Category Archives: POLITICS NC

#SB812 And The Common Core Commission’s Task

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

Yesterday, Senator Tillman’s newsletter pressed the Common Core Academic Standards Review Commission (ASRC) on their task of “writing new standards” and not just ‘tweaking’ and/or rehashing them. That’s what Senator Tillman has said for many months now about his bill.

Here’s what SB 812 says about the task of the ASRC, with emphasis added:

SECTION 2.(c) The Commission shall:

(1) Conduct a comprehensive review of all English Language Arts and Mathematics standards that were adopted by the State Board of Education under G.S. 115C‑12(9c) and propose modifications to ensure that those standards meet all of the following criteria:

a. Increase students’ level of academic achievement.

b. Meet and reflect North Carolina’s priorities.

c. Are age‑level and developmentally appropriate.

d. Are understandable to parents and teachers.

e. Are among the highest standards in the nation.

(2) As soon as practicable upon convening, and at any time prior to termination, recommend changes and modifications to these academic standards to the State Board of Education.

(3) Recommend to the State Board of Education assessments aligned to proposed changes and modifications that would also reduce the number of high‑stakes assessments administered to public schools.

(4) Consider the impact on educators, including the need for professional development, when making any of the recommendations required in this section.

The Commission shall assemble content experts to assist it in evaluating the rigor of academic standards. The Commission shall also involve interested stakeholders in this process and otherwise ensure that the process is transparent.

The “writing of new standards” is not among the charges of the ASRC. Making recommendations to the legislature is what they are supposed to do.

Spectators would do well to remember the difference noted above when it comes time for the ASRC to present its findings sometime next year.

KEEP READING… THERE’S MORE… Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Academic Standards Review Commission, Common Core, NCGA | Tagged | 2 Comments

Sen. Tillman Presses Common Core Commission On Their Task

Posted on December 19, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Senator Tillman is pressing the Academic Standards Review Commission (ASRC) on their assigned task, “writing new standards” and not just ‘tweaking’ and renaming them. He also mentions the SBAC, which North Carolina HAS NOT withdrawn from despite the legislature choking off their funding. The SBAC is only one big issue. I would encourage Senator Tillman to get up to speed fast on DPI’s plans to renew our ESEA waiver which has implications for more rounds of Common Core.

See the excerpt from this newsletter below.

KEEP READING…. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, NC DPI, NCGA | Tagged | 4 Comments

NC Governor’s Video Has Your Spit-take Of The Week

Posted on December 12, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Governor McCrory is clearly getting on the campaign horse as evidenced by this touchy-feely video on education. Near the end of the video, McCrory makes the following statement:

“The biggest piece of feedback that I hear from teachers is, ‘they’re not letting us teach anymore. We’re just giving tests.’. We’re gonna.. we’re gonna end this duplication of testing. Which neither helps the students nor allows the teacher to teach.”

Yeah.. right.

The Opt Out or iRefuse movement is starting in North Carolina. To me, this seems like a move to get out in front of the protests and make it look like a parade instead.

Parents, check out the testing calendar for North Carolina.
I live in Wake County, so here is that calendar. Mind you, I’ve already written about the 95 some-odd assessments and tests given to third graders in our county. See the bottom half of this article for more on those 95 assessments.

So, if testing is allegedly going to be whittled down, then why is North Carolina still a member of the Common Core high stakes testing consortium known as the SBAC?

KEEP READING — THERE’S MORE Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, Pat McCrory, Video | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

News and Observer Uses Smear Attempt To Protect #APUSH

Posted on December 4, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Alright, this is going to be a long article. Get your coffee and settle in.

At the News and Observer, the headline reads, “NC education department used Koch-funded group for proposed history lessons”. Take a moment to go read it, but don’t be sipping that coffee when you do. I have to admit, even for News and Observer, this article was a bad joke. I left a comment on the actual article which I am not going to rehash but has important points in it; you can hit that at the bottom of this article.

Narratives are now News….

KEEP READING — There is much, much more. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, EDUCATION, June Atkinson, Media Bias, NC DPI, NCGA | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Is Gov. McCrory Getting Ready for 2016?

Posted on December 4, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Is Governor McCrory getting ready for 2016? Yep.

Question is, 2016 nationally or in North Carolina?
Personally, his Common Core support means no support from me this time.

Email I received is below the fold.

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Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), ELECTIONS, Pat McCrory | Tagged | 2 Comments

NC Senate Bill 880 And The NC Superintendent Position

Posted on November 27, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

In June of 2014, Senator Jerry Tillman filed Senate Bill 880 titled the Education Simplification Amendment. It passed the first reading and was sent to the Education/Higher Education committee. See the bill’s history here.
According to the SB 880’s opening text, the NC Superintendent of schools position would be changed significantly from and elected superintendent to a Governor appointed ‘secretary of education’ through a state Constitutional amendment:

KEEP READING…. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC DPI, NCGA, Pat McCrory | Tagged | 2 Comments