Category Archives: June Atkinson

NC Board Of Ed Plans To Stick With #APUSH

Posted on August 29, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Right, Left and Center, the Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) rewrite has come under fire. To be blunt, this rewrite is disastrous. It’s so bad, the authors of the APUSH framework have had to write a letter explaining themselves. We have one of the authors right here in NC, Ted Dickson of Providence Day School. Read the letter they wrote, then read the take down of it by Larry Krieger, a History expert with over 35 years of experience. Krieger also earned his degrees in North Carolina — B.A. and M.A.T. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and M.A. from Wake Forest University.

The framework authors aside, we have our own disaster to deal with in North Carolina. Bill Cobey, the Chairman of the NC State Board of Education, says no one has asked for APUSH be dropped (emphasis mine):

Board Chairman Bill Cobey said no one has suggested that the state kill the course.

Teachers are forwarding an email chain with advice to contact State Board of Education members. Cobey said he’s gotten some, and wants to assure the public the course will continue. – News and Observer

In one line, Cobey says no one is suggesting they kill the course. In the next one, he acknowledges he has received emails to KEEP it. Chairman Cobey is either having his cake and eating it too or pulling a Captain Literal on the reporter for the News and Observer hoping they won’t follow up. Don’t worry Bill, they won’t.

Chairman Cobey must be ignoring the resolution from New Hanover County Schools, which asks for at least a delay for APUSH and which was sent TO the State Board of Education: Continue reading →

Posted in EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC Board Of Education, NC DPI | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Iredell Touts Improved Test Scores With “Lowered Bar”

Posted on August 29, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

You can’t make this stuff up. The headline at Statesville.com reads, “Iredell test scores improve with lowered achievement bar”.
Excerpt:
The positive numbers, though, are partly the result of a strategic decision the State Board of Education made in March to add an extra achievement level to EOG and EOC tests. For about two decades in North Carolina, students were given either a score of 1,2,3 or 4, with 3s and 4s considered passing. But in response to larger-than-expected numbers of third-graders being likely to need summer school for lack of reading on grade level per the state’s new Read to Achieve law, the State Board voted 8-4 in March to add a fifth level, and now scores of 3,4 and 5 are considered passing. Under the new system, level 3 students have “sufficient command” of the material, but level 4 and 5 students are “career and college ready.”

Well… DUH.
Of course if you lower the bar for scores it is going to look like there was improved inigoachievement. This is smoke and mirrors, folks.

KEEP READING…. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC DPI | Comments Off on Iredell Touts Improved Test Scores With “Lowered Bar”

CCSSO President Dances Around NC Superintendent Reelection Question

Posted on August 23, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

More speculation on whether CCSSO President Elect Atkinson will be running for NC Superintendent again. Host Tom Campbell falls all over himself to set her up positively in his interviews with her. Campbell mentions Cash Michael’s dropped the bomb in a past episode that Atkinson wasn’t running again.

During the brief interview segment, Atkinson says she has learned to “live with the turbulence” so our CC June False Witnesskids can have a great education.

Well, much of the recent turbulence has been self-inflicted — Oops, there I go again, bearing “false witness”.

KEEP READING Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, EDUCATION, June Atkinson, Video | Tagged | Comments Off on CCSSO President Dances Around NC Superintendent Reelection Question

CCSSO President Elect Atkinson Tips Her Common Core Hand?

Posted on August 20, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

NC State Superintendent and CCSSO President Elect, June Atkinson, went on local politicalAtkinsonPresElect show NC SPIN to talk about “the move away” from Common Core. In the interview, the same talking points are recycled yet again. It was far easier to do with a host practically feeding her lines — It was almost embarrassing to watch.

Narratives of the interview:

Disruption and constant change
Money we’ve already spent/cost (see my note below the full video clip)
Hey, haven’t we heard these same narratives recently? Yep.

Atkinson’s remarks about “faith” in the State Board of Education take on new meaning — Did Dr. Atkinson just tip her hand? It looks like it, read more…. Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, June Atkinson, Video | Tagged , | 1 Comment

NC Should Follow Iowa’s Lead And Withdraw From SBAC

Posted on August 14, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Iowa has declared it will be withdrawing from the Common Core assessment group, Smarter Balanced. North Carolina has repealed Common Core from the state statutes and should also withdraw.

So should NC, @DrJuneAtkinson @PatMcCroryNC => Iowa exits Common Core SBAC http://t.co/YhLpNEvuln #stopcommoncore #sbac #nced

— LL1885 – A.P. Dillon (@LadyLiberty1885) August 13, 2014

There is no reason whatsoever for NC to continue in this consortium:

Then we should withdraw. RT @DrJuneAtkinson: @Nancyccta We aren’t using Smarter Balanced to test in NC. Read SBE minutes of 12/13.

— LL1885 – A.P. Dillon (@LadyLiberty1885) July 26, 2014

The cost of SBAC tests is heavy. North Carolina was spending $10 per student but using SBAC and optional assessments would jack the cost to approximately $27.31 — nearly triple the cost :

“The SBAC predicts a per pupil cost of $19.81 for summative assessments, plus $7.50 for optional benchmark assessments.”
Source -NCICL.org

Related:

North Carolina Must Withdraw from SBAC Part 1
North Carolina Must Withdraw from SBAC Part 2 Continue reading →

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Ask Dr. Atkinson: Why Has NC Not Withdrawn From The SBAC?

Posted on July 26, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

North Carolina has repealed Common Core from it’s state statutes.
A replacement commission is about to be named and get to work.

Here’s the next question that the Legislature will have to address:
Why is NC still a member of the Common Core tied Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)?

Ask State Superintendent and CCSSO President Elect, Dr. Atkinson, why.
Here’s the responses one citizen received (below). Ask the question. See what kind of answer you get. Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, June Atkinson | Tagged | Comments Off on Ask Dr. Atkinson: Why Has NC Not Withdrawn From The SBAC?