Info Archive

  • Our friend, Marion Brady, put together a comprehensive list of what is wrong with high-stakes standardized tests.  Feel free to copy and pass around to parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens. PROBLEMS: HIGH-STAKES STANDARDIZED TESTS A partial list of problems with standardized, machine-scored tests, problems which should be addressed before such tests are used to determine student life chances, establish teacher pay and reputation, trigger school closings, affect real estate values, and undermine confidence in public schooling to pave the way to privatization. Commercially produced, standardized, machine-scored tests: 1. Can measure only “lower level” thought processes, trivializing learning 2. Provide minimal to no useful feedback to classroom teachers 3. Are keyed to a deeply flawed curriculum adopted in 1893 4. Lead to neglect of physical conditioning, music, art, and other, non-verbal ways of learning 5. Unfairly advantage those who can...

    PROBLEMS: HIGH-STAKES STANDARDIZED TESTS

    Posted on December 19, 2012 | No Comments
    Our friend, Marion Brady, put together a comprehensive list of what is wrong with high-stakes standardized tests.  Feel free to copy and pass around to parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens. PROBLEMS: HIGH-STAKES STANDARDIZED TESTS A partial list of problems with standardized, machine-scored tests, problems which should be addressed before such tests are used to determine student life chances, establish teacher pay and reputation, trigger school closings, affect real estate values, and undermine confidence in public schooling to pave the way to privatization. Commercially produced, standardized, machine-scored tests: 1. Can measure only “lower level” thought processes, trivializing learning 2. Provide minimal to no useful feedback to classroom teachers 3. Are keyed to a deeply flawed curriculum adopted in 1893 4. Lead to neglect of physical conditioning, music, art, and other, non-verbal ways of learning 5. Unfairly advantage those who can...

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  • I know that no one on the Kennewick School Board or at the upper levels of administration gives a darn about research on what works (or what doesn’t) but here are recent findings on 8th grade algebra for all: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2012/12/algebra_for_all_yields_failure.html

    8th Grade Algebra for All Leads to failure for many

    Posted on December 2, 2012 | No Comments
    I know that no one on the Kennewick School Board or at the upper levels of administration gives a darn about research on what works (or what doesn’t) but here are recent findings on 8th grade algebra for all: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2012/12/algebra_for_all_yields_failure.html

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  • A Facebook friend who is a college professor and father of school-age kids in Pennsylvania recently posted this message he delivered to his local school board.  It is so well done I thought it needs to be shared with others.  So with Tim Slekar’s approval: Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of Education under President George H. W. Bush and prolific educational researcher asks these questions: Can a mathematical formula sum up a school or a teacher? Can a letter grade give an accurate portrait of a school? Last year I appeared before this board and asked what all of you planned to do when the state forces teachers and principals to be evaluated with our childrens’ test scores. I pointed out that using high stakes test scores (derived from NCLB tests) to evaluate teachers and principals is wrong-not because of...

    A Message to Local School Boards Across America

    Posted on December 2, 2012 | No Comments
    A Facebook friend who is a college professor and father of school-age kids in Pennsylvania recently posted this message he delivered to his local school board.  It is so well done I thought it needs to be shared with others.  So with Tim Slekar’s approval: Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of Education under President George H. W. Bush and prolific educational researcher asks these questions: Can a mathematical formula sum up a school or a teacher? Can a letter grade give an accurate portrait of a school? Last year I appeared before this board and asked what all of you planned to do when the state forces teachers and principals to be evaluated with our childrens’ test scores. I pointed out that using high stakes test scores (derived from NCLB tests) to evaluate teachers and principals is wrong-not because of...

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  • John Kuhn is superintendent of a small school district in Texas. But his voice is mighty and powerful. Those who have heard him wish he were Commissioner of Education for the state of Texas or in another position where everyone would learn from his wisdom. Kuhn was the first person to be named to the honor roll for his eloquence and courage in support of public education. The Dallas Morning News Published: November 2, 2012  John Kuhn, superintendent of the Perrin-Whitt school district in Jack County, northwest of Fort Worth, is active speaking out and writing critically about public-education reformers. He’s gained some fame for his oft-quoted “Alamo letter” from 2011, in which he vowed never to surrender the fight for his students. Now that more than 850 Texas school boards have signed on to a resolution against over-reliance on high-stakes testing,...

    A Superintendent Speaks Out About Standardized Testing

    Posted on November 29, 2012 | No Comments
    John Kuhn is superintendent of a small school district in Texas. But his voice is mighty and powerful. Those who have heard him wish he were Commissioner of Education for the state of Texas or in another position where everyone would learn from his wisdom. Kuhn was the first person to be named to the honor roll for his eloquence and courage in support of public education. The Dallas Morning News Published: November 2, 2012  John Kuhn, superintendent of the Perrin-Whitt school district in Jack County, northwest of Fort Worth, is active speaking out and writing critically about public-education reformers. He’s gained some fame for his oft-quoted “Alamo letter” from 2011, in which he vowed never to surrender the fight for his students. Now that more than 850 Texas school boards have signed on to a resolution against over-reliance on high-stakes testing,...

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  • Delta High School principal Deidre Holmberg has secured a $50,000 award from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation for the school’s educational approach and methods. It’s the first year the foundation is giving out the Creative Leadership Awards, which acknowledge future-focused thinking and adept work by individuals and community organizations, according to a news release. Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/11/02/2156798/paul-allen-group-gives-50000-to.html

    Paul Allen group gives $50,000 to Delta High

    Posted on November 2, 2012 | No Comments
    Delta High School principal Deidre Holmberg has secured a $50,000 award from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation for the school’s educational approach and methods. It’s the first year the foundation is giving out the Creative Leadership Awards, which acknowledge future-focused thinking and adept work by individuals and community organizations, according to a news release. Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/11/02/2156798/paul-allen-group-gives-50000-to.html

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  • I was out of town in June and July so did not see this when it was published.  This board action is significant so I am reporting it now. The Kennewick School Board will increase funding for programs preparing students for kindergarten, though the district will have to dip into savings to do it. Board members Ron Mabry and Ben Messinger voted Wednesday night to provide more than $244,000 to the Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia for the READY! for Kindergarten program, a roughly $50,000 increase over how much was provided the previous year. “I’m normally a miser but these are really good programs,” Messinger said. Board member Brian Brooks opposed the decision. Board members Dawn Adams and Heather Kintzley were absent.

    Kennewick School Board increases funding for pre-kindergarten program

    Posted on October 16, 2012 | 1 Comment
    I was out of town in June and July so did not see this when it was published.  This board action is significant so I am reporting it now. The Kennewick School Board will increase funding for programs preparing students for kindergarten, though the district will have to dip into savings to do it. Board members Ron Mabry and Ben Messinger voted Wednesday night to provide more than $244,000 to the Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia for the READY! for Kindergarten program, a roughly $50,000 increase over how much was provided the previous year. “I’m normally a miser but these are really good programs,” Messinger said. Board member Brian Brooks opposed the decision. Board members Dawn Adams and Heather Kintzley were absent.

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  • 3 Kennewick School Board members fined Three Kennewick School Board members will each have to pay a $100 fine to the state for violating state campaign finance laws during their elections last year. Brian Brooks, Ron Mabry and Ben Messigner were penalized by the state’s Public Disclosure Commission following hearings last week, according to commission documents. Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/10/10/2130379/3-kennewick-school-board-members.html

    Tri-City Herald Reports Kennewick Board Members’ Fines

    Posted on October 11, 2012 | No Comments
    3 Kennewick School Board members fined Three Kennewick School Board members will each have to pay a $100 fine to the state for violating state campaign finance laws during their elections last year. Brian Brooks, Ron Mabry and Ben Messigner were penalized by the state’s Public Disclosure Commission following hearings last week, according to commission documents. Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/10/10/2130379/3-kennewick-school-board-members.html

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  • Details from the PDC record are posted at the bottom of this article. Following Tuesday’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) hearings in Olympia, Kennewick School Board members Brian Brooks, Ron Mabry and Ben Messinger were fined for violating PDC rules during their 2011 election campaigns. Each candidate had selected the Mini Reporting option for financing his campaign which limits total contributions and expenditures to $5000. with a maximum contribution from any individual of $500. Local businessman, Ty Haberling initially contributed $250.  to each candidate then later paid $2817. postage for mailing three political advertisements featuring the three candidates.  Proportionally dividing the postage among the candidates resulted in an additional individual contribution of $939. which exceeded the limit by $689.

    Kennewick Board Members Brooks, Mabry and Messinger Fined for Campaign Law Violations

    Posted on October 4, 2012 | 1 Comment
    Details from the PDC record are posted at the bottom of this article. Following Tuesday’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) hearings in Olympia, Kennewick School Board members Brian Brooks, Ron Mabry and Ben Messinger were fined for violating PDC rules during their 2011 election campaigns. Each candidate had selected the Mini Reporting option for financing his campaign which limits total contributions and expenditures to $5000. with a maximum contribution from any individual of $500. Local businessman, Ty Haberling initially contributed $250.  to each candidate then later paid $2817. postage for mailing three political advertisements featuring the three candidates.  Proportionally dividing the postage among the candidates resulted in an additional individual contribution of $939. which exceeded the limit by $689.

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