Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Our Right to Refuse Testing in ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act)

In ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) the following is found: “school districts must inform parents of their rights under State law or local policy to opt their children out of any assessments mandated by the Act, by the state, or by the local school district”. That provision is found in two places. The first requires each school district (local educational agency in federal parlance) to notify parents that they may request and will timely receive information about state and local opt-out policies:

Section 1111(e)(2), which reads:
‘‘(e) PARENTS RIGHT-TO-KNOW.—
‘‘(2) TESTING TRANSPARENCY.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—At the beginning of each school year, a local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall notify the parents of each student attending any school receiving funds under this part that the parents may request, and the local educational agency will provide the parents on request (and in a timely manner), information regarding any State or local educational agency policy regarding student participation in any assessments mandated by section 1111(b)(2) and by the State or local educational agency, which shall include a policy, procedure, or parental right to opt the child out of such assessment, where applicable.
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.—Subject to subparagraph (C), each local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall make widely available through public means (including by posting in a clear and easily accessible manner on the local educational agency’s website and, where practicable, on the website of each school served by the local educational agency) for each grade served by the local educational agency, information on each assessment required by the State to comply with section 1111, other assessments required by the State, and where such information is available and feasible to report, assessments required districtwide by the local educational agency, including—
‘‘(i) the subject matter assessed;
‘‘(ii) the purpose for which the assessment is designed and used;
‘‘(iii) the source of the requirement for the assessment; and
‘‘(iv) where such information is available—
‘‘(I) the amount of time students will spend taking the assessment, and the schedule for the assessment; and
‘‘(II) the time and format for disseminating results.
‘‘(C) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY THAT DOES NOT OPERATE A WEBSITE.—In the case of a local educational agency that does not operate a website, such local educational agency shall determine how to make the information described in subparagraph (A) widely available, such as through distribution of that information to the media, through public agencies, or directly to parents.

The second is in Section 1111(b)(2)(K)m which ensures that State or local laws allowing parents to opt their children out of assessments cannot be overruled by the U.S. Department of Education. Section 1111(b)(2)(K) reads:
‘‘(2) ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS.—
‘‘(K) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION ON PARENT RIGHTS.—
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as preempting a State or local law regarding the decision of a parent to not have the parent’s child participate in the academic assessments under this paragraph.

The ESSA requirement for schools to meet the 95% Participation Rate under ESSA is found at:

Sec. 1111
‘‘(c) STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.—
‘‘(4) DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM.—
‘‘(E) ANNUAL MEASUREMENT OF ACHIEVEMENT.—
Annually measure the achievement of not less than 95 percent of all students, and 95 percent of all students in each subgroup of students, who are enrolled in public schools on the assessments described under subsection (b)(2)(v)(I).
‘‘(IV) the weight of any measure or indicator used to identify or meaningfully differentiate schools, under this part;
‘‘(V) the specific methodology used by States to meaningfully differentiate or identify schools under this part;

HOWEVER, ESSA also includes this, which means that meeting the 95% requirement is no longer a pass/fail indicator all on its own if states don’t want it to be. A state could, for example, give a weight of 0.1% to participation rate in evaluating schools and the Department cannot make them do otherwise:

Sec. 1111
‘‘(e) PROHIBITION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize or permit the Secretary—
‘‘(B) as a condition of approval of the State plan, or revisions or amendments to, the State plan, or approval of a waiver request submitted under section 8401, to—
‘‘(iii) prescribe—
‘‘(III) indicators that States use within the State accountability system under this section, including any requirement to measure student growth, or, if a State chooses to measure student growth, the specific metrics used to measure such growth under this part;
‘‘(IV) the weight of any measure or indicator used to identify or meaningfully differentiate schools, under this part;
‘‘(V) the specific methodology used by States to meaningfully differentiate or identify schools under this part;
‘‘(XI) the way in which the State factors the requirement under subsection (c)(4)(E)(i) [the 95% participation rate; see above] into the statewide accountability system under this section; or
‘‘(C) to issue new non-regulatory guidance that—
‘‘(i) in seeking to provide explanation of requirements under this section for State or local educational agencies, either in response to requests for information or in anticipation of such requests, provides a strictly limited or exhaustive list to illustrate successful implementation of provisions under this section; or
‘‘(ii) purports to be legally binding;

NH? Hate Common Core? Here’s a Solution

Common Core Math

Everyone has now seen examples of this kind of nonsense showing up in Common Core math homework. Either they’ve seen this on the Internet or maybe in their child’s backpack.

IF your children are suffering through Common Core because Governor Hassan is ignoring parents, there is another option for you. REPLACE the text book your school is using, with a better one.

HB542 was passed a few years ago giving parents the option of replacing objectionable materials assigned to their children. Your local school should have a policy in place.

You can replace objectionable materials at your expense. A good used math text book online will cost about $10 and it will be the best $10 you ever spent. We already have parents in New Hampshire doing this.

Parents have purchased traditional math text books for their children after seeing the garbage coming home that is now aligned to Common Core. They know this nonsense is killing any chance of their children learning math. Some parents have turned to tutoring services but there is another solution and that’s to replace the materials.

Check your local policy and then check with home-schoolers on what they use. Since home-school moms know how to choose quality materials for their kids, they could be your best resource. Yes, that means moms often times do a better job of choosing math and grammar books than the Curriculum Coordinators earning six figure salaries in your local public school.

Take your traditional text book to your teacher and let them know you are exercising your right to replace the Common Core book with a quality textbook based on HB542. Ask that your child work on real math problems during math class while the rest of the kids are wasting time on Common Core nonsense.

What are some good suggestions for a quality text book?
Saxon Math (the OLD series)
Singapore Math (the real Singapore not the fake one called Math in Focus)
Algebra : Any text book written by Mary Dolciani
Geometry: Jurgensen or Jacobs
Shurley Grammar
Look for a Great Books List for quality classical literature

Parents should be able to help their kids but if they do need additional help, there are online resources like Khan Academy they can use for free.

The best thing to do is to look at what home-school parents are using. You will see a difference. Their materials are relatively inexpensive and you can often times find used textbooks online for a nominal amount.

Want to STOP COMMON CORE? Do NOT Vote For Hillary Clinton

This is an informative article on the link between Common Core in America’s classrooms and Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Manager is a Longtime Corporate Education Reformer

Meet John Podesta.

He’s a Washington lobbyist working hard to support high stakes tests, Common Core and charter schools.

He’s also Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager.

That’s right – the 2016 Democratic Presidential candidate who has been endorsed by the leaders of the national teachers unions has a corporate education reformer running her campaign.

Read and watch the video by clicking on this link: https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/hillary-clintons-campaign-manager-is-a-longtime-corporate-education-reformer/

Letter: Education Hijacked

Letter: Education Hijacked
Posted: March 04, 2016
by Deirdre Clemons, Naples

Most colleges promote anti-American, pro-Marxist themes.

However, unbeknownst to parents, education reforms over the last 40 years in K-12 have also shifted from teaching academics (basic facts and classical literature) to teaching “politically correct” concepts through social and emotional methods.

This explains why many who are 40 and under love socialism. It explains our low ACT scores (Florida is 45th of 50), and why we are not allowed to see Florida’s new FSA test. If parents saw the “test,” we would see that it does not measure academic knowledge; rather, it measures inculcation of desired attitudes and beliefs. It is an “education of equity” for a 21st century global society.

Common Core (aka Sunshine State Standards) was brought to us by Bill Gates and UNESCO through the National Governor’s Association (a lobbying group) and the Council of Chief State School Officers. In 2015, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, requiring UNESCO’s “universal design for learning,” a global “master curriculum” promoting globalism and “social justice” by using climate change to shape global citizens. To succeed, materials must demote American values, undermine the Constitution, and detach children from faith and family. (Representatives from 21 countries met in Dubai to discuss implementing Common Core in their countries also.)

This explains why our youth cannot answer questions about U.S. history or our republic form of government, yet join groups (Occupy Wall Street) so full of emotion, and yet so brainless (social/emotional learning). The “education experts” are in control, the same ones who love Marx and hate America’s Constitution, free markets, and Judeo-Christian foundation.

Education has been hijacked, at all levels, right under our noses.

S 306 Must Be Stopped

by Anita Hoge

The challenge is on. Today, News With Views released my rebuttal to Michael Farris, HSLDA.

As everyone who has been following the federal legislation of Sen. Ted Cruz knows, that S 306 attached to Alexander’s and Kline’s Reauthorization of ESEA, called “Every Student Achieves Act”, will totally control all schools and all students in the United States. The impetus to strangle public schools and push accredited charter schools without elected boards is at a fever pitch.

Be sure that Senator Lee hears from us, too. He sponsored S 306. We won’t let him get off that easy. He along with Cruz and Farris are partners in THIS CHOICE charade.

This is a warning to private, religious, and homeschools. Learn the implications in S 306.

Do not support S 306 or any legislation that would use Title I portability for federal CHOICE.

HOW TED CRUZ IS SNEAKING COMMON CORE ON HOMESCHOOLERS

National Campaign Launched to Abolish U.S. Education Department

Indeed this is the crux of the matter. Do the feds, or even the state, have a right to interfere in local educational matters? We have always thought arguing about “standards” imposed by the feds or state, gave them too much legitimacy when the REAL argument should be that their involvement are just plain illegal and unconstitutional.

It would make sense therefore, that any constitutional candidate for president, would support the idea of dissolving the federal department of education.

After years of running up against unconstitutional federal education mandates imposed on states using bribes and bludgeoning from Washington, D.C., a group of parents and grassroots education activists from across America is launching a fresh effort to shut down the U.S. Department of Education once and for all. The mission: “Stop Fed Ed.”

Read more…

Chris Christie LIES!!!

We almost fell off our chairs when we heard Gov. Chris Christie say that Common Core has been eliminated in New Jersey. Does he think parents are complete idiots? It sure seems like it.

We have many examples of states and schools re-branding their “state and local” standards but upon closer examination, the standards pretty much mirror the Common Core standards. This is done as a way to fool parents into thinking the governors or superintendents listened to them.

This is what was done in Indiana under Governor Pence and in Manchester, NH under Superintendent Livingston. They tell parents who are angry and want superior standards that they’ve heard them but the final product shows that parents were patronized and ignored.

Now we have Governor Christie, during a national debate, trying to tell us that they eliminated Common Core in New Jersey? He’s again, playing parents like they are fools.

New Hampshire bureaucrats tell us that schools can use whatever standards they want but then the NH Dept. of Education forces them to use the Common Core Smarter Balanced Assessment. That’s like saying, you can choose any color car on the lot but when you walk out there, you notice they are all red.

What they say is meant to mislead you. But Governor Christie underestimated New Hampshire voters because we look past the political lies and jargon. No Governor Christie, under your tenure children have been subjected to inferior academic standards because you’ve failed to lead your state to quality education reform.

New Hampshire parents are looking for real leadership, not a follower of Obama education reforms.

Our suggestion? Go back to New Jersey and fix the mess you created. Stop trying to fool New Hampshire parents into thinking you’ve done anything to free up the public schools to use quality standards and tests.

If we can’t trust the candidate now, how can we trust them when they are elected?

For more information we encourage you to look at this:
Gov. Chris Christie’s curious plan to dump the Common Core — but keep the Core test

N.J. could keep nearly 85 percent of Common Core standards

Fact check: Is Common Core “eliminated” in New Jersey?

Chris Christie: ‘We Got Rid of Common Core in New Jersey’

Marc Tucker Tomorrow January 14th in NH

According to WikiPedia, Marc Tucker is

“the president and CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy. He is an internationally recognized expert on education reform and a leader in benchmarking the policies and practices of the countries with the best education systems in the world.”

But make no mistake. Before Tucker was appointed as an education guru by his friend Hillary Clinton, he was employed as a lighting technician by a television station. He is totally unqualified to preside over any academic “standards” even as we know these mandates and programs are ILLEGAL with regard to their creation or funding by the federal government.

Socialist Tucker is most known for his famous “Letter to Hillary” which can be read here. In it he describes his dream of a top-down centrally managed system that would prepare students for service to the state.

If your Republican Representative is complicit in bringing Tucker to NH for this second “seminar”, he or she needs to hear from you.

Look up your Rep here: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx

Remember, Tucker is a totally unqualified third party, working for the totally illegal involvement of the fed, the same fed that has destroyed education with fad programs that encourage bad practices such as we teachers have seen with OBE, Common Core, discovery learning, constructivism and whole host of other educational fads that are proven failures.

A televised seminar entitled Professional Environments in Top Performing Systems will be held tomorrow, Thursday, January 14th in Room 206 in the Legislative Offices Building(LOB), beginning at 9:00 AM. The seminar, to be moderated by Dr. Mark Tucker (who was the Key Speaker in November), will feature educator leaders from Shanghai, Singapore, Australia as well as California, Kentucky, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The event which will actually be held tomorrow in Washington DC., begins at 9:00 AM and concludes at 1:00 PM. And via the wonders of technology, anyone interested can also see it in Room 206 of the LOB.

More on Tucker… HERE and HERE (note: The NHTPC didn’t make those accusations, they were listen in Wiki!)