Dear
-----,
I occasionally
write to this address at NYSED, in hopes of engaging in productive
discourse. I would greatly
appreciate a response, when possible.
I
was so encouraged to read this recently:
“Our
students deserve the best, most accurate assessments we can give them,” Board
of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said. “Teachers and parents should
have clear, practical information to help them help their students learn.
Our goal is to continue to improve the assessments to make sure they provide
the instructional support parents and teachers need to prepare our students for
college and careers. This new contract also recognizes how vitally
important it is to have New York State teachers involved in the test
development process.”
“New
York State teachers will be involved in every step of the test development
process,” State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said. “Teacher
input is critical to building a successful state test, and that’s why the new
contract emulates the collaborative process used to develop the Regents Exams.”
I am
looking forward to seeing positive action, implemented in the true spirit of
these comments from officials in the NYSED.
I also
look forward to a response to my previous email regarding the timing of the NYS
3-8 math tests. I've copied that email below:
Hi,
I was just rereading a July 9th NYT
article about the company Questar winning the bid for the NYS 3-8 assessments. I
was wondering if, due to the change of format the article mentioned, that the
timing of the math tests would be reconsidered. Right now, the tests are
administered more than two full months before the end of the year. Given
the high stakes aspect imposed by the Governor and the Board of Regents,
districts would be unwise to not spend at least a few weeks preparing students
for the format of the test. These facts taken together, effectively
reduce teaching time from a ten month school year to a seven month school year
(and that does not take into account New York State snow days and the
beginning-of-year routines that may delay starting the math curriculum in the
first weeks of school.)
I've written on several occasions
over the past three years of how difficult (impossible?) it is to address the
shifts in emphasis demanded by the CC State Standards, particularly the need to
have students gain "deep understanding" rather than just learn
"tricks." The current timeline does not allow this to be
possible. I know the State has created a September-April timeline and a
May/June timeline, but what's expected from September through testing time is
still wholly unrealistic. Rather than enable teachers and students to
spend greater time digging deeper and reaching greater mathematical
understanding, the expectations of the State have actually made true
mathematical understanding elusive for most students.
Given the growing Opt Out Movement
started by parents, and the State's desire for teachers to counter parents'
concerns with public support for the testing, I would sincerely hope the State
Education Department and the Board of Regents would now see fit to give
teachers and students the benefit of a full year of teaching and learning
before trying to discover who has become an effective learner/teacher, and who
might not be.
PLEASE, show that the State is really
behind a sincere effort to improve educational outcomes. Act to
immediately amend the testing schedule so that 3-8 math students take tests at
the end of the year, rather than 2/3 of the way through the year.
Thank you for your cooperation with
this matter,
