes the state of the schools is. He, of course, took no questions from the few dozen citizens who bothered to attend.
In his never-ending “transformation” drumbeat, he continued to claim that our students, as the Times reports, “h [...]
Parents May Opt Out of Testing
For the past month, I’ve been discussing opting out of the final STAR Enterprise assessment of the year with both my daughter’s principal and later with Dr. Cathy McNeal, whose title is Director of Research and Development but who is really is the new director of testing in the district. It hasn’t been a fun, or even a part [...]
Evaluating the Huntsville BOE and Sup...
Since posting the Children Evaluating Teachers post Sunday night, there have been several details to come to light that need your attention.
Despite a district representative’s claims to the contrary, I have been told that these evaluations from eight-year olds have indeed been used during the evaluation process of non-tenured t [...]
Children Evaluating Teachers
This past week, across the district, and at all grade levels, children as young as eight-years old (3rd grade) have been told to take yet more time out of what’s left in the year to fill out an evaluation on their teachers. Our children are evaluating our teachers.
Once again, following the failing lead of other “reformers” [...]
What The One to One Digital Initiativ...
Picture this. You’re a fly on the wall on Friday morning, and you’re in one of any of our Huntsville City Elementary Schools. As all elementary students (and I hope parents) are aware, Friday tends to be the default testing day in school. It’s the day when students are tested on all the things they learned during the week.
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Avoid Cheating Scandals: Opt-Out of t...
The superintendent was known “as a person who got results . . . and had a strong relationship with the business elite.”
The focus on test scores made the superintendent “a favorite of the national education reform movement.”
“Principals and teachers were frequently told by [the superintendent] and subordinates [...]
Rezoning Without Involving the Public