Smarter Balanced Assessment Toolkit Revealed! Parents: Call The DOE!

Thanks to Delaware Deep Throat for getting me pieces of the puzzle called the Smarter Balanced Toolkit.  I don’t think I have it all yet, but we are on the right track.  Below you will find a copy of the parent report and the lingo that will be in it.  I love how they pin it on teachers on the very first page!

Developed with input from Delaware K–12 teachers, higher education faculty, and other experts.

And then we have the FAQs they want parents to ASK teachers.  Hey parents, don’t ask the teachers.  They have enough on their plate already.  Call the Delaware Department of Education.  The phone number for the Office of Assessment is (302) 857-3391.  The Interim Director is Dr. Carolyn Lazar.  She should be able to answer the billion questions you will have about this farce of an assessment!

While that may seem a bit unfair, keep in mind the teacher who gave the assessment most likely isn’t the same teacher your child had when they took the assessment.  Furthermore, the teachers don’t get to keep the questions and they don’t even know what any student answered.  The DOE might know! Ask them!  And if they don’t know, try Governor Markell.  Ask him about the data on how many students got question #10 wrong.  That will keep him busy!

Exceptional Delaware Wants The Magical “Toolkit” About The SBAC Results

On Friday evening I posted a picture of a not-so secret email from the Delaware DOE that was sent to all Delaware Superintendents and Charter heads concerning Smarter Balanced Assessment results and timetables.  As well, it had sources parents and citizens could look at online to get more information about the Smarter Balanced Assessment and Common Core.  But one thing it had that I have heard reference to is this mysterious “toolkit”.  This is a link in the email that gives districts “templates you can adapt, such as presentations, robo call scripts and letters, as well as background information on Smarter.”

If anyone has taken a trip down the rabbit hole and into this magical “toolkit”, let me know.  I am very curious as to what all this looks like.  I’ve heard there is reference to teachers getting blamed for the test because they gave possible material for it.  Like I said last week, don’t believe the future hoopla.  It’s all been carefully designed by the Delaware Department of  Education to get the blame shifted off them.  Most of you know how to reach me…