Category Archives: Public/Private Partnerships

“Reaching Higher NH,” A pro-Common Core/Anti-Parental Rights Organization

We’ve been asked to dissect political organizations that are popping up in the name of ‘protecting public education.’

WHY? Because many people are figuring out, these organizations are developing for the purpose of carrying out the Federal Common Core reform agenda.

We will start with “Reaching Higher NH” and their mission statement : http://reachinghighernh.org/about-2/our-mission/
(denotes our comments)

Mission Statement:
Objectives
Promote the continued successful adoption and implementation of college and career readiness standards in New Hampshire school districts
(THIS IS CODE FOR COMMON CORE. They changed the name from Common Core to “college and career readiness standards to mislead parents)

Expand personalized learning based on competency-based education.
(Competency Based ed is part of the Federal agenda. It’s the old failed fad that used to be called Outcome Based Education: http://nhfamiliesforeducation.org/content/maine-state-board-education-member-speaks-out-against-competency-based-education)

Support a system of high quality assessment that allows parents, teachers and school administrators to evaluate individual student learning and progress.
(CODE for Common Core/Competency Based Assessments like PACE which was rejected by the New Hampshire legislators http://stopcommoncorenh.org/sccnh/2015/03/19/oh-my-look-at-whos-assisting-the-teachers-in-the-pace-program/ )

Support and promote initiatives that strengthen public education and better educational outcomes for students.
(CODE: Support the Federal reforms that are destroying public education)

Raise public awareness about these issues.
(Part of community organizing involves frequent PR gimmicks)

Work with key stakeholders to educate New Hampshire citizens about these issues.
(Businesses & Union lobbyists, NOT parents or teachers who hate the Federal govt. reforms)

Examples of efforts we support

Access to pre-K for every New Hampshire child, regardless of family economic status.
(This is part of the Obama reform agenda tied to workforce development training. Children/students = human capital http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/universal-preschools-empty-promises)

Expansion of alternative assessment models.
(Support for the PACE assessments the NH legislators rejected in HB323 http://stopcommoncorenh.org/sccnh/2015/03/19/oh-my-look-at-whos-assisting-the-teachers-in-the-pace-program/)

Efforts of our business, political and education leadership to create new STEM and STEAM career opportunities for our students.
(The Common Core standards do not prepare students for STEM or STEAM http://pioneerinstitute.org/news/lowering-the-bar-how-common-core-math-fails-to-prepare-students-for-stem/)

Advancement of charter schools as partners to our public education system.

Updating New Hampshire’s College and Career Ready science standards with up-to-date, research-based standards.
(Code for : adopting the problematic and dumbed down Next Generation Science Standards http://etcjournal.com/2013/01/22/next-generation-science-standards-fall-flat/)

Pittsfield Under Attack by NGOs, Foundations and PR Firms

We bet most of the parents and taxpayers in Pittsfield and Manchester (two Annenberg partners in NH – there is also a Youth Organizers United in Manchester) have no idea they need to deal with a PR Firm created by an NGO/foundation out of UNH (Carsey Institute) to filter their communication to the various school boards.

The legality of this is questionable. The truth of the matter is, these “ideas” are NOT coming from the people or the parents, but from the foundations themselves. Most of the parents in these areas likely have no idea that the law is being overridden and their rights are being usurped.

The next new fad is “Restorative Justice”.

http://www.pittsfieldlistens.org/index.php/component/content/article/20-blog/33-ccs-scl-101

Previous nonsense. “Student Centered Learning” (or, letting the inmates run the asylum).

http://www.pittsfieldlistens.org/index.php/component/content/article/20-blog/33-ccs-scl-101

Beware the Facilitators

Coming soon to Laconia will be PR firm NH Listens-trained facilitators who will help “steer” your discussions during sessions intended to consider YOUR concerns and wishes for their public school system.

“LACONIA — The Strategic Planning Committee of the School Board is targeting October 18 as a day for school “stakeholders” to come together and provide their individual thoughts about the School District’s goals for the next five to seven years.

Committee members said last night that they would be sending invitations to a wide variety of individuals in Laconia, including business owners and leaders, parents, politicians, as well as former students and local college administrators, for their input into Laconia’s education goals.”

Some disagreed that a facilitator should be used. As we know from the Granite State Future program, NH Listens is anything but “neutral”.

Read more: School Board aims to get public involved in developing its new strategic plan

In Conway, there is a survey online that residents can take to express their concerns.

When Will Conservative Parents Stop The Madness of Common Core?

This video wastes no time getting at the details of Common Core and the general atmosphere and intent of education today where our students are being used as political mules. The speaker connects NGOs who control our government and compares it to what is happening in our schools.

If the above video does not appear on your device, use this direct link:
http://youtu.be/hxYfimNeCtY

Ayers-Aligned Group Working in Pittsfield and Manchester

Residents of Manchester NH and Pittsfield NH…

Have you ever questioned why your town or city has allowed the William Ayers-aligned group Annenberg to infiltrate your schools? They once awarded Ayers and Obama a $49M grant to improve Chicago’s schools — how did that work out for you Chicago?

We thought Mayor Gatsas was a conservative. But apparently, unaware of this far-left leaning organization that seeks to change the political views of our students.

Keith Catone of Annenberg is involved in the Granite State Organizing’s Critical Race Theory

Improving education, or electioneering?

Group: Common Core standards violate Constitution

FORT JENNINGS — Members of the Putnam County Common Core group addressed Fort Jennings School Board members and spoke out against Common Core standards during Wednesday night’s meeting.

Lincoln Bramlage, Rose Stechschulte, Stephanie Stechschulte and Glenn Karhoff each explained their views and issues with the common standards, including: it’s funded by Bill Gates; the groups behind Common Core can be thought of as cartel; it promotes psychological damage in students; common core standards are not a curriculum; these standards are being repealed by states; there is a failure rate of two out of every three students; and it violates the 10th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

Read more…

Private foundations funded push for Common Core

By Margaret Sessa-Hawkins | Maryland Reporter

A handful of large foundations, including the Gates foundation, Carnegie foundation, Helmsley foundation and Hewlett foundation have collectively spent almost $300 million on the advocacy, development and implementation of the Common Core State Standards, analysis of the foundations’ grant reports reveals.

The breakdown of the grants shows that the Gates foundation has given out over $200 million, the Carnegie foundation $47.8 million, Helmsley $20 million, and Hewlett just over $15 million.

Other foundations, such as the Broad foundation, report giving extensively to organizations associated with the planning, development and implementation of the Common Core, but do not cite specific amounts contributed.