NBI #10 at CEA: Withdraw from PARCC

I spoke at the CEA Delegate Assembly twice this weekend. My second time was for NBI #10 Withdraw from PARCC. I was very nervous. The entire delegate assembly protocol is new to me and I jumped in - trying to do my part and become a union member who advocates for children and helps to create change which will allow us to reclaim our public schools and our profession. Here is what I said. Someone came up to me and asked me to write it up and share it so I am doing so. Feel free to use it however it might help you. The best news is this - NBI #10 passed. Here is the final version: CEA shall join in coalition with other organizations demanding the withdrawal of Colorado from the PARCC assessment and placing a moratorium on high stakes standardized tests. 

 Solidarity to all of you.

My comments in favor of NBI #10 Withdraw from PARCC

My name is Peggy Robertson. Aurora/Littleton Uniserve. Speaking as an individual. I am in favor of this NBI. There was a lot of talk here yesterday about teachers being harmed - about students and school communities being harmed. The pain we feel now is nothing compared to the pain headed our way via PARCC. This is why I do what I do at United Opt Out - because I recognize that when the common core tests arrive - public education is a sinking ship.  I give it ten years.

PARCC will put us on the fast track to privatization.  This is not just one more test.  There is no evidence that shows that PARCC, or any standardized test for that matter, increases student achievement. The PARCC is designed to assess standards that were never field tested, are developmentally inappropriate and are funded by the corporations for the corporations.  PARCC will cost our country billions of dollars all funneled to the corporations.

The state budget in Colorado shows 16.8 million for the PARCC - that doesn't include the technology for the online testing. Cherry Creek has already spent 10 million on technology just to be PARCC compliant.  The Lewis Palmer District has already hired 22 people - strictly for tech support related to this testing.

The billions to be made are found in the test, the technology to take the test, the infrastructure for the technology, the updating of the technology, the administration of the tests, the grading of the tests, the cost of lost instructional time and the cost of lost authentic learning. This test is designed to fail students, teachers and school communities. It is designed to confirm the narrative that our schools are failing. It is predicted that Massachusetts is the only state that will do well on the test.

This test will increase test prep, narrowed curriculum and student-technology-time spent solely on preparing to take the test.  It is guaranteed that our neediest children will suffer the most as their schools fail first and are handed over to privatizers. As students fail the PARCC, the floodgates open to a new wave of privatization which will occur at a wicked fast pace.

The harm inflicted on children now will feel like  a walk in the park after PARCC - no pun intended. Charters, vouchers, Teach for America, schools like Carpe Diem (4 teachers, 300 students), brand spankin' new common core curriculum to improve test scores, new common core online learning programs, new test prep - all of these - will rush in to save the day in the name of the almighty dollar.

The PARCC is designed as an anchor to further privatize public education using our children and our school communities to create profit.  Once PARCC is set in place it will be very difficult - if not impossible - to stop the movement to privatize public education, the movement to destroy the teaching profession, destroy school communities, and most devastating - destroy children's lives. Thank you.