CLICK & REGISTER here at Eventbrite!!! Then, SHARE & INVITE other parents!! Continue reading
Category Archives: High stakes testing
Tests that fail our children, eat up our budget, and don’t change teaching and learning practices in the classroom.
Our statement: We support the right to opt out
This statement is in response to news that the School District of Philadelphia may begin disciplinary action toward teachers who had informed parents of their opt out rights around high stakes testing. The District move follows this City Paper article announcing that 17% of students at Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences refused to take … Continue reading
Robin Roberts: High stakes testing is an inhuman and uneducated practice
Today, our partners at the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools helped sponsor a City Council hearing on high stakes testing. A capacity crowd turned out for the hearings, which were co-sponsored by Councilman Mark Squilla and Council Education Committee Chair Jannie Blackwell. Parents United leader Robin Roberts spoke on behalf of parents everywhere in this outstanding … Continue reading
Time, money, learning: The PSSAs strike out every time
“We spend millions of dollars in a broke school district on testing that could and should be prioritized for providing basic safety in our schools, quality personnel and supplies, extracurricular activities, art, music; science kits and lab facilities, and novel cultural projects and programs.” It was an honor to appear on Radio Times and speak … Continue reading
Robin Roberts on testing, killing the joy of learning on Radio Times
We are so proud of Parents United leadership member Robin Roberts, who was a voice of sanity on “Radio Times” yesterday morning. She talked about how tests don’t measure learning, how they stifle creativity, how much time they take up, and how little they do to assist schools that are struggling. Listen to the whole interview here, … Continue reading
Parents are opting out of PSSA tests: Here’s why
Today’s front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer features several Parents United members including our own Robin Roberts on why her children are opting out of the PSSA tests which begin this week. By Roberts’ count, her third grader was going to spend six school days – at least 12 hours – taking state standardized tests beginning this month … Continue reading
Corbett’s PA: Finding more ways to punish kids
On Thursday, the IRRC voted 3-2 to implement mandatory Keystone graduation exams beginning with this year’s ninth grade class. The exams are end of course state-level tests which will determine 1) whether you pass the class; and 2) count toward graduation. A failure to pass the exams could result in our children not receiving their … Continue reading
School Report Cards? Not In Our Name
Like many Philadelphia public school parents, I received an email from the district two weeks ago inviting me to weigh in on a new “school report card.” This report card was billed as a tool to give parents more information to help us make better choices about our schools. However, the school report card is … Continue reading
Why I opted out of the PSSA circus
On December 13, 2012, the School District of Philadelphia recommended 37 schools for closure. There were impassioned pleas and hard-worked proposals. There were well-written reports of community input. There was anger. There were tears. There were rallies, chants and marches. There was organization, mobilization and solidarity. And then the School Reform Commission voted to close … Continue reading
