Will The Delaware DOE Cancel The Smarter Balanced Assessment This Year?

With rampant closings brought on by the ongoing Coronavirus saga it is imperative the Delaware Department of Education cancels the Smarter Balanced Assessment.  Any longtime reader of this blog knows my thoughts on this worthless and flawed test.  But it is here and until our legislators agree to dump it the test will stay here.  But this year is different.

As schools in Delaware prepare to close beginning next week for a two week “disinfecting”, the Smarter Balanced Assessment officially began earlier this month.  The test is not given at the same time in every school district or charter school.  Some last until the end of April or early May.  While giving SBAC in Delaware is a federal requirement, the test should disappear this year.

What are your thoughts?  Should the Delaware DOE cancel the test?  If schools are closed it would be impossible to have kids do it from home as there must be an instructor watching the kids take the test.  A Pennsylvania legislator already introduced legislation to get rid of their state test this year.  Should Delaware follow suit?

Christina Board Of Education To Vote On MOU Tuesday Night

The Christina Board of Education will finally vote on the Memorandum of Understanding between Governor Carney’s office, the Delaware Department of education, the district and the Board of Education on Tuesday night at Sarah Pyle Academy.  Their regular Board of Education meeting begins at 7pm.  What’s at stake?  Schools closing and consolidating into two schools.  Governor Carney’s reputation.  The Christina School District Wilmington students in Kindergarten to 8th grade.

Even if you don’t live in Christina, this will be something to watch.  It isn’t every day a Governor proposes this kind of action.  Some say it is needed while others say it is too much.  Some say the Board should vote yes while others say mixing these student populations from different areas of the city is a powder keg waiting to explode.  Some say forget the past and keep an open mind while others say Carney’s office doesn’t have the first clue as to what these kids need.  We will find out what the Christina Board votes on Tuesday evening.

The below pictures were released by the Christina School District:

If I were Christina, I would want to see a big fat check hand-delivered by John Carney before I put ink to this.  They are putting a lot of trust in a state that has continually targeted this one particular district if they vote yes.  Sorry, I don’t trust Carney.  He has yet to prove he can be trusted.

 

School Districts & Charter School Closures For Friday January 5th

Snow storm “Grayson” (can’t believe they give them names now too) caused schools to be closed today, Thursday, January 4th.  Districts and charter schools already began announcing closures for tomorrow, January 5th.  Last updated: 8:12pm.  It looks like ALL Sussex and Kent County school districts and charters are closed tomorrow.  New Castle County districts and charters are also announcing closures.  I am getting this information from the State of Delaware website as well as school district or charter school social media pages.  This is what I have so far and will announce more as they come:

Academia Antonia Alonso

Academy of Dover

Appoquinimink

Brandywine

Caesar Rodney

Campus Community School

Cape Henlopen

Capital

Charter School of New Castle

Charter School of Wilmington

Christina

Colonial

Delaware Academy of Public Safety & Security

Delaware Design-Lab

Delmar

Early College High School

East Side Charter School

First State Military Academy

First State Montessori Academy

Freire Charter School

Indian River

Lake Forest

Las Americas Aspiras Academy

Laurel

Milford

MOT Charter School

Newark Charter School

New Castle County Vo-Tech

Odyssey Charter School

Polytech

Positive Outcomes

Providence Creek Academy

Red Clay Consolidated

Seaford

Smyrna

Sussex Academy

Sussex Tech

Thomas Edison Charter School

Woodbridge

ALL the traditional school districts are closed.  I am awaiting word on the following charters: Kuumba Academy, Great Oaks Charter, Delaware Military Academy, and Gateway.  I’m going to go out on a limb and assume they will be closed tomorrow but don’t take my word for it!