Category Archives: NC DPI

DPI Saves Jobs At The Cost Of Supporting Kids – #NCed #NCGA

Posted on January 13, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

In case you missed it, Dr. Atkinson quietly dropped a bombshell at the last State Board of Education meeting.

KEEP READING… Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC Board Of Education, NC DPI, NCGA | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

We Track Teacher Turnover, Perhaps We Should Track DPI Turnover Too. – #NCed

Posted on November 24, 2015 by A.P. Dillon

Administrative bloat in K-12 systems across the nation has been incredible. Federal grants have created positions within K-12 systems that have often resulted in staff being shifted or absorbed by various departments of public education in the states.

This staffing bloat then becomes a burden on state education budgets. Such is the case with North Carolina. Continue reading →

Posted in EDUCATION, NC DPI | Tagged , | 2 Comments

As NC Common Core Commission Wraps Up, DPI Starts 5 YR Annual Review

Posted on November 23, 2015 by A.P. Dillon

The NC Common Core commission (known as the ASRC) tasked with reviewing Common Core and making recommendations for removal of the standards is coming to a close, DPI has announced it has begun it’s 5 year annual review of the NC standard course of study.

Common Core fighters, get ready. The fix is in. Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Standards Review Commission, Common Core, NC Board Of Education, NC DPI | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

With Common Core Under Review, Why is DPI Entering into an ELA Contract with Wisconsin?

Posted on November 13, 2015 by A.P. Dillon

Via the NC Board of Education website, the latest batch of contracts has one regarding ELA testing for ELLS. (ELLS means English Language Learners; i.e. children whose primary language is not English.)

Under purpose, here is the first item:

Develop an alignment study between North Carolina’s state academic standards and the World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards

North Carolina has a commission still in progress who is reviewing the Common Core ELA standards currently in use.

Why would DPI be engaging in a contract such as this with Common Core still under review? Moving the goal posts at the end of the game?

KEEP READING… Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, EDUCATION, NC Board Of Education, NC DPI | Tagged , | 1 Comment

A Scary Story Just In Time For Halloween: NC NAEP Scores Drop In All But One Category – #nced #ncdpi

Posted on October 31, 2015 by A.P. Dillon

Just in time for Halloween, parents get a scary story. The NAEP scores are in and, nationally, the scores declined.

For the first time since the early 1990’s math scores of 4th and 8th graders dropped. Looking specifically at 8th grade, the numbers took a significant drop in the category of ‘at or above proficiency’. Those scores went from 35% in 2013 to 33% in 2015.

The reading wasn’t any better. 8th graders went from 36% in 2013 to 34% in 2015.

So what’s different? What went on during these years?

The majority of states implemented Common Core. Supporters told us the standards would ‘move the needle’ on achievement. Common Core moved the needle alright — in the wrong direction.

KEEP READING…. Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC Board Of Education, NC DPI | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Teacher Turnover For the Math Challenged

Posted on October 15, 2015 by A.P. Dillon

Folks seem to be doing a lot of Common Core math on Twitter lately. Even when one corrects that math, the fact remains that teachers leaving the state are a fraction of the turnover report and an even smaller fraction of … Continue reading →

Posted in EDUCATION, NC DPI | Tagged , | 5 Comments