As testing season begins in New York, it’s another round of the opt-out wars—well war might be an exaggeration, given that the-opt out percentage is relatively low—let’s say the opt-out melees. While pundits and shills (myself included) spout slogans and dominate the airwaves, there is a better and deeper conversation taking place between parents. This…
opt out
How We Effed up the Common Core
Flying from California to New York and stopping in the middle, I moved from relative balmy and calm debates over the common core to fierce storms. In CA, implementation was delayed, and relatively smooth, with minimal pushback and very few opt outs from testing. In other places it is very different with an astounding 20%…
Understanding the “Pain” Behind the “Gain” in the Common Core
As a supporter of the intent behind the Common Core standards, teaching and testing for deeper meanings, and more complex understanding, it has been painful to watch its implementation. In New York, a rushed implementation without sufficient resources led to confused teachers and families, plummeting test scores, and a real and substantial backlash. And as…