TUESDAY TATTLER - ISTEP+ REVIEW

Yesterday, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz announced that the Department of Education has hired the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment (NCIEA) to determine whether testing interruptions experienced by students invalidated high stakes ISTEP+ test scores.

“These interruptions were simply unacceptable,” Ritz said. “Because the stakes of this test are so high, the results must be beyond reproach.”

Ritz said she will suggest districts put less weight on ISTEP scores in teacher evaluations than they otherwise would have.

"I'm hoping Indiana wants to reduce the high stakes attached to this test,” she added.

The Tattler's opinion is that the list if kids affected was incomplete. Testing company CTB/McGraw Hill says more than 78,200 students had their exams disrupted.  There are reports, by educators and administrators, where entire classes were briefly interrupted and such classes and students are not showing up on the DOE list.  These students were also adversely affected when their schedules were changed at the last minute, testing days delayed, testing spread out over three weeks, etc. Neither students nor patents knew when their testing would take place for sure, and it prolonged and added stress to all the students lives.  Will the NCIEA investigation report show all of this? 

High stakes testing has become the reformer's dream to destroy public education once and for all.  Testing companies and textbook publishers have made millions off of our children through the development of flawed tests and unnecessary standards.  CTB/McGraw Hill made out like bandits thanks to former state superintendent Tony Bennet's contract for ISTEP+.  Now, the question is, will they be responsible for footing any of the $53,000 bill for this independent review?

In November we elected Glenda Ritz to slow the wave of reform and turn the tide of destruction.  She has shown time and again to be in tune to the needs of Indiana's public school students, parents, and teachers.  We must hold onto the hope that,  with these adverse situations, she will continue to do what she was elected to do and save our public schools from total destruction at the hands of high
stakes testing, arrogant legislators, and those dastardly education "reformers".  While we have put our confidence in her abilities, we must also continue to question and seek answers.   

Ritz herself stated, "Keep in mind that students were not interrupted in their entire testing. They were interrupted in perhaps a test session or two, and much of the data on their test will be accurate. I do think it’s valuable for students to see it, parents to see it, and for teachers to see it." 

Just what that means is not certain, but the Tattler believes that this years ISTEP+ test results are all tainted in some way and the only valid means of handling them is to "punt", disregard the results statewide, and hope for a better situation as the DOE irons out the issues. Just calling for an independent review is not enough, we must continue to be diligent in seeking answers and in making certain that our public education system remains intact for our children.

BOB BEHNING - PUBLIC EDUCATION'S #1 ENEMY

 

 

Indiana State Representative Robert Behning has gone from failed florist to PUBLIC Education's #1 enemy.  He has become a self-proclaimed education "reform" expert as Chairman of the House Education Committee.  In this role he has made every attempt to destroy and dismantle Indiana's Public school system in order to further line the wallets of his private school and private corporation cronies.  He has become an ALEC "all star" with his strong desire to write and utilize ALEC legislation into Indiana law to further cripple Indiana's public schools.  He seems to thrive on the destruction set in motion by former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and former Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Bennett.  Representative Behning seems poised to continue his assault on Indiana's school children through his horrendous legislation and arrogant manner. He made many attempts to strip newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz, of power and pushed one of the most vigorous voucher expansion programs in the nation through the legislature.  Behning did all these things against the wishes of his constituency by ignoring the voices calling for more public education support and less stripping our public schools down for the benefit of private and charter expansions.

 

As the picture above shows, Representative Behning claims to be glad to ehar from his constituents.  However, in stark contrast, the man whose website says he wants to hear from you doesn't really want to hear what you think about standards because you're too stupid to understand them anyway. 

 

It is time for Indiana voters in his district to take a stand for children and Public Education, by showing up in 2014 to vote him out of a seat in District 91 that has held since 1992. A seat he seems confident is safe for him to regain with little effort in 2014.

TUESDAY TATTLER THANKS TEACHERS

This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and Today has been National Teacher Appreciation Day.  What better way to celebrate our teachers than to thank Indiana's Glenda Ritz.  This amazing educator overcame "David versus Goliath" odds to defeat incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Bennett, in November.  Her first few months in office have been less than peaceful as she has had to contend with an onslaught of destructive attempts by legislators, and at the end of the legislative session a disastrous start to statewide ISTEP testing

Glenda Ritz has been the epitome of calm reassurance as she has managed every storm and handled everything with a calm demeanor of a true stateswoman.  Superintendent Ritz has managed to do all she does with our children in mind.  She is a true educator, who will not stop working for Indiana's PUBLIC school children at every opportunity.

As we thank Glenda Ritz for her amazing gift to Indiana schools, the gift of herself, we should remember this past legislative session, Tony Bennett's deal with ISTEP vendor CTB McGraw-Hill, and all that we want for our children's futures.  We need to remember every time we step into a voting booth and show our current legislators that Tony Bennett was not alone in his exodus from Indiana Politics.  Thank your teachers by voting for pro-public education legislators beginning with the 2014 elections and let's reclaim our PUBLIC schools from those who seek to privatize them.  You can see which legislators support public education by checking out the Hoosier Mom's Legislative Grade Card here on Hoosier Voices.

Final Grades: State Legislators

Hoosier Mom's Public Education Grade Book

Spring Session 2013

It is that time in the legislative session when the Hoosier Mom must submit the final grade card for our legislators. The grades are based on their support for public education as measured through their votes. 

The Hoosier Mom chose 5 bills as "tests" of our legislator's support for public education this session. Just like in school, legislators will earn points by passing the test and using their vote in support of public education. Just like in public school, legislators that chose to not take the test do not earn points: there is no make-up test. 


The 5 tests were:

SB 189 - Performance Qualified Schools

HB 1003 - Voucher Program Expansion

HB 1338 - Charter School Expansion

HB 1357 - Deprofessionalization of Superintendent Licensure

HB 1427 - Common Core & other Tony Bennett matters


There are many legislators who are failing to support public education. The Hoosier Mom suggests a voter takeover of these legislator's positions in the upcoming election year.  Accountability is the priority here: they must be held accountable to the voters.

The only option we have is to elect legislators that will documentably support public education via their vote.

The gradebook is as follows for the House, then the Senate: