What They’re Saying About Education In NC (8/26/15) – #NCED

Some quick hits on what’s going on in Education in North Carolina

SLOW DOWN
School is starting for many traditional calendar kids this week. PLEASE, slow down! Watch out for stopped buses and for our children crossing the road.

Food for Thought
Find out what the PTA supports and decide if you still want to support them. The National PTA and the NC PTA have consistently supported Common Core.

ACT Scores Flatline
News and Observer has an article on NC’s ACT scores being ‘stagnant’.

I have to laugh at the spin by multiple parties in that article. The ACT CEO’s pearl-clutching statement about a ‘wake up call’ is really over the top.

Here’s a wake-up call: ACT’s CEO has a vested interested in making sure his test is needed, that’s how they make their money.

All Due respect to Ms. Jeter, but her comment that “It does take time to see scores on that kind of test go up,” is a rather funny thing to say when NC has been using Common Core for 3 whole years and is now entering the 4th year. Also – The ACT is now Common Core aligned.

If Common Core was doing what supporters have claimed it does, kids should be hitting it out of the park on the ACT (or any test for that matter), whether it is Common Core aligned or not.

The KEA & K-3 Formative Assessments
For parents with a child entering Kindergarten this year, the most important articles you can read right now are about how to opt your child out of the photo/video data collection that accompanies the KEA (Kindergarten Entry Assessment).

NC Media reporting on ‘open’ teacher positions
Dr. Terry Stoops at the John Locke Foundation puts the NC media’s pearl clutching stories about the number of teacher vacancies this year into perspective: Public school jobs: A five year summary

2015 READY Accountability
This is where DPI releases test scores from last year. For those interested, DPI is doing a webinar on Thursday, August 27th from 10:30 to 11:30.
To register, visit this link.

Another useful information link: NC Public Schools Accountability & Testing

NC Superintendent of Schools
The last thing we need is a legislator (Dem or Rep) at the helm of the Department of Public Instruction.

Yet, according to NC Insider, Rep. Tricia Cotham (D Mecklenburg) is ‘considering running’ and has been getting cozy with current Superintendent June Atkinson. It seems that the ” two had lunch together in Raleigh — celebrating Atkinson’s birthday, according to Cotham — after which Atkinson told a reporter she remained undecided on her plans.”

Sounds like a repeat story from 2011.

Cotham is a big fan of her own opinions and of Common Core.

On more than one occasion, I personally watched her deride opposition (mainly parents) in front of reporters during the General Assembly’s Legislative Research Committee on Common Core.

Cotham seems to be fan of mocking her colleagues on Twitter – in particular, having a laugh at the expense of Sen. Bob Rucho. Classy.

Dr. Rosemary Fernandez Stein, a Burlington Pediatrician, has thrown her hat into the ring. Stein has been concerned with falling test scores, the age and developmental inappropriateness of Common Core. View her campaign website.

Also allegedly in the race is a former principal turned motivational speaker named Henry Pankey.

Speculation is still circulating that Tammy Covil of New Hanover County, who currently is serving on the NC Common Core Academic Standards Review Board, might also run. The rumor mill also pumped out the idea that BEST NC’s Brenda Berg may be interested in a run.

Recent NC Ed Related Articles From LL1885

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What They’re Saying About Ed in NC archive