Kids in FL need our good thoughts tomorrow.

[SW FL Dem]

Thanks to the NCLB and Jebbie, their futures will be determined by their performance on a standardized test, the FCAT. My kid happens to be one of the affected kids. He's a great kid and an average student who gets mostly As and B's except for math. This weekend my kid broke down in tears out of fear he would fail. It turns out that for the past month his teachers have been telling kids that 250 out of the 750 8th graders won't move on to high school. This is one of the best middle schools in the state. What is wrong with this picture?

[givemebackmycountry]

1. BUSH both of the bastards.... N/T

[jab105]

2. FCAT is tomorrow, tuesday, and next Monday for high schoolers in FL

BUT, only 3rd and 10th grade "counts" for the kids...10th especially, because it determines if they can graduate or not...

I dont think that the 8th grade one can keep them from getting into high school...the other years, the FCAT really just effects the school, which effects funding...our school when from an A school to a B school last year...so the pressure is really on for the schools...

[SW FL Dem]

8. My kid goes to an A school that has had an A rating for at least

5 years now. According to the criteria, they have to continue to improve to keep the A rating. How the hell can you continue to improve when the average kid in your school already tests at the 70% percentile nationwide?

[Not_Giving_Up]

3. Good luck to all of them

Texas kids took TAKS last week.

[LeftyMom]

4. Is there any punishment for non-participation?

In CA we have the right to keep our kids out on test days or excuse them from the test. Can you do that if he's that freaked out about it?

This high stakes testing crap has to stop.

[LWolf]

6. I agree that it has to stop.

As a teacher, I'd like to see parents stand up and fight back; those of us who've been doing so from the school side are battered and worn out. It would have been nice to have some parents standing with us the last decade while high stakes testing was implemented in my state.

In my state, you can refuse to test. Of course, we are punished in a big way if we don't make the cutoff for the percentage of students required to have tested.

Even so, if this nonsense is still going on in a couple of years, my grandson won't be taking any test. A few parents don't do anything but bring down sanctions on the school; if significant numbers of parents refused, it would be more powerful.

How about getting active in a local parent group opposing high stakes testing?

Here is a resource for you in California:

http://www.calcare.org/

[LeftyMom]

11. I'm in California too

The "sure you can opt out, but the school is in a world of shit if many people do" thing blows.

I don't know how much good I could do or how welcome I'd be in an anti-testing group, as LK isn't subject to testing anyhow (we homeschool) but I'll keep my ear to the ground and see if there is an active group around here.

[SW FL Dem]

7. IN FL you are required to take the test,

If you don't pass the 10th grade version , you don't get a diploma even if you pass all your high school classes.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Isn't it next week?

[SW FL Dem]

12. Here in Collier

The FCAT reading is tomorrow, FCAT math on Tuesday. For 8th graders, the FCAT science is Monday Feb 7 and the NRTs are Feb 9.

[LWolf]

9. A resource for you.

There are people out here who have been organizing to oppose the current obsession with high stakes testing. Here is one group in Florida:

http://www.fcar.info/

The mission statement:

The Florida Coalition for Assessment Reform, Inc., a grassroots organization of parents, teachers, students, and other concerned Floridians, supports open, constructive, broad-based assessment that respects and reflects the complexity of learning and the diversity among learners. FCAR monitors and reports the uses and abuses of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment System, advocates for Florida students and their families, and promotes public policies that support constructive assessment.

You might contact them and ask them about boycotting the tests, or other things you can do to help us in our efforts.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

10. I live in Forida and my son in law teaches high school here.

After Zeb's reelection I emailed him and asked him to keep his promises regarding education and teacher salaries. He (or one of his reps) emailed me back and told me that he did not have any responsibility in this area; these decisions were to be made by the individual counties. That same year he appointed a school superintendant to our county who came close to destroying our schools. Fortunately, we were able to vote him out this past November. Good luck to you and your son. I would say, get involved and work very very hard in local government. This is the best way we can fight these son-of-a-bushes.