Zalee Harris and Patricia Brady Dennis
http://members.aol.com/educationdoctors/eddoc.html
Email Workshop Topic: Responses to our email workshops and our replies; How Maryland’s Eighth Graders “feel” about "Maryland School Performance Assessment Program" (MSPAP); Review of a letter to the editor from a parent regarding MSPAP; and a review of a report from the Educational Testing Service.
Dear all:
This email workshop represents the following presentations:
Your comments and our responses:
To whom it may concern:
This was pulled from a long piece posted on the “Internet” “National
Assessments are ten years old…Happy Birthday MSPAP…” (authors??)
Who knew that Goals 2000 banned high stakes tests for 5 years? And that it "lets the dogs out" after 1999?
Page 145 of Public Law 103-227-94, Goals 2000 Educate America Act, Section 211 (5)(C)(ii), reads: “…such assessments will not be used to make decisions regarding graduation, grade promotion, or retention of students for a period of 5-years from the date of enactment of this law.” In other words, five years after MSPAP became the official accountability tool, which was July 1, 1995, MSDE became the enforcer, controller, and dictator of the federal education reform laws
This piece basically echoes my findings for the WASL sample book, which also features incorrect answers, faulty scoring, and problems wildly out of line with printed standards.
(same) Poor Performance Review Sunday, April 1, 2001 Washington Times "In most subjects, the tasks did not come close to testing for knowledge of the things asked for in Maryland's own standards, which are supposed to guide districts in choice of textbooks and curricula, and to present the state's own idea of what its children should be learning. Furthermore, the grading was inconsistent, with correct answers often not recognized as such by some of the graders, and incorrect answers given full credit. The questions themselves were often incoherent, trivial or based on erroneous understanding of the subject matter by the composers of the questions. " AH - Kirkland, Washington
Eddocs Response: The Washington Assessment of
Student Learning (WASL) is the same as the Maryland Schools Performance
Assessment Program. It is outcome based education and the delivery system
for your School-to-Work program. One fact that people do not realize is
that the Clinton Administration realized that people complained that the
federal government’s education reform laws violated the 10th Amendment
which states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectfully,
or to the people”.
This means that the federal government has NO
business telling States how to provide services within it boundaries. The
PEOPLE and the PEOPLE they elect are responsible for providing for the
needs or their residents. The People and the PEOPLE they elect are responsible
for determining HOW those needs will be met. This means, employment, education,
health care, etc…etc…not being forced by the federal government to implement
these requirements the same for every state for some evil new world order
agenda.
Some would have us believe that the six federal laws are not federally imposed. The truth is they are and they were intended to be enforced by the federal government. Below is a brief summary of each of the laws.
Goals 2000 Educate America Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-227 March 31, 1994) This is the basic skeleton of the beast of the Clinton school reform plan.
IT IS THE FEDERAL LAW that violates the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution, because it establishes mandates under the guise of “nice feel good guidelines” for states to follow when they “voluntarily” agreed to reform their schools. This federal law, set up the Eight National Goals that “asked” states to implement the federal standards according to the blue print within the federal law. This law provides every little detail as to how the federal government dictates how the programs related to each of the eight goals would be implemented on the state level. Goals 2000 “IS” a federal law. It amazes me to have people tell me: “Its not a federal law, it’s a national law” and not realize that the only way it can be a national law is that if be federally imposed.
I plan to send via an email workshop, a speech that former president William Jefferson Clinton gave to Maryland’s General Assembly in 1997, that “reveals” how he traveled all over the country explaining that HIS education reform programs are not federally imposed…and they believed it…you will be interested in counting the numbers of applause that members of our General Assembly gave Clinton, throughout this speak. Goals 2000 establishes the mandates for content standards, assessments, and performance based education a.k.a., outcome based education. It tells states how to deal with RESISTERS; how to move the reform initiatives to becoming the foundation for providing social services to children; how to mobilize the community; and much more. This federal law requires states to use the federal approved “technical support” teams to implement these reforms in local school districts. The technical support teams are trained to present the positive intent of the reforms and how to deal with people that question the “agenda”. This law authorizes schools and other agencies to perform surveys on children during classroom time. The law requires schools to meet the social needs of the “whole” child. Special education labeling is big business. Drugging students is big business. Controlling their minds and behaviors is big business. Want to know how much money can be made on crime, poverty, and immorally? Think about it..
Goals 2000 established new federal education agencies such as the National Skills Standards Agency and the National Education Assessment Progress (NEAP). The National Skills Standards Agency became the organization that determines the social and academic standards schools should teach. The NEAP became the national enforcer of working with CTB/McGraw-Hill, Educational Testing Service, and other firms/agencies that had been responsible for providing educational services before these laws were passed by Congress in 1994. Goals 2000 incorporated the new national “work” requirement policies/regulations that were designed by the Department of Labor’s reports known as Secretaries Commission for Achieving the Necessary Skills (SCANS). The SCANS documents were developed by multinational companies, government agencies, schools, higher education institutions, and select citizens, between 1989 - 1992 for the purpose of defining what work requires of schools, which became the foundation for America 2000 in 1992 under the Bush Administration (#41). Number 41, vetoed his own budget requirements for education when he learned that the then 6 National Education “GOALS” would open the door to lost freedoms and liberties because those future administrations could gain control over states by imposing regulations…
When the then Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton learned that his efforts (work to create the goals and establish the SCANS regulations) had been de-funded, he launched a presidential candidacy platform that accused the Republicans of not caring about educating minorities. Bill Clinton became the education president when he was elected in 1992. He took America 2000 (6national goals) and blew the dust off of them, added 2 more goals, number 4 (teacher development) and number 8 (parental involvement), allowed all his special interest liberal friends to work with every group that had anything to do with education to enter our classrooms with scientifically developed (non-proven) teaching and resource methods that began reforming Title 1 (traditionally minority -low income schools) first…with the precise expressed goal and intent of rolling this program out to every state, every school, every child, every adult by year 2000. Clinton promised to link every thing we do in life, work, religion, and play to schools…well…?
Goals 2000 was sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy. The same Senator Edward Kennedy who has just about taken over Bush’s (number 43) education budget proposal for H.R. 1. Members of Congress that have been persuaded to “believe” in the education system that Clinton championed during his administration still believes today, that there is no other way to educate America. And the worst part about it, they have convinced our elected officials and other community based organizations/businesses to convince us to keep trying new programs (experiments) on our schools, teachers, and children. Its been ten years, the reforms are not working…time to look back at what worked based on what we the people want for education and demand our representatives of Congress to repeal these intrusive liberty grabbing - Federal mandates….!!!!!!!
This law, the hummer of reforms, the foundation for the New World Order, tells states to adopt the many mandates provided within its written bound boundaries to ADOPT these mandates as their own…thus preventing the federal government from being accused of violating the 10th Amendment.
Improving America’s School Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-383 October 20, 1994) or "Title I" This is the bulk and the muscle that begins to indicate just how large a beast this education reform plan is.
Is the federal “gotcha” law for funding the new reforms. In 1994, Congress re-authorized the 1965 public schools education funding stream known as the Elementary and Secondary Schools Act of 1965 (ESEA). This law expands Title I programs to allow scientists to experiment on Title I schools. It creates more Title I schools so that the system can expand to meet the goal of ALL CHILDREN… it determines what social program(s) schools will teach. It funds hundreds of committees that are chartered with bypassing parents and parent groups. Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994, establishes and funds new behavior modification curricular that is unproven scientifically based methods our leaders promote as solutions for teaching a new society. It “forced” educational non-profit advocacy groups to support the many programs because it became the source of grants for those in compliance to the laws. It aligns unions and employers with schools. It funds hundreds of new agencies that allows them access to providing technical assistance for school reform models; teacher training; special education; magnets, talented and gifted; television shows; seminars on every subject imagined; blue ribbon; rewards/punishments for schools that fail to reform or measure up to the new standards; equity; sexual orientation; hate crimes; safe school initiatives; military involvement; charter school; private school; home school; parochial school; healthcare; athletic programs; school construction; multicultural; diversity; tolerance; gun control; surveys; assessments; state content standards; monthly/annual reports; administration; and…it establishes school consortia/committees instead of school boards - especially elected; and so on…
Improving America’s School Act of 1994 or "Title I" - became the FEDERAL law that said…if you voluntary took the money under Goals 2000, YOU SHALL do this, and this, and this, and continue doing as long as we (the federal government) say do… every state that accepted the huge sums of federal funding found themselves receiving one “staggered” edict after the other requiring them to make changes in their school districts. The reforms are not complete. States are still implementing the reforms. Most have been waiting for a new president so as not to comply with the countless constraints. The Improving America Schools Act of 1994, turned states free residents into human capital for the state - thus the reason for assessments - just like your property is assessed for annual tax assessments, students (soon us all), are assessed to determine our worth.
States have been taking the money and signing waivers with the US Department of Education the new federal police of the reforms, hoping that it will go away under the new administration. Not many educators have studied these laws…which is only part of the problem. Not many elected officials have studied these laws…and they voted for them right down party lines…Democrats for and Republicans against. Not many education advocates have studied the laws…they have bought into the “feel good concepts” of social needs and unwittingly have become cheerleaders for more reforms…
Between 1994 and 1998, the Clinton spin machine took their education reform message to the streets within every “friendly” state (Democrat - Governors). They campaigned and justified these laws and convinced us that they found the solution for what ailed America’s education system. They even allowed the federal government to shut down twice in 1994 and 1995 - with negative campaigns against the Republicans for not supporting their education agenda. Now they are at it again. If Bush stands his grounds on his education agenda, they plan to shut down the government to ensure Bush’s plan to reform the reforms -(subtle as they may be), fails.
School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (Public
Law 103-239 May 4, 1994) This is the fur
and the fangs that show us just how mean and horrible this beast is, and
how far and wide it reaches. This is what showed us this isn't
about education, it is about the complete social,
economic, and educational restructuring of America.
Is the federal law that requires states to establish partnerships between local schools and local businesses. It requires states to eliminate traditional teaching methods and align the Goals 2000 school reform models with circular approved by the federal government that was designed by the National Center for Education Statistics (Marc Tucker’s agency) Marc Tucker is Hillary’s friend who Chaired the drafting of the education reforms for the new economy that incorporated the "America 2000" education reform initiatives into a federal government social, educational and economical monopoly. Marc Tucker’s proposal to Hillary and Bill in his 1992 “Dear Hillary Letter”, proposes a School-to-Work system that controls children from birth to death.. (thus the new wave for controlling Day Care and Kindergarten - next birth) His system is a life-long learning system where there is no retirement. His system establishes a method of including the “best practices of the 20th Century to condition and control society into conforming to the use and beliefs of buzzwords and idealism. School-to-Work claims to provide equal opportunity for all students to access employment. However, the fine print forces schools to change their curriculum to match their work related “training,” to what is taught under the guise of academics based on the 'social and economic status' of the "local labor market" community the school serves.
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology
Education Amendments of 1998 (Public Law 105-323 October 31, 1998)
This was the path the beast is to take to draw in businesses, schools,
the vo-tech programs and all education into one program based on the needs
of "local labor market" communities. It is the end of academics as
they have been previously known.
This older vo-tech law was amended by Congress to revamp current vocational and technology training programs by aligning them under the new reform models and linking them to the mandates of the federal programs. Schools were required to eliminate traditional school-to-work programs and replace them with “performance-based” job training that when complete, will be linked to workforce development agencies, institutions of higher education/post secondary, Advanced Placement (AP) programs, and other traditional vocational programs. Carl D. Perkins Act, implements the International Baccalaureate Degree Programs and; is the reason colleges/universities will soon find themselves throwing away traditional books and education resource materials; eliminating Majors in traditional academic subject matter; such as History, English, Math, Science, Music, and Fine Arts, because there will be no job that will require mastery or knowledge in these subjects. New educational programs reformed under this law will incorporate most of these courses into small syllabus schedule blocks. However, if the current Congress reauthorize these laws, no one will be able to obtain a degree or major in these courses.
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law
105-220 August 7, 1998) This bill is to
focus more on the
overall state function of the big picture.
This brings in the other state agencies under one roof, and magnifies electronic
linking of family behaviors, medical data, schools,
employment data, job training, business and in general brings everything
both public and private under one big government controlling tent.
This law requires states to link schools to employers. Establishes State Business Roundtables. Requires states to establish smart growth and economic empowerment zones. Consolidates economic development agencies - chambers, non-profits, and trade organizations. Funds the establishment of the statewide regional workforce development centers. Requires states and school districts to regionalize themselves according to social economic status of citizenry demographics. Requires states to inventory their human assets and place them into a state managed human resource database. Requires states to electronically link schools to hospitals, institutions of higher education, businesses, and other government, public service and community-based, as well as non-profit organizations. Requires states to inventory every human with an eight grade reading level and place them into apprentice or low-paying jobs that are sponsored or partnered with businesses. Allows schools to enter into revenue generating contracts to become self sustaining. Allows states to share and sell information concerning their residents. Develops and establishes one-stop shopping whereby local schools will become community hubs for social services of all sorts for students and local residents. Provides opportunities for High-tech companies to develop smart/intelligent software that employers will use to monitor employees, snoop on children, and brand/mark us . The Workforce Development Act of 1998 intends to help states implement hiring tool states they will need to be in compliant with the laws that are quickly reforming our lives.
Remember between September 30 and December 2000, when Congress kept putting off signing Clinton’s new education budget? Remember, him being frustrated because Congress would not approve his education budget? Society was not as supportive of Clinton as they had been times before when he took his issues to the public for poll approval. Before the election, Congress refused to approve Clinton’s education plan. After the election and after Clinton met with the new president number 43 (Bush); Congress agreed to pass a funding stream for one fiscal year. Thinking they had time to make changes…
An Act of 2000 - that consolidates appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001 and for other purposes (Public Law 106-554 December 21, 2000) is the education funding federal law that Clinton rushed through Congress after Bush became president… This Act authorizes/funds the above laws, which will expire on September 30, 2001. This emergency funding ACT, gave Congress one year to correct the wrongs… This means that unless, HR 1 is Cleansed of the intrusions…we are bound by FEDERAL LAW to continue their intrusive invasions…and we the PEOPLE have done nothing to help Congress return to teaching mastery learning and/or stop the invasions… WE HAVE DONE NOTHING!!!!
Yes, AH, from Washington State, are the same laws that governs/control education from Maryland to Washington State… Hope that helps
Dear Z. Harris,
I have been reading all the things you have sent out, very interesting
stuff. I would like to ask you a question. When you have some time could
you please explain to me what exactly you think it is that the reform and
education powers that be are trying to do to our children? I know you talk
about the dumbing down etc but can you tell me what exactly the end result
is that they are working towards and why they are trying to do it. I mean
what do "they" gain by working towards what end. I have just started reading
your information and I am not sure at all. I am very active in the PTA
and I would like to understand why you believe we (PTA) are not really
good for the children. I mean that I am truly advocating for all children
with my work. I would like to hear your opinion. I'll read it with an open
mind. Thanks a lot and I realize you get a lot of emails and don't have
a lot of free time to write but if you could spare a few minutes I would
appreciate it very much. Thanks, Fredrick, Maryland
Eddocs Response: First, let’s clear the air about what we think about the PTA. We do not “dislike” anyone. We do not disagree with parent or education advocacy group that is working to correct problems in our schools. The federal laws requires national education, union/civil, advocacy, and sub-government agencies/organizations to align themselves with the liberal agenda or force loosing their 501 (3)c non-profit status. Therefore, by default most of your peers have bought into the ideals and concepts we oppose. We realize that not all PTA, NEA, AFT, and NAACP members believe and/or support the system we oppose. In fact, we know quite a few leaders who are members of these groups…that are on the same page as we are on the issues… The problem is not the local PTA’s, its their national leaders… They have to support the ideals. The laws that no one wants to believe are intentionally creating “processes” that deliberately dumb down our children, control the economy, and determine our self worth find ourselves disagreeing on the issues. Yes, I speak out against the NAACP, NEA, PTA, and AFT for claiming to be for the children when they are helping to ensure poverty and control. I too am a “dues” paying member of my local PTA. However, when I look at the complacency of parents and other community residents, I have to ask myself; why is it that so many parents stay home? PTA’s are not working for them. They are working for the schools. Because schools have to meet the requirements of the laws, schools work with people who support their objectives and reform initiatives. Look, we are fighting each other when we should be fighting the federal laws and those that enacted them.
The very people we elected to represent us as Congressional Representatives and State House and Delegates are the elected officials that are responsible for the education reforms that are becoming giant fire breathing control lizards.
Thank you for taking the time to read our Happy
Birthday email workshop on the ten year old national assessments (MSPAP
for Maryland). It is hard to believe that our government is intentionally
doing this to us. Decent hard working people like you and I work everyday,
pay our taxes, stay out of trouble, worship God, perform our civic duties,
and vote, only to learn that there is an agenda and they are using our
children to secure themselves control over our future. When you meditate
over the issues as I often do, WHY is the only word can be used to express
the frustration… That is why I felt the “Know Your Satan” piece was necessary.
The issues we are fighting are too big for one person or even a group of
people to change. Therefore, since God and Satan are doing battle for a
reason…what is there for us to do? Learn why God and Satan are doing battle.
Decide which side we’re going to take. And teach each other…
I am the most optimistic person you’ll ever know…because
I read the back of the good book…and guess what? We won. It so nice to
know how things will come to a head. That’s the main reason I enjoy performing
this service. I put up with people who strongly disagree with me. And I
flip NO over and move ON when they say no to me… I strongly believe in
the findings of our research and will work every spare moment of my life
to continue serving you and other interested persons that receive emails
from us. Last year this time we counted 1000 recipients. This year, we
are well over 4000 and growing. I have to send each email workshop almost
30 times to send to everyone on our list. Imagine that…especially when
AOL is busy. WOW… it takes forever to upload… but you know what… I get
through it… make dinner, coffee, get dressed for work, read a book, or
something I downloaded in preparing for another email workshop, or begin
writing on my next report on my second computer…Hey, if its important,
you’ll find a way.
With regard to your question about what is the End Result… I am working on an email workshop that will be entitled: “The real global economy…their agenda”. It will answer your questions.
For those that complain my reports are too long… imagine me standing before you speaking on these issues and answering one question after the other…for hours…
Well, the email workshop is an average 15-minute read for the fluent reader…and in each workshop, I try to answer the KINDS of questions that may come from the floor. I build each email workshop on the next (unless a news report intercepts the schedule). I’ve gotten better… In 1999, when I first started this volunteer service, you could wake up to your computer with 15 emails from me… The problem was I was not connecting the dots…for people to understand why the report were important. Thus, the lengthy email workshops… You could say, 15 emails into 1. We are growing…because you are growing… Help is on the way. Once we align ourselves as the CONCERNED CITIZENS we truly are…people will start seeing REAL tangible changes… stay close…Thanks for keeping an open mind…That’s what you need today… Do not be swayed our loyal to a political party or ideal. These are our children… no politician should be allowed to get away with the voting records we are about to reveal… Therefore, whether we like it or not, we are going have to become more politically involved by being true grit watchdogs. Election season 2002, is less than 24 months away…there is more than enough time to identify those that should be in office and those that have outlived their usefulness.
For those that are still non-believers: “I may not agree with your position or views on the issues, but I will die for your right to express and believe in them…give me the same respect.” Zalee Harris
Dear Zalee,
I am planning on having my daughter miss MSPAP test tomorrow but I
am concerned about repercussions. Already my 8th grade daughter was anonymously
ridiculed because she answered a practice question of "What would you like
to see changed" and when she said the MSPAP because it did nothing, the
supposed principal of her school used parts of her answer (taken out of
context) to illustrate bad writing and grammar and said she was a brat
and it was only because she was in a good mood that she didn't say whose
it was. What is my recourse for this?
Anne Arundel, Maryland
Eddocs Response: We oppose MSPAP! We would like to see it removed from our state and schools. However, MSPAP is a state-mandated assessment of students in 3, 5, and 8th graders who attend public schools in Maryland. Therefore, anyone who prevents a child from being “assessed” by their school, “could” be accused of breaking the law. However, we support a parent’s right to make decisions for their children. According to Webster’s dictionary, parents are guardians and protectors of their children. What the principal did was wrong, because it hurt your daughter’s feelings. The only thing you can do about this situation is talk to the pincipal/teacher, document the behavior, and escalate the issues to the next level when necessary. We are aware that some states, passed laws in 1999 that charge parents of “child abuse” when they boycott their state “High-Stakes Tests.” We are concerned that parents do not insist on reviewing the assessment questions/writing prompts before and after they are administered to their children. The secrecy of these assessments should be revealed - and we are not talking about what they want you to see… Start asking questions - do the research yourself.
Dear Zalee and Patricia,
I am home this afternoon, not feeling well, but thrilled to have the time to read your “Ten Year MSPAP Report.” Is there any way we can get this out to a larger audience? You two are incredible! ED - Prince George’s County (Bladensburg), Maryland
Eddocs Response: Thanks for the compliment. We hope that people like you on our list send our email workshops to those they know. This is a grassroots movement of information sharing that has blossomed into an educational service on the issues that matters to us. We are happy to speak at community forums and/or meetings at any event held in the state or country. However, if each of us shared this information with others, we all could be in position to reveal the facts that would lend to reforming the reform agenda. Although our list is large, it does not come close to reaching the people who currently are affected by these intrusive mandates. We depend on you and other concerned folks like you, to spread the word. What is left to do is to ask our elected officials about the facts we reveal. Make better choices in who we elect into office and stay involved with the process by monitoring our vote. We all need to take responsibility for how our tax-dollars are spent and who represent us. That includes community leaders and education advocates.
Dear Zalee,
My daughter is a first grade teacher in a school in Liberty Missouri.
Her students this year are of average intelligence. She just called me
this evening with the results of her end of the year tests. She said her
kids were at the top in the district. She said that she had set her goal
to make sure her children were good readers and I forget what the other
subject was that she concentrated on. She is also the lead teacher of the
first grade teachers. All the teacher's children scored 15 to 20 percent
higher than last year. Last year her students were way above the other
first grade teacher's students so this year being the lead teacher she
had them implement what she was doing which was have the kids read, read,
read, read. Read with her. Read with their parents. Read with the aids.
That was her big secret. She was so excited when it ended up that this
years students which seemed to have less natural ability than last years
students, did better than last years students. She did a little practice
for the test, but the main thing she did was teach her children to read
and do math. I thought you would enjoy this common sense victory story.
Fort Worth, Texas
Eddocs Response: Without knowing which federal
school design model your daughters school has implemented, it is safe to
say that because she has been allowed to teach students to read, her school
is teaching to the “proficient” level of the standards. Unlike other schools
(low-income communities), your daughter’s school may not be a Title 1 school.
This is how the government reports that children from low income communities
do not do as well on assessments than middle or elite class income schools.
While reading, reading, and more reading, is a necessity for doing well
on assessments we can’t review, learning to read between the lines and
answer open-ended questions is not a reason for failure - at least according
to the psychometricians that develop the assessment questions/writing prompts.
The skills and standards are established by the laws that are passed by
federal and state governments. Students are measured by those standards
when they are asked a politically correct question on the assessment. The
politically correct question is not always academically based…these questions
are asked in the assessments to determine a student’s mental thought process
for interfacing or reacting under certain circumstances - because employers
want to know before they hire an individual whether an employee is prone
to criminal, violent, or negative social behaviors. Because the assessments
are psychological assessment of human behaviors - students that do not
read between the line and/or are drilled before the assessment “test” is
administered, may not be able to think well when they are asked an open-ended
politically correct questions. This is a fact when it comes to males -
especially blacks who have problems expressing themselves in writing but
are great thinkers. Congratulations to your daughter for her hard work…
I bet she has a school design model that requires READING… Wish that were
true for the rest of the programs we have reviewed.
Keep up the good work!! I enjoy your updates.
State Director CWA of KS
Eddocs Response: We are proud of Kansas…keep fighting…for your children.
Z. Harris,
I have just read your email about MSPAP that you sent on 4/22. My 3rd
grade daughter has her first day of MSPAP today. I really considered keeping
her home during the tests this week but, when I told her -she got very
upset. It seems the school and teachers had done a great job teaching her
how very important it was that she be at school this week and how she "had
to come" and take the test. I later found out that the school is giving
all the kids who come all week and take the MSPAP a pizza party on Friday
(that's the real reason my daughter wanted to be sure she was there) This
in itself bothered me a lot . I never have agreed with these tests. The
principal at the school has told parents that she is "very date driven"
and loves to pour over the MSPAP and other assessment scores. (HELP) Luckily
we are going to a different school next year but as you point out it is
the same all over. Do you know if there are any laws in MD that pertain
to the MSPAP? Do I as a parent have the "right" to say I do not want my
child to participate in the MSPAP? I always had a feeling in the back of
my mind that the some of the reforms as they relate to high stakes tests
and assessments were really not needed or even good for our children. I
read your list of things to do but-where do I start? I would love to be
able to speak with you in person sometime about this stuff. Emails get
really long and phone bills are a problem too. Do you ever give workshops
or public information sessions. I think you should.
TD Frederick, MD
Eddocs Response: Hello Fredrick Maryland. Your issues are not isolated cases. I believe every parent at one time or another have questioned the validity of an assessment they cannot review. I believe I answered some of your questions in the above comments. No need to repeat them here. However, schools know that they can turn children against their parents with “bride” parties and/or special events. Pizza parties, trips to amusement parks, and/or nice limousine driven field trips are a few of the “bribes” schools use to ensure high or 100% attendance during MSPAP because this receives extra points/funds for high attendance - this says nothing about their academic achievement. Some children are told that they will not pass if they do not take the assessments…these are your vulnerable third and fifth graders…who believes everything they are told. However, as you will see towards the end of this report, eighth graders have a different attitude towards the assessments. By the way, I can be reached anytime at (301) 894-0914 and we are willing to travel to any group that desires the truth and are willing to work with a tangible orderly strategy to force change.
Hi all, A. H. here, the guy that's got a snowballs' chance in hell of becoming superintendent for Roosevelt NY. Any suggestions or know anything about this miniature PG county? You know anybody in PG that might be a good administrator to steal? Actually Zalee sounds like a natural, but probably has a great career where she is. Might need somebody with good administrative credentials they can actually hire as superintendent so that I could be the academics officer or something like that. Good posts, if a bit long. New York
Eddocs Response: Good to here from you AH. We often hear about our long reports. We smile. Its harder to get someone to attend a meeting than it is to have them sit in the comfort of their home/office and OBSORB the information…and be able to electronically pass it on. Besides, these are email workshops. If you are REALLY interested in learning the issues or at least opening your mind to a different opinion, the service we perform is volunteer and free. Its our way of communicating the issues we research. By the way, here in Prince George’s County we have a superintendent that may be looking for a job soon, however, I would not recommend she work anywhere close to children. And, you are right when you say that I have a great career where I am. Moonlighting as the Education Doctors’ mouth piece a.k.a. Harriet Tubman of the underground email railroad freedom train, is what I enjoy doing. I have a full time career in global telecommunications. I am married and have two adult children and one 4-year-old granddaughter. Although I have only lived here since 1985, coming from my home in Dallas, Texas, there is no money in America that could force me to leave Prince George’s County… I’m committed to this fight. And, there’s plenty to do here. Besides, I couldn’t stomach being represented by Hillary.
Zalee,
I was sent a link to your site by a parent in New Jersey. Sorry, but
I don't know how she found it. Thanks for the reciprocal link!! Your site
contains a wealth of information that I was happy to provide a link to.
Thanks for sending the speech also. I am in contact with lots of parents
across the Country who will be very interested in seeing this in its entirety.
Thanks for all your help and for adding me to your workshop list. Keep
up the excellent work!! T H - Tennessee
Eddocs Response: Thanks Tennessee for keeping Al Gore from winning his home state. Tell me, did he ever correct the Land Lord problems he was having with his tenants? I hear Joseph Lieberman is planning to run for president in 2004, think he’ll show Al Gore the same courtesy of having him as a Vice President running mate?
The Wilson County Parents Coalition
http://www.wilsoncountyparents/
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that
held its ground.
Zalee (beautiful name, by the way),
Thanks once again for sharing information with me. I have been monitoring
our own School to Work program for almost 2 years now (I was something
of a Johnny-come-lately to this fight) and have come to the same conclusions
that you have. This is socialism at its finest and needs to be stopped
in its tracks ASAP. I have been setting appointments with our state legislatures
to 'clue' them in on this nonsense and try to get them motivated to get
TN out of it as Idaho, Colorado and (I believe) one other state has done.
It promises to be a long road but well worth it.
I supplied a link to your site last week under our Goals 2000/ School
to Work page so visitors to our site who are attempting research will see
your excellent site also. Once again, thanks for all your help and
hang in there.
T H - Tennessee - The Wilson County Parents Coalition
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
Eddocs Response: Thanks for the compliments. Good
luck on getting the politicians
on-board; they know to change their position
would expose their original vote. Its almost as if saying I made a mistake
and take responsibility for that mistake is not something 21st Century
humans are supposed to do… I wonder if exposing their voting records and
calling them out will help them consider their political careers?
Below is a news report that was published by the Washington Post. I must comment on the less liberal position the Washington Post has taken since Al Gore played the “count all the vote” game on America. We appreciate the kind of reporting style. We would like to see more investigative reporting on the issues we discuss in our email workshops. However, a small confirmation beats nothing. Thanks Post staff writers 0-)
This report revealed that how eight graders really feel about MSPAP and state assessments (high-stakes) test performed on the same age group all over the country. Its interesting that the report revealed the fact that personal PROPERTY VALUES are “assessed” according to “assessment” scores these eight graders produce. By the way, scores we cannot prove belong to our school or our students.
It was also interesting to note that students DO NOT CARE or RESPECT the value and/or importance of the assessments. They will by 2005. If allowed to continue under its current goal, state assessments will do more than determine the wealth of our property values…combined with High School Assessments, the elementary and middle school assessments will determine employment and/or vocational/college eligibility. Pay attention to the shift. By the end of next year, students will learn that MSPAP is not to be played with. Watch how parents will start to behave when letters come home instructing them about MSPAP (assessments) will determine work skills the student has developed. Watch what will happen when parents are told that although her/his child aspires to be a computer technician, him/her child is only capable of shoveling manure at the local racetrack or cleaning rest-stop food courts. By the way, MSPAP is not a test. It is an assessment. Look up the two words in the dictionary. An assessment is different from a test. Schools give students parties. Let them play. Let them act out in class. And even let them disrespect. So how do you think schools are going to change attitudes about the assessments? Students will watch their friends be sole and/or farmed off to jobs that they did not want; did not chose; and did not have a choice. Besides, most will be drugged and therefore, will not care. The assessment is not worthless, it is scary and needs to be eliminated. Getting rid of School-to-Work will automatically eliminate MSPAP, because it will not have anything to assess. Look for an upcoming email workshop on how School-to-Work can be eliminated…
High scores equals high property values. Do you
think the elementary and middle school students in my community care that
I’ve lost $13,000.00 in property value assessment since 1997, because they
are among the lowest performing schools in the state?
MSPAP Exam Faces Teens' Indifference
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/specials/learning/testing/
By Darragh Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 30, 2001; Page B01
It's a lot of power for a group of eighth-graders. The reputation of public schools, the careers of principals, the property value of houses nearby, the collective morale of everyone involved all hang on the performance of a pack of contrary and stubborn kids who sit down today to take the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program test. The MSPAP is one of the most important tests they'll take, which, nonetheless, has absolutely no bearing on their own grades or standing in school. The annual test measures a school's performance, and individual students' scores are rarely released. Which means that the suits at the State Board of Education and the suits in the principals' offices and the folks at county school boards are all subject to the whim of some middle school students who have figured out that the tests do not count for them. The third- and fifth-grade children who also labor through the five-day test each May seem unaware of this power. But by eighth grade, the students know the score. "Nobody cares about this stuff," says Mathew Zimmerman, an eighth-grader shouting over the ear-shattering din of the Arundel Middle School cafeteria. "It doesn't affect our grades, and there's no point to it. Next year we're going to high school, so it doesn't matter what we're doing in this school. "It matters for the school, though.
The test, which lasts for two intense hours every morning and requires heavy-duty thinking on the part of students, is taken so seriously, and graded so carefully, that results don't come out for six months. And that means, Mathew adds, "next year's eighth-graders get the praise for what we did. So why should we do a good job and give them our reputation?" Last year, Howard County eighth-graders angry over the firing of a popular teacher intentionally blew the test, and Glenwood Middle School's scores dropped 14 points from the previous year. In Anne Arundel County, the school board has restructured the entire middle school curriculum, in large part because of low eighth-grade reading scores. Parents are livid that their children will now miss out on foreign language, music and art classes so they can spend more time on reading. They say they don't believe that the MSPAP is an accurate measure of student performance. And they don't believe it because that's what they hear from their children. High school junior Jathan Biddlecomb said as much to his parents, and then repeated it this year when he told the Anne Arundel County Board of Education: "When I took the test in eighth grade, it wasn't a very important test to us because it had no effect on us. And that attitude of the students causes [the MSPAP] to be an inaccurate measure. "The Maryland State Department of Education acknowledges that all of this is a problem. "This is a perception, and we need to pay attention to that," says Ronald A. Peiffer, assistant state school superintendent. But he says he doesn't think the perception is the reality. He says he's been in middle schools during MSPAP week and watched eighth-graders taking the tests -- "and you really see the kids digging in. "Indeed, some students expect to do just that. "It's just another stupid test, but I'm going to do my best," Arundel Middle's Bethany Woolford says. And, Peiffer points out, if eighth-graders aren't trying, why have eighth-grade MSPAP scores been rising over the past five years? Yet, those increases have been less than stunning.
In 1995, 41 percent of Maryland's eighth-graders scored "satisfactory" on the assessments. Last year, that number was 46 percent. Reading remains the hardest subject for many students -- and the one with the lowest scores. Since the tests began in 1993, only about 25 percent of eighth-graders have been able to read at a level considered satisfactory by the state. That compares with 45 percent of Maryland fifth-graders who score satisfactorily on MSPAP reading tests. Even honor students acknowledge that the reading section is the toughest. Ashley Newby is a ninth-grader at Anne Arundel's Old Mill High School who loves writing, reads avidly and is currently devouring "The Odyssey" in its entirety. "The reading part [of the MSPAP] requires a lot of work," she says. "They give you one big article to read, and three questions, and you have to write three pages about it . . . including a rough draft, and a diagram. . . . And don't forget to edit your rough draft. It's monstrous. "The other tests -- science, math, social studies -- aren't quite so odious. "Science you do with a group," she says, which takes some of the pressure off. And with math, she says, "usually they're pretty easy. And the hard ones are at the end. "Because there is no incentive to try hard -- because the results do not affect the students -- "a lot of kids said, 'This is finally something I can just mess up and it doesn't really matter,' " Ashley says. State educators have considered moving the test to seventh grade so they could take advantage of students' loyalty to their school and maybe grab students in a more malleable and less rebellious frame of mind.
Yet the point of the tests, Peiffer says, is to measure everything
learned in middle school. So giving the tests in seventh grade would shortchange
that process. A second solution might be aligning the test with student
grades. Already, parents are clamoring to be notified of their children's
scores. Nearly 100 percent of parents surveyed this year by the Maryland
Parent Teacher Association said they wanted their students' scores mailed
home. At the very least, Ashley says, adults need to understand that being
an eighth-grader means feeling "bold and superior, like nobody can strike
you down. You're the head of the school, and you get kind of snobby. "She
isn't surprised to hear what the middle school kids are saying: "I'll look
like I'm working," says 13-year-old Brian Jones, "but I'm not going to
take time and think about the answers."
© 2001 The Washington Post Company
Below is a letter to the editor from a parent in Potomac… Would somebody tell her that MSPAP will be an academic achievement test when Pigs Fly. That is unless, scientists are playing with that concept as they are with every other scary ideal they are tampering with these days.
She has the issues on point expect one little small thing, what she calls rote memorization is ACTUALLY DIRECT INSTRUCTION. The reason children cannot think when trying to answer the open-ended questions…because they are not given cookies and chips like animals receive treats when they perform while taking MSPAP. That’s what so terribly wrong with Direct Instruction…its animal training…one of those “best practices” mastered by Ivan Palov and B.F. Skinner of the 20th Century. The author also knows what she’s talking about though...she knows MSPAP is and can never be a standardized test…she also knows Pigs will never fly. I wonder if she knows the secret for waking up the rest of the parents in our great state…
Journal letter to Editor
MSPAP promotes skills kids haven't developed
May 3, 2001
When I was in elementary school, kids were encouraged to read ``Freddy the Pig'' books. Freddy was a clever fellow, and solved many a problem with logical thinking, but too unambiguous for today's schools in Maryland.
Teachers here have been busy drilling young children in ``higher
level thinking skills'' required by the Maryland State Performance and
Assessment Program tests. I do not object to the idea of teaching to a
test as long as the test is worth teaching to. But the MSPAPs, which began
on April 30, are not tests worth teaching to.
The MSPAPs are intended to ``raise the bar'' and test students in
third, fifth and eighth grades (I have one in each) on their ability to
delve deeply rather than widely into subject matter, to apply what they
know to ``real world'' problems, and to make connections between various
subjects. The idea is to measure how well a child thinks rather than what
a child knows. This could be a great thing if only everyone involved would
maintain a balanced view of a young child's intellectual development. But
new, experimental curricula - spawned by the MSPAPs - seem to be getting
ever more abstract and developmentally inappropriate, especially for the
third-graders.
No, I am not a state-certified child psychologist. But I am a mother of three. And I know this: Younger children are not ready to absorb and retain the so-called ``critical thinking skills'' Maryland schools are trying to teach. They need more time and more factual content, not less, to build such skills.
My 8-year-old has stared in frustration at worksheets intended to
expose him to the fundamentals of macroeconomics using terminology suitable
for high school or even college. The worksheets are part of the new Montgomery
County K-5 social studies curriculum that is now being piloted on third-graders.
Because that curriculum aims to be ``research-based,'' those kids also
are expected to focus on specific subject matter in depth, yet understand
how it is connected to many other subjects, none of which gets broad coverage.
I wonder if such tasks do more harm than good, especially for boys,
since they generally score lower than girls. One of my son's classmates
told me he hates school, saying ``especially I hate social studies. It
doesn't make any sense.'' Still, children dutifully perform the assignments
for the sake of the test, many ironically doing so by rote memorization
and drill.
Another irony is that the MSPAPs cannot be truly standardized. The
open-endedness of the questions is meant to encourage subjective essay
answers that require subjective scoring. The MSPAPs do not test knowledge
of specific subjects either. Science, language, math, reading and geography
often get thrown into the same pot. Neither do MSPAPs test individual skills.
Children usually must work in groups before they write their own responses.
Ultimately, the MSPAPs do not even test students. The school receives a
score, not the students.
Thus, the schools have good reason to obsess about the MSPAPs. Their
reputations, support and even funding are all affected by the final score.
It doesn't take much in the way of ``critical thinking skills'' to figure
out that they are under enormous pressure to teach to this test and force
feed a MSPAP-derived curriculum to kids unable to make sense of it.
How many parents wonder, as I do, if teaching to this test can adversely affect a child's educational development? When 8-year-olds are expected to do long-term research on specialized topics, or to think critically about odd ambiguities in literature, or to understand abstract concepts of economics, they can end up confused and all over the map. What does this do to the development of their clear thinking skills?
My children's elementary school office once featured a poster of a cute little pig with wings. Well, some MSPAP-driven curricula remind me of the old adage about trying to teach a pig to sing: It wastes your time and it annoys the pig.
Where's good old Freddy the Pig when you need him?
Stella Green is a Potomac resident.
Below is a report from one of the former “traditional educational agency” - Educational Testing Service - one of hundreds of companies/non-profit that reformed themselves in order to continue their status and position in the field of education support or advocacy. Open your local national paper and you’ll see advertisements ETS, NEA, and AFT positioning their education reform ideals in America’s newspapers for their readers. Here’s a typical MSPAP writing prompt for you to take. Pretend you are attending a middle school whose school design reform model is training students on an Advanced level to become politicians, government office managers, CEOs, and/or Senior Managers for Corporate America. Now read the following article and write a one-page essay on what you “feel” the report is telling its readers…your assignment is to express the authors intent?
ETS on the Issues
Education Reform: This Time, Let’s Do it Right
By Kurt Landgraf, President & CEO, Educational
Testing Service
President Bush’s reform proposals will fundamentally transform American
education in the 21st century. In the near future, school districts in
each state will be held to a high standard of excellence and will be asked
to measure up. Student achievement will be monitored by standardized tests
administered every year in grades three through eight.
Certainly tests are not the only useful indicator of learning, but
if done properly, these tests can provide important information to help
improve student achievement. State results will be verified by students’
performance on another highly regarded assessment, such as the National
Assessment of Educational Progress. These new initiatives should result
in improved education for children throughout the country.
To achieve this ambitious goal, however, we must balance our desire for rapid change with the time needed to do it right. At ETS, we know that developing standards and creating valid and reliable new tests aligned with those standards is a time-consuming process. States should be given a reasonable amount of time, as well as assistance, in implementing the new assessment programs.
Doing it properly also means that these assessments should not just monitor student achievement, they should also advance learning in all our schools. All students must benefit - from the wealthiest suburbs to cash-strapped urban and rural areas.
For assessment to effectively and equitably support learning, a number
of factors are necessary:
Continued development of unambiguous standards in each state that
the education community and the public accept as meaningful
State curricula linked to state standards for learning
Instructional materials linked to the curricula
Professional development that enables teachers and administrators
to understand the standards, know the curriculum, and skillfully use the
instructional materials
The opportunity for all students to learn the curriculum’s material
Prior notice to students of testing requirements
Assessments linked to the state standards
Alternative assessments for students with disabilities and students
who are nonnative speakers of English
Effective remedial programs for students who fail, and a policy
of nonretention if remediation is no better than promotion
Communication with the public to enlist their support and understanding
Resources to support the whole learning enterprise, not just the
tests
We base these recommendations on 50 years of ETS experience creating assessments for both the schools and institutions of higher education. Followed rigorously, these steps ensure that assessment will play a constructive role in education reform. Given the potential, long-range impact of President Bush’s proposed plan on learning in America, nothing less is acceptable.
ETS supports the president’s ambitious education agenda, and is prepared
to participate in its implementation. We also urge Congress to pass legislation
this year to establish a meaningful and high-quality assessment system
that will support the kind of world-class and fully accountable education
system that all our students deserve.
Hint: Does this sound like what we declared the national assessments would become over the next ten years? Here Lizard, Lizard, Lizard…