The Delaware DOE. How crafty they are. I announced yesterday they would be meeting with the legislators from the General Assembly to go over the Smarter Balanced results. Today, I am hearing the DOE is scheduling individual meetings with each legislator. Why not just get them all together, or even do a few group sessions? Why meet with them individually? It is a divide and conquer strategy.
I’m sure they have pretty thorough personality dossiers on each member of the General Assembly. They probably know how each one of them has voted on every single education bill that came on the floor of either the Senate or the House. They are working them. They want them on their side when the scores are released because they probably don’t have a clue how to let parents know how bad the results are. They are probably also very concerned about opt-out next year given how bad the scores are. They do not want House Bill 50 coming back to life in an override of Governor Markell’s veto. They are in panic mode, and they now know we (Delaware) knows they have the results.
They have underestimated parents time and time again. Why should this be any different? You would think after all the grief they have received in the past year from parents, teachers and legislators, they would grow up. But no, they are still playing their silly little games, as if they know best. Or maybe they are scared of what also comes with the results: the opt-out numbers. I don’t think Delaware will come anywhere close to Washington, New York, or New Jersey percentages. Not even close. But I’m sure they are higher than the DOE let on in their presentation to the State Board of Education last month. Opt-out was in it’s infancy in Delaware last school year. But it’s growing up fast, and it is now a toddler, wanting lots of attention. I’m pretty sure parents will give lots of love to opt-out this school year…
The Season Of Myths 