Tag Archives: Commoncore

WARNING: From NH Teacher/Mother on Common Core

We received a letter from a parent/teacher in New Hampshire. She asked that her name be removed. Parents are removing their kids from the public schools but it’s even more telling that this one is a teacher too.
We hear from many parents and teachers and we thought this was one that needs to be read by as many people as possible.

Hi there –

Thanks for all you do on behalf of our children who are apart of the New Hampshire public school system. I’m a former teacher. I have a M.Ed from **** College. I used to teach elementary school but have been a stay at home mom for many years now while still keeping my certification valid.

I’m writing to let you know how Common Core, and other educational reforms, have impacted my children’s lives in the public school system. I have three children.

My two older kids had a great experience going through our public school system in elementary school. They are now in high school. Common Core started in our school system when they were in middle school. The way it has impacted them is the push we’re seeing to bring down the top kids and bring up the lower level learners. Both my older children are higher level learners. One qualified for a higher level math class in 6th grade. Instead of being encourage to pursue this great opportunity, we were being persuaded to keep him in a lower class so he could feel more apart of his peers. We put him in the higher level class anyway. We see similar things in high school. There seems to be a push to keep the higher level learners from being challenged.

My youngest is in second grade and I pulled her from school this year to homeschool. I pulled her also for the lack of being challenged. She is a higher level learner like her older siblings. At her elementary school there was plenty of extra help for the lower achievers. The teachers teach, using the standards, to the rest of the class. The higher level learners are left to be bored. When I asked the principal if there was a way to challenge her in math, I was told to challenge her in other areas of her life like extra curricular. When asked her teacher to challenge her, I was continually dismissed and told she needs to go “wider and deeper” and not higher. In kindergarten, when asked if she could move on to more advanced topics, she was instead given frustrating maze like math challenges to “improve her perseverance”. In 1st grade, my goals for her to be challenged in math were ignored. She cruised through all the math lessons not learning or being challenged.

I feel as though Common Core keeps kids in a box. There isn’t a way to move ahead if you are in first grade and on a third grade math level. When you get to 4th and 5th grade, I’ve heard repeatedly from parents over and over that the way math is taught is confusing for both students and parents and does not make sense. That is not incentive to put my daughter back into public school.

Our elementary school is a great elementary school with super teachers. We moved to this town because of our wonderful school. I would like to see our teachers free to collaborate and create their own standards within our school. The teachers in a school know their community of students best.

In addition, I do not like the Smarter Balanced. I have respectfully refused all standardized testing for all of my children in the past. I don’t like that the test not only tests for academics but also for dispositions and beliefs. I don’t like data being collected about my children. The countries top private schools do not use the Common Core and do not use the Smarter Balanced. We should use these top school as models.

A great number of parents in our school system also do not like the shift to Competency Based Assessments either. Our schools are slowly changing over. Again it’s the parents of the higher level learners that seem to prefer traditional grading. We had a petition in our school system going around on change.org to keep traditional grading. Many parents and students signed it with numerous comments and reasons to keep traditional grading.

We are much happier out of the public school system and not having to deal with all these educational reforms like Common Core, Smarter Balanced and Competency Based Assessments. With homeschooling I can tailor my youngest child’s education to her individual needs. Public school can’t do that at this point in time with the restraints and expectations of Common Core. As I’ve personally seen at various grade levels, there seems to be a push to keep the higher level learners from being challenged. Many other parents I have talked to feel he same way.

I would love to turn back the clock when school was fun and teachers had the autonomy in the classroom to teach towards each childs individual needs and challenge them and take them as far as they can go.

Kindly,
Parent from SAU16

VanOstern: Just Another Common Core Supporter Deceiving Parents

Is VanOstern trying to deceive parents on his support for Common Core? IF you look at his web site, he says,

In his debates with Chris Sununu, he dodges the question on Common Core. Chris Sununu has said he would remove Common Core from New Hampshire Schools. VanOstern diverts attention to his support for PACE. But most parents don’t know about PACE so is he trying to deceive them?

PACE is more Common Core testing in your schools. Like the other Common Core standardized tests, there’s no independent validity studies on PACE. This may be an experimental way to test your kids, but they will be testing them on Common Core.

Not only will they be tested on the dumbed down Common Core standards, but also the subjective “21st Century skills.” If your child doesn’t have the right dispositions or attitudes included in the competencies, they will not advance. That’s why parents often times complain about the subjectivity in the grading.

Whether it’s PACE, Competencies, SAT, Smarter Balanced, College and Career Readiness Standards, it’s all “Common Core.” Bureaucrats simply change the name to keep parents off their track.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment is given 1x/year but PACE will incorporate multiple assessments. PACE was brought in to reduce testing but if you pay close attention, you’ll see testing increases with PACE.

VanOstern also mentions that PACE is based on “project based learning.” That in itself has become controversial. If this is how they test, that’s how they will teach. When did you ask the State of New Hampshire to mandate teaching methods? Shouldn’t that be left up to the local district?

If your child is tested on a project, how do you know they’ve mastered the content first? There is a lot of talk in the education community that facts and knowledge do not matter. Why not simply say literacy is no longer the goal in this education reform? They want to focus not on the “doing.” But public education is supposed to be about imparting knowledge so when students are ready, they can apply their knowledge. In other words, if you do not put in all of the ingredients, you cannot bake the cake properly.

How do you know all of the ingredients have been put in? That’s what a lot to people are asking now. How will parents know their children have mastered their math facts or know the natural origin of the material used to make common objects, in science?

This is the biggest concern parents have for this shift from mastering core content knowledge to Competency Based Education or what is used to be called, Outcome Based Education. We’ve even had a State Board of Education member in Maine write to all of our State Representatives and Senators, warning them about Competency Based Education.

Every few years education reformers come up with a new and innovative way to teach children but when you peel back the layers, you find the old failed fads that have been tried before. They dress them up with a new name (Competency Based Ed instead of Outcome Based Ed), sell it like it’s new and innovative, and then hope for the best.

All of this can be a bit confusing to parents which is exactly why we question the authenticity of Colin VanOStern. Why hasn’t he made a definitive statement on Common Core? Is it because Democrats were warned not to talk about the subject? One of the leaked emails from DNC deputy communications director Eric Walker described the Common Core as “a political third rail that we should not be touching at all.”

Is this why VanOstern wants to stay away this subject? Is this why he references the PACE testing scheme so parents will not recognize it as more testing on Common Core and competencies?

It sure looks to us like we are going to get the same failed standards, tests and curriculum in a VanOstern administration. He hasn’t offered parents any hope that things will get better and he dances around the subject and deceives parents in the process.

If you oppose Common Core and you want something better for your kids, VanOstern is NOT the person we want as Governor.

Check out where the candidates are on education here.
Vote on Tuesday, November 8th

Common Core Math deficiencies

Do you know what’s missing from the Common Core Math Standards? What are the deficiencies? Do your school board members know? Do your school administrators know?
They should. Not only should they know, they should be making sure parents and school board members are informed.
THEN, they should be making sure these gaps are filled in.

MissingInCCmath-extended-by-standard-content-in-high-achieving

While Governor Hassan Throws Your Kids Under the Bus…..

Teachers and administrators can finally speak their minds, now that the Governor Herbert (Utah) admitted that his own grandchildren and children hate Common Core, and that the Common Core represents a loss of local freedoms. This is great news, even if he’s motivated (at least in part) by the highly successful campaigning of his opponent, Jonathan Johnson, on the ‪#‎StopFedEd‬ and ‪#‎StopStudentDataMining‬ and ‪#‎StopCommonCore‬ issues.

EXCERPT:
After spending the past six years promoting, marketing, and providing workforce alignment strategies to serve Common Core, and after rising to the throne of Common Core’s organization, National Governors Association, to become its chair, and after going out of his way to have the Utah Attorney General provide “proof” that Common Core supposedly represented local control– after all of this, Herbert has now turned his back on the Common Core and has written a letter to the State School Board, asking it to move away from Common Core.
Read more here:
Miracles Do Happen: Governor and Chair of Common Core Organization (NGA: National Governors Association) Rejects Common Core

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’

No…ESSA will NOT remove Common Core

Do not be fooled by the “spin” coming from those who say the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (ESSA) will prevent the Feds from mandating Common Core. Remember, Common Core was never mandated to begin with. Yet it’s in every state in the U.S.

It was implemented through bribery (Race to the Top Grants) and coercion (No Child Left Behind waivers). That’s how the U.S. government works under the Obama administration. Corruption through grants and waivers……

According to Emma Vadehra, Chief of Staff, US Dept of Education, this bill will embed “college and career ready standards” or as we know, Common Core©. They do not expect any states to get away from the standards. It also solidifies the Department’s plans for full preK expansion. It was also stated that the preK grants were significant in moving the ball and that states are on the hook financially as well. The DoE is giddy with excitement at the impending passage of ESSA.

Gun Control and Common Core

As we predicted, Common Core Standards would be used to turn students into political activists. Gone are the days of educating students in the core academic subjects and allowing them to think for themselves. Common Core is more about pushing kids to become political activist at the expense of literacy.

We know that many high school grads are NOT reading the U.S. Constitution or other important founding documents.

In states like New Hampshire, our Social Studies “Standards” were rated at an “F” level. In other words, our kids are not learning the core academics in important subjects like Civics and U.S. History.

Now, the Common Core Standards will ignore the problems of illiteracy in these subjects and exacerbate the problem. How? By requiring students who may not have a solid academic foundation, to lobby their elected officials AND debate political issues.

http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2013/05/guncontrol_guide_final2.pdf

Look at what kids in 1954 on an 8th grade civics test had to know and ask yourself, are our children learning this important information first? Are the schools equipping students with knowledge so at some point, they can debate important political issues? Or are they denying them core academic content and allowing students to be used as political activists, not based on facts and information but on emotions and feelings?

Whatever your position is on gun control, let’s make sure our schools are first educating our kids and giving them a foundation of knowledge. Then they can form their own opinions. Or is that what they are trying to stop?

Gov. Hassan or Gov. Kasich: What’s the Difference?

This was just reported in by a parent in NH:

Gov. John Kasich was in Derry today and was questioned by a home-school mom on Common Core. Gov. Kasich then defended Common Core in Ohio by saying it’s all about local control. He said that the state set the standards and the curriculum was set by local districts.

It is just amazing how these politicians will SPIN (ok let’s face it) LIE about this issue.

Gov. Kasich is a HUGE SUPPORTER of Common Core and we know it. He has fully implemented the federal reforms in the state of Ohio.

This is what Governor Hassan tells parents too. We have local control with Common Core. Does anyone even believe this lie anymore?

This is outrageous and it’s important to NOT be fooled. If you want more proof, visit the Stop Common Core in Ohio face book page and ask those parents directly how much local control they have in their school districts. Here is another one from Ohio you can look at.

Here is the web site: Ohioans Against Common Core
Gov. Kasich needs to admit this HUGE mistake he made instead of rehashing the same talking points as our failed governor.

Which Republican Campaigns are off to a BAD start in New Hampshire?

Did some of the Republican presidential candidates just make a colossal error? Possibly, although this could actually be a calculated move.

A summit on education was announced this week with a few of the Republican presidential candidates participating. The summit will be moderated by Campbell Brown and include discussions on America’s education system. Unfortunately they skipped right over the grassroots activists IN NEW HAMPSHIRE who’ve been working on this issue for the past five years.

There is now a huge network of activists, parents and teachers across New Hampshire who are actively engaged in issues like Common Core, school choice, charter schools, etc. It would be easy for a national organization to collaborate with local leaders and activists. Unfortunately none of our local activists were contacted.

Some of the more prominent conservative and liberty organizations working on issues in education are well known throughout New Hampshire. Organizations like New Hampshire Families for Education, School Choice for New Hampshire, and Cornerstone Action have active leaders and were not contacted nor invited to help organize this event.

These organizations have worked with national organizations in the past in order to bring New Hampshire voters information on issues in education. Their goal has been to make sure the discussion is focused on engaging parents who have been negatively impacted by the federal reforms in education.

They’ve gained the trust and respect from parents across New Hampshire and have fought for parental rights, supporting local control in education, better academic standards, school choice, etc.

Can you imagine if these candidates were to come and discuss the importance of supporting the 2nd amendment and ignore all of the New Hampshire pro-second amendment organizations? One would have to wonder, why the snub?

Could it be that the moderator of this event, Campbell Brown, is an avid supporter of Common Core?

Campbell Brown is featured in this article by one of the nationally known activists, Mercedes Schneider. Schneider explains how Brown wants to explain to all of us what Common Core is all about. As if those of us who’ve actually had to deal with it in our schools remain uninformed. But isn’t that how our own Commissioner of Education and Chairman of the Board of Education have treated parents in the past?

We don’t know how great Common Core really is even though we are the ones directly impacted by the confusing math, flawed testing and data collection.

Don’t you just love how the elites who want to tell us how great Common Core is while their precious angels never have to deal with it in their private elite schools? Schneider provides a long list of elitists who force Common Core on our schools but wouldn’t touch it for their own kids. Campbell Brown is included in that list along with President Obama.

It looks like the BIGGEST Common Core supporters running for president will be at this summit, Governors Jeb Bush and John Kasich. Governors Bobby Jindal, Chris Christie and Scott Walker have Common Core baggage that cause many of us to question their capacity to make good decisions in education if they were to become president. Carly Fiorina would be wise to skip this summit,contact local grassroots organizations and start talking to the parents who want to be heard instead of TOLD that the garbage they are seeing is really good for their children.

Senator Rand Paul came to New Hampshire several months ago and met with the parents and teachers fighting Common Core in New Hampshire. Senator Rick Santorum has an education summit scheduled tomorrow in Manchester to do the same thing. Candidates like Senators Cruz and Rubio have said they’d be willing to work with New Hampshire activists and parents to engage in the same kind of discussion. In other words, they want to meet directly with the people who’ve been impacted by the federal reforms coming from D.C. into their child’s classroom.

Did the campaigns involved in this upcoming summit make a mistake by leaving out the grassroots organizations? We wondered about that, however it seems that if you want to control the message and make sure the tough questions are kept out of the discussion, what better way than to keep those closest to the problem away from the discussion.

We are a network of parents and teachers across New Hampshire fighting for a quality education for our children and local control in education. We expect parents who have to deal with these federal reforms to be the focus of any discussion on education. That’s been the priority from our New Hampshire activists. To exclude them from any discussion on education gives us a negative impression before it even begins.

Time for a Good Old Fashioned Boycott New Hampshire!

BIA has been an ACTIVE and VOCAL supporter of Common Core in NH. They’ve actively lobbied AGAINST PARENTAL RIGHTS.

The BIA is the Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber has received LARGE $$ donations from the Gates Foundation who is the $$ behind Common Core.

Below is a list of individuals serving on the Board at the BIA.
Feel free to distribute this information.

What can you do?
Contact these companies and tell them you do NOT want the BIA supporting dumbed down standards in OUR public schools. Tell them that we will actively BOYCOTT their company/products and expose their anti-public school /parental rights agenda.

Board of Directors
Officers

Sharron McCarthy, Chair
President/Publisher, McLean Communications

Val Zanchuk, Chair-elect
President, Graphicast

Donald Welch, Past Chair
President, Globe Manufacturing Co. LLC

Karl Heafield, Treasurer
Principal and Past Managing Partner, Baker Newman Noyes

Scott Ellison, Secretary
Partner, Cook Little Rosenblatt and Manson

Jim Roche, President, Business and Industry Association of NH
Directors

Donald Baldini, AVP and Senior Legislative Counsel
Liberty Mutual Group

Todd Black, SVP External Affairs and Customer Relations
Unitil

Kevin Callahan, President and CEO
Exeter Health Resources Inc.

Joseph Carelli, President NH/VT
Citizens Bank

Cheryl Coletti, VP Business Development
Boston Asset Management

Richard Couch, Chairman of the Board
Hypertherm Inc.

Tim Dining, President
Sealite USA LLC

Linda Fanaras, President
Millennium Integrated Marketing

Suzanne Foster, Vice President and General Manager
Medtronic Advanced Energy

Katherine Garfield, President
Robert R. Keller Companies

Bryan Granger, SVP, Compliance and Administration
C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc.

Lisa Guertin, President and General Manager
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in NH

Pamela Hall, President
Normandeau Associates

Randall Labnon, General Manager
Town and Country Inn and Resort

Todd Leach, Chancellor
University System of New Hampshire

Stephen LeBlanc, Executive Vice President
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health

Paul Markwardt, VP/Deputy General Manager
BAE Systems

John Morison, Chairman
Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc.

Joseph Murray, Vice President of Public Affairs
Fidelity Investments

John Olson, President
Whelen Engineering Inc.

Bill Quinlan, President and COO
Eversource

Teresa Rosenberger, President
Devine Strategies

Timothy Sink, President
Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce

Thomas Sullivan, VP of Newport Operations
Sturm, Ruger and Company Inc.

Ray Tice, Chief Financial Officer
Lindt and Sprüngli

Alexander Walker, SVP for Operations & Strategic Development
Catholic Medical Center

Steven Webb, Market President NH
TD Bank

David Worthen, President
Worthen Industries

Stop Common Core NH

Save Our Public Schools