The following was shared recently by a Florida teacher (published with permission): “After 22 years, I don’t know if I have it in me anymore. I am a teacher. I will always be a teacher. I love teaching, but this isn’t teaching. Everything I am required to do is about preparing my students for “the … More Teaching in a high stakes accountability system
During the 2016 session, the Florida legislature passed a bill known as HB 7069. A combination of many other proposed legislative actions regarding education, the bill was one of the most highly contested in recent years. It barely passed the senate, and thousands of Florida citizens, including Superintendents and School Boards, petitioned Governor Scott to veto the … More Urge your district to fight to save public education
We refuse the state mandated tests because we CARE about learning, not about a test score. We refuse the state mandated tests to protect our kids from testing abuse and from being used by the state as tools by which they evaluate teachers and schools. We honor our children’s teachers. We fight to restore … More Thank you, teachers
Everyone wants public schools to be held accountable, right? After all, if tax dollars are spent on a public program or service, there should be a reasonable expectation that the outcomes will be positive, so that public funding isn’t wasted. That was the goal of Florida legislators when the statewide education accountability system was created. … More Want less tests? Change the Accountability System.
On February 7, 2017, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education. The confirmation was one of the most contested appointments in recent history, having passed by a tie vote in the Senate with the Vice President stepping in to break the tie. Many factors make DeVos unqualified for the role, not the least … More Betsy DeVos: the Silver Lining
The misuse of high stakes standardized tests in our nation’s public schools has changed the way our children are educated, the way schools and teachers are measured, and even public perception of our schools. We have become obsessed with a focus on what is easily measured at the expense of everything else. The emotional toll it’s taking … More Take Back Florida Schools
The following post is shared, with permission, from Meredith Jewell – a former public high school math teacher in Florida who is now teaching in the Philippines. Meredith is a staunch supporter of public education who hopes her story might bring to light the notion that Florida does not have to use tests in the way … More Testing in Florida: View from a former teacher
It goes without saying that most, if not all, parents want to know how their children are performing in school. Teachers want to know as well, as do school officials, district leaders and of course our state government (or so we thought). We all want to know, but the question is how. Having been used … More Report Cards are Meaningless? What?
We need every single person speaking up on behalf of children. If you are happy with the status quo, there is no need to read this. If you are not, this is an important read. Education reform is having a detrimental effect on classrooms across our state and across the nation. Teachers no longer feel they have … More There is no next time. It’s now or never.
Because of the high stakes placed on tests by the state, teachers are forced to focus on test preparation at the expense of real learning. Some third graders who do need extra help are not receiving the assistance they need due to the obsessive test prep and stealing of instruction time. Children complain of test anxiety … More Lawsuit: 3rd Grade Parents v. Florida Dept. of Ed.
