Why is Red Clay telling parents even opted out kids have to take the Performance part of Smarter Balanced?

I’ve heard this from quite a few people in the past week.  Not sure who this is coming from, but I would have to say it’s at a district level since more than one school is stating this.  How could all students be required to take only one part of the test, even the opt out kids?  Red Clay parents: don’t be fooled.  This is a trick.  Don’t fall for it.  Red Clay parents have been receiving this:

“Tomorrow we begin the interim testing for Smarter Balance. We will be conducting the performance task components in both math and ELA. These consist of a classroom activity/lesson that introduces the students to contextual and background knowledge necessary to complete the performance task. We will be doing the ELA classroom activity tomorrow, with the performance task testing on Wednesday and both the classroom activity and performance task testing in math on Thursday.

We have been advised by the administration that ALL students, even those students whose parents have opted out of the summative test, must take the interim assessment block (IAB), which includes the practice test and the performance task. (The practice tests were done a couple of weeks ago).

I just wanted to give you this heads up so there would be no confusion when ______ talks to you about these activities. Please let me know if you have any questions or need further information.”

If you opt your kid out, it’s for all of the test, not just certain parts.  Then they will say, “Your child started it.  They have to finish it.”  Just another way of school officials using manipulation on parents.  This picture is getting uglier by the minute!  Someone should hold a Parent Press Conference on all this type of stuff.  Oh wait, I am:

https://www.facebook.com/events/962893793730222/

The DOE, Murphy and Governor Markell WANT Children To Do Bad On Smarter Balanced

It’s the only thing that makes sense.  Here’s why.  Delaware Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said last fall that he expects over 70% of students taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment to not make proficiency.  This was echoed by Director Of Assessment at the DOE, Brian Touchette.  Only Touchette said he expects this trend for the next few years.  To me, a few usually means at least three, if not more.

Why would the DOE, Murphy, Governor Markell and certain legislators want to keep a test that so many students will do badly on?  Do you really think we are that naïve to think it’s because the children aren’t ready for the rigorous curriculum?  I would hope not.  The reason is because if students do bad, it gives all those companies more reason to keep pumping out their products and services.  Pearson, Rodel, Vision (now called Schools That Care), and so on.

By having our kids even take this test, we are subjecting them to less funding, larger classrooms, teacher accountability that has been flawed from the start, extra stress, less instructional time and more money for hedge fund investors and charter school operators who are banking (literally) on this.

Opt out is the only option, even if your child has already started the test.  Do not let your administrators: superintendents & principals intimidate you.  Do not let them tell you your child HAS TO take the test.  They will cite law, regulation and code, but at the end of the day there is NOTHING written in the law about a parent opting their child out.  Be proactive and destroy this corporate Ponzi scheme in our schools.

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