Common Core Standards--The Long And Short Of It For Parents And Teachers--Help Is On The Way --But It Needs You To Call Congress To Defund Common Core and RTT

Hear interviews pivotal in getting the fire burning in the battle against the national take-over of education.  Home Schoolers and Private Schoolers--BE Warned--it will affect all.

Here's an excerpt from an e-mail from very concerned parent:

Private and homeschool students may not get accepted into college or be allowed to take the classes in college that they choose because of Common Core Standards.

According to the discussion draft "Common Core State Standards and Teacher Preparation: The Role of Higher Education" (1st 2 pages attached in pdf file) by the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative:

"higher education (colleges and universities) will need to consider how to use the assessments developed to measure high school students' master of those content domains in college admissions and placement.  ... universities in the states that have committed to one of the two consortia developing assessments (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers [PARCC] and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) have made a commitment to include assessment results in making placement decisions."

Universities and colleges in most of the 50 states “have made a commitment to include assessment results in making placement decisions.”  In other words, if a university in a Common Core State receiving Federal funds has to make a choice between a public school student who completed a high school under Common Core and a private or homeschool student who did not, guess who is not getting admitted into that college.  If a child is private schooled or homeschooled, they would not have taken the assessments developed for Common Core Standards curriculum that public school students will be taking.  Or will parents who do not public school their children be forced to submit their children to these assessments?  I’ve also attached one of the source documents for the discussion above, “Implementing the Common Core Standards:  An Agenda for Higher Education”, as it talks about this issue and the assessments in more detail.

Audio Link for 10-26-11 with Pastor Cary Gordon of Iowa and Betty Peters:

Hear an interview with one of the leaders that helped oust three of Iowas Supreme Court Justices in last years election. Hear perspectives with Pastor Cary Gordon of Iowa. It is a time for those who love children to learn what is at stake and what they can do. Common core standards also known as national standards are being implemented and those in Obamas Dept of Ed thinks they know better than all parents as to whats best for the children. The recent news of the outrage of NYC parents over the sex-ed (which includes teaching about beastiality) ought to shock parents into reality. Plans are underway not to control just healthcare but also the mind of your child. And the enemy loves lack of knowledge because as the Bible tells us---it detroys. Please share todays show and pray and contact your Congress to Defund Common Core and Race To The Top. It may not pass the Senate but passing it in the House will make this most important foundation making or breaking topic known to hopefully majority of children loving people of America. And who knows-- as with God all things are possible!

Audio Link for 10-27-11 with Finn Laursen of CEAI:

Hear an interview witih Finn Laursen who serves as Executive Director of Christian Educators Association International. CEAI (www.ceai.org) is a professional association for Christian Educators in both the public and private schools. Hear us look at what will happen to those in the teaching profession with the (national standards) common core standards coming out of Washington.  Many are already looking to get out of this field and what will that mean for our children?

Audio Link for 10-19-11 with Eunie Smith of Eagle Forum and Sen Scott Beason

Hear interview with perspectives from State Senator Scott Beason and Alabama Eagle Forums Mrs. Eunie Smith. Get informed on how this new idea that is worse than No Child Left Behind will affect states and the nation and most important--parents and families.

Defund Common Core and the NCLB Waivers--Also HowTo Defend Parental Rights When Even Homeschooling Will Not Be Safe

Plans for national take-over of education is happening due to perfect storms and perfect partnerships--the only thing that can put a kink in their plans is if you the parent finds out and shares the truth(they were hoping you'd sleep through this storm).  Go to this website and see the complete picture and share with your legislators--after all, they are supposed to listen to "We the people", right?  It takes a lot of e-mails and calls so make yours.
http://truthinamericaneducation.com/category/race-to-the-top/

Players:  Here's a link to find out who some of them are (try not to get sick as you read through the article and the education trips) .  It takes a lot to pull the wool over our eyes when it comes to our kids and under the guise of improving our childrens education--who can resist?  Certainly most states in these economic times can't resist when the Obama administration is having competition for millions of dollars.  And now the offerings of No Child Left Behind Waivers to lure desperate states?

When free trips overlap with commercial purposes--"The commissioners stay in expensive hotels, like the Mandarin Oriental in Singapore. They spend several days meeting with educators in these places. They also meet with top executives from the commercial side of Pearson, which is one of the biggest education companies in the world, selling standardized tests,..."

Why Common Core and RTT must be defunded:
No. 1 Reason--Unconstitutional---Parental Input through local school boards will be a thing of the past.
No 2. Reason--Abe Lincoln's warning--"The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next."  
Here is where logic plays a part--warning from Mrs. Donna Garner
Fact:  We know that the Obama administration is pushing the social justice agenda.
Fact: We know that Kevin Jennings( now stayed in the Obama administration long enough to make sure the social justice agenda (particularly homosexuality) was put into the USDOE’s 10-page manual.
Fact:  Once the CCS get implemented in English and Math, all of  the other school subjects will follow (including Science, Social Studies, and Health).
Fact:  Teachers will be forced to teach whatever is in the CCS curriculum and assessments because of the national teacher evaluation system tracked by the national database.
Conclusion:  CCS will contain the social justice agenda, and teachers will be forced to teach it.  
Because I have tracked the development of the Common Core Standards since before Obama even took office, I have an extensive file. What I have seen is that the Obama administration tells the locals “not to worry” and then proceeds right on down the path it has set for itself.
I, for one, object very strongly to the social justice agenda that will be forced upon our public school students when those decisions should be left up to our elected state and local officials to make. 

(Kevin Jennings has moved on now to promote "Be The Change"--but the groundwork has been laid.)
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/issues/kevin_jennings/leaving_DOE/new_job.html

For complete look at where agenda trail leads--read Mrs. Donna Garner's complete study:

And if you are still in doubt read this from the Washington Post:
ICYMI: A federal takeover of education
WASHINGTON, D.C. | October 3, 2011 -By George Will
Obama Gives States a Voice In ‘No Child’
— New York Times, Sept. 24
Many Americans, having grown accustomed to Caesarism, probably see magnanimity in that front-page headline. Others, however, read it as redundant evidence of how distorted American governance has become. A president "gives" states a "voice" in education policy concerning kindergarten through 12th grade? How did this quintessential state and local responsibility become tethered to presidential discretion? Here is how federal power expands, even in the guise of decentralization--read rest.

A few in Washington are starting to speak up and the National Federation of Republican Women have passed a Resolution to Defeat National Standards--hope you will also by calling your Congress (make sure to contact the leadership too--202 224 3121).

Common Core Standards And Defunding--The New Rally Cry For America's Future Generations

Why is the administration wanting states to file a waiver to NCLB?  Because there will be their kind of strings attached.  
Read this link http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/education/163927-incentives-should-not-be-used-to-advance-national-curriculum
Come on parents get wind of what they're really trying to do while you can still do something about it.  "By their fruits you shall know them." Matthew 7:16

Obama’s pick for Education secretary Arne Duncan, was head of Chicago Public Schools. He  pushed for Chicago to start their first gay high school. Not kidding...
The Chicago Public Schools' first high school designed for gay, lesbian and transgender teens was recommended to the school board by CPS Chief Arne Duncan...
"If you look at national studies, you see gay and lesbian students with high dropout rates...Studies show they are disproportionately homeless," Duncan said. "I think there is a niche there we need to fill."
...Opponents have called the move a misuse of public funds--but he's used to taking advantage of public funds:
-----------------------Obama's Sec. of  Ed Arne Duncan's speech at  2009 Governors Education Symposium  June 14, 2009 Cary, North Carolina
He states the following:
Perfect Storm for Reform
• Obama effect
• Leadership on the Hill and the Unions
• Proven strategies for success
• The Recovery Act -- $100B
 "But if all we do is save jobs, we will miss this opportunity – which is why we are also using this recovery money to drive reform"..."There has never been this much money on the table and there may never be again"
Indeeed!!!

***************Department of Education (DOE) got $4.35 billion to be used at its discretion – essentially an earmark – and used  it to fund the Race to the Top competition in which part of application was requirement to agree to common core (national) standards.  And in a cash strapped economy most states gave away their control for the money bait and most parents never knew.
------------------------The Plan For Parental Input Through Local School Boards?  Abolish
Mr. Lou Gerstner's suggestions:
Wall Street Journal article Nov 23, 2008-- See Mr. Lou Gerstner suggestion to the president elect Obama:
..."I’m going to suggest is that he convene the 50 governors, and the first thing they do is they abolish the 16,000 school districts we have in the United States. Sixteen thousand school districts are what we’re trying to cram this reform through...
These organizations stand in the way of what we want to do.
Now, the governors could decide, we’ll keep them as advisory, we can keep them as community support, but they will not be involved in the fundamental direction of public education in America.
...They will within one year develop a national set of standards for math, science, reading and social studies. Twelve months after that they will develop a national testing regime, so that there’ll be one day in America where every third, sixth, ninth and twelfth grader will take a national test against a national curriculum."
----------------------------So They Steer Slowly But Surely
Bait and Switch on Common Standards?
By Rick Hess on February 19, 2010 7:05 AM
We've been told time and again that the current common standards push is guided by the mantra "fewer, clearer, and higher" standards...
So, imagine my surprise when I read this interview with Secretary Duncan's anti-bullying chief Kevin Jennings in the February Phi Delta Kappan magazine.
Jennings, who directs the Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, first tells PDK editor Joan Richardson that no student should worry about "find[ing] something written on your locker or if you're going to be called names in the hallway...Then we also need to make sure that all kids feel like they belong." Fair enough. Jennings elaborates, "Just as we have standards around academic goals, we need standards around school climate...And we need a data system so parents know what kind of environment a kid will encounter in a school." Well, okay.
And then it gets weird. Phi Delta Kappan asks, "So, you want to include this in the Common Core standards?"
Jennings says, "Yes. If we don't get this one right, the other ones don't matter. Right now, they're really focused on the academic standards. This one is much newer. We have to build understanding of the concept first." He went on: "We're not first up to bat, and I'm not troubled by that. The Common Core movement is right to start on the things where there's already widespread agreement. We're way down the road."
Seriously? A high-ranking administration official is telling us that the common standards being financed by $350 million in Race to the Top funds "start" with academics but will eventually encompass "school climate" standards too? Jennings raises further red flags when he concedes that we have not determined "the definition of school climate," though he says it "does not include air conditioning" but does include kids feeling "emotionally safe." Maybe it's my cynical streak, but that sounds like a summons to social agendas, culture clashes, and political fisticuffs. In other words, the stuff that sinks standards.
Mr. Jennings' remarks raise concerns about the old bait-and-switch. If he is speaking for Secretary Duncan and the President, they seem to have been less than truthful so far when discussing their vision for common standards.

---------------------------Enter Making A Tool Out of Title IX
“Bullying -- an Agenda”

by Donna Garner

10.26.10  Excerpts:
For some time, many of us have been warning America about Kevin Jennings who was Obama and Arne Duncan’s choice at the U. S. Department of Education for the position of Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
Jennings is the founder of Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and was the director until 2008.  GLSEN is the organization that was responsible for transporting public school students during the school day (March 25, 2000) to a conference where they were taught about “fisting.”  (To find out what this disgusting term means, please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisting .)  GLSEN is also the organization behind the Day of Silence in the public schools.  
Kevin Jennings promotes homosexuality in K-12 and is doing so under the guise of the “bullying” curriculum that is permeating our public schools.  
The Obama administration is deliberately taking the Title IX federal law and distorting the verbiage to include gender identity.
Title IX does not include gender identity; it says that harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, or disability violates the federal civil rights laws.  The Obama administration, however, has taken it upon themselves to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender under the word “sex.”
Now the Obama administration is threatening public school educators with the USDOE’s misinterpretation of the Title IX law and making educators fear prosecution unless they promote the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) lifestyle as normal.
Yes, all students should be taught to treat others with dignity; and bullying is a terrible problem.  But forcing students to accept a perverse lifestyle that leads students into sexually transmitted diseases and early death is not something that schools should be advocating.   
Tolerance is a good thing to teach students, but educators should not be intimidated into forcing students to accept perversity.
From 2005-2008…Most (74%) diagnoses of HIV infection in adults and adolescents were in males. Among males diagnosed with HIV infection from 2005-2008, 70% were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact. The percentage of diagnosed HIV infections attributed to male-to-male sexual contact was even larger (85%) among males aged 13 to 24 years.  http://www.educationnews.org/breaking_news/health/101841.html )
Can America afford to deny the facts on the numbers killed by this lifestyle that is being promoted?
----------------Extending the greatest level of protection to who?
Two bills that seeks to promote and protect this lifestyle:
Two bills in Congress, however, seek to provide greater protection for LGBT students, beyond bullying that is based on sexual harassment or gender stereotyping. The Student Nondiscrimination Act (SNDA) would prohibit discrimination—including harassment—on the basis of real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in any program receiving federal funds. The Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) would require schools receiving federal funds to implement and report on LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying programs. Versions of both bills are still pending in House and Senate committees.
Federal departments and their employees are prohibited by law from lobbying Congress about specific legislation, but Ali said Monday that the Department supports the goals of both bills. She said that, as the Department works to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the major act guiding educational policy, “we will certainly use all of the policy tools within our disposal to try and prevent this kind of harassment from occurring.”
Jennings said the new guidance was the first step to letting people know that, “in this administration, we plan to apply the letter of the law to the fullest extent of the law in order to extend the greatest level of protections humanly possible to LGBT students.”
------------------School Boards Group Questions U.S. Guidance on Bullying--Changing the Wording of The Standard
By Mark Walsh on December 15, 2010 10:02 AM
In the October guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, Ali said certain peer harassment in schools based on sex-role stereotyping or religious differences may amount to violations of existing federal civil rights laws. (Education Week had this story.)
Negron said the OCR letter "significantly expands" the standard of liability for schools over peer harassment beyond the standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1999 case, Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education. In that case, the court said schools could only be held liable for peer sexual harassment when they had "actual knowledge" of the harassment, and the activity was so "severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive" that it effectively barred the victim's access to an educational program or benefit.
By contrast, the OCR letter, Negron asserts, potentially would hold a school district liable for harassment about which "it knows or should have known," and covers harassment that is "severe, pervasive, or persistent" and that merely "interferes" with or limits participation in an educational program. Each prong of OCR's guidance softens the Davis standard, Negron said.
Negron raises several other concerns about the OCR letter. The letter states that school districts are required to eliminate harassment and the hostile environment it creates, and to prevent it from recurring. But the Supreme Court's Davis decision explicitly rejected the idea that schools must "remedy" peer harassment, Negron said.
Negron also says the OCR letter only "minimally" recognizes the First Amendment free speech rights of students and fails to recognize the constitutional limitations on school districts' ability to discipline students for protected speech.
Hence they get the results they want :
--------------Fort Worth school district expands anti-bullying policy to protect 'gender identity and expression'
Posted Wednesday, Jun. 29, 2011
By Eva-Marie Ayala
eayala@star-telegram.com
FORT WORTH -- The Fort Worth school district has expanded its anti-bullying policy to protect students who express themselves -- including their sexuality -- in nontraditional ways, a move that gay-rights advocates say is positive and progressive.
The amended anti-harassment policy now includes "gender identity and expression" protection for students and was approved without discussion by trustees Tuesday. The school district is believed to be the first in the state to adopt such a policy.
Published : Wednesday, 21 Sep 2011, 4:48 PM CD
Lari Barager
FOX 4 News
Adapted for Web by Tracy DeLatte | myFOXdfw.com
FORT WORTH, Texas
Fourteen-year-old Dakota Ary spent most of the day Tuesday serving an in-school suspension. It was punishment for discussion in his German class at Fort Worth’s Western Hills High School.
“We were talking about religions in Germany. I said, ‘I’m a Christian. I think being a homosexual is wrong,’” he said. “It wasn’t directed to anyone except my friend who was sitting behind me. I guess [the teacher] heard me. He started yelling. He told me he was going to write me an infraction and send me to the office.”
“At first I was in disbelief. My son is on the honor roll with great grades. I don’t have any problems out of him,” Holly Pope said...“He was stating an opinion. He has a right to do that. They punished him for it,” she said.
Attorney Matt Krause joined Ary and his mom at a Wednesday morning meeting with the principal. They asked for the blemish to be taken off his record and reassurance there would be no retaliation.
“Students don’t lose their first amendment rights just because they go in the schoolhouse door,” Krause said.  

Kevin Jennings has said he looks forward to the day when “promoting homosexuality” in schools will be seen in a positive light --his dream is being realized through public education--but wake up parents--the ugly reality is this lifestyle kills.  
No one should be bullied and indeed there are states that have done a good job at dealing with this across the board without raising one group over all--please call Congress and stop the insanity--our children are  helpless--you have to stand in the gap.  
Call your Congress and tell them to Defund Common Core Standards which is being used as part of the requirement to get a waiver out of No Child Left Behind.  Get your legislator to vote to Defund in the House and get the nation's eyes on this as not enough parents know the plans the administration has for their children and if the people calls-the Senators who want to win in the next election may consider the cost.
Wake up America lack of knowledge and apathy on common core standards is dangerous for your family!
Visit http://truthinamericaneducation.com/

http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm
People living with HIV/AIDS in 2009     33.3 million     31.4-35.3 million
Adults living with HIV/AIDS in 2009     30.8 million     29.2-32.6 million
Women living with HIV/AIDS in 2009     15.9 million     14.8-17.2 million
Children living with HIV/AIDS in 2009     2.5 million     1.6-3.4 million
People newly infected with HIV in 2009     2.6 million     2.3-2.8 million
Adults newly infected with HIV in 2009     2.2 million     2.0-2.4 million
AIDS deaths in 2009     1.8 million     1.6-2.1 million
Orphans (0-17) due to AIDS in 2009     16.6 million     14.4-18.8 million
The cumulative estimated number of deaths of persons with an AIDS diagnosis in the United States and dependent areas, through 2008, was 617,025. In the 50 states and the District of Columbia, this included 589,547 adults and adolescents, and 4,949 children under age 13 years at death.http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm#ddaids

Common Core States Standards--Rep John Kline Weighs Reins In Dept of Ed Arne Duncan-over reach--He is not the Nation's Superintendent

Rep John Kline, chairman of the House education committee on Thursday challenged plans by the education secretary to override provisions of the No Child Left Behind Law.

Responding to Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s promise to grant states waivers if Congress failed to rewrite it, Representative John Kline of Minnesota, sent Mr. Duncan a letter on Thursday with a demand of an explanation by July 1 the legal authority that he believed he had to issue the waivers.

Mr. Kline went further in a conference call with reporters, criticizing the administration’s use of the $5 billion Race to the Top grant competition to get states to adopt its reform agenda.

“He’s not the nation’s superintendent,” Mr. Kline said of Mr. Duncan, who increased his reach when in 2009, Congress gave $100 billion in economic stimulus money for Education for Mr. Duncan to use at his discretion.

Rep Kline said--“Unquestionably, Congress gave the secretary way too much authority in the stimulus bill when it said, ‘Here’s $5 billion, go do good things for education,’ ”

Indeed, this should be a wake up call to all the states to start looking at the truth--common core states standards was a well thought of plan to use federal money to nationalize education and it certainly was not to raise the nation's standards as facts speak loud and clear even the best standards in California's math and Massachusetts ELA are now dumbed down thanks to blind leading the blind syndrome.  Thank God for Rep John Kline, Texas Gov Rick Perry, Donna Garner, Peyton Wolcott and others who are trying to shine the light.  In today's economic suicide that this Administration have us heading for--it is time to put the brakes and isn't it ironic--it must start in the Dept of Education!

Read article

Visit and find the truth in

http://truthinamericaneducation.com/

Action Steps To Defend Against National Take-over of Education

ACTION STEPS: Please ask your Congressional House members to defund Common Core Standards and Race to the Top -- $900 Million in FY 2012.  The House has the authority to do this because they are the branch of government that appropriates funds.

Obama plans for these $900 Million CCS/RTTT federal dollars to go directly to local school districts.  Because superintendents are so desperate to obtain funding, they most assuredly would grab their share of the $900 Million without counting the real cost -- (1) the loss of any local control whatsoever over the day-to-day curriculum and (2) the sure-and-certain indoctrination of every public school child into the Obama administration’s social justice agenda.

 

“Do Not ‘Read Their Lips’ -- National Curriculum Is Upon Us”

by Donna Garner

5.26.11

As you read yesterday’s Education Week article posted further on down the page, please bear this in mind:  Whatever the Obama administration says with their lips is the exact opposite from what they are actually doing. 

Therefore, when Sect. of Education Arne Duncan said at yesterday’s NCEE meeting, "We have not and will not prescribe a national curriculum…it would be against the law to prescribe national curriculum,” we know that that is exactly what the Obama administration is doing.  In fact they are.  Common Core Standards and Race to the Top are nothing but a national curriculum which is absolutely against the law.

For more information, please go to my 5.16.11 article entitled “Rising Chorus of Voices Against Federal Takeover of U. S. Public Schools” --

http://www.educationnews.org/commentaries/insights_on_education/156088.html

Donna Garner

Wgarner1@hot.rr.com

================================

5.4.11 -- EducationWeek

“Arne Duncan: We Will Not Prescribe a National Curriculum
By Catherine Gewertz on May 24, 2011 1:57 PM  

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2011/05/arne_duncan_on_national_curric.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

We've been telling you a good deal lately about the arguments over the role of the federal government in promoting common standards and in funding the development of curriculum and assessments for those standards. (If you've been napping, see here for a refresher.)

Until now, we've had only occasional words on this from federal officials (see U.S. Ed Department spokesman Peter Cunningham's comments last week). Most of the volleying on the federalism issue has come from advocates and policy wonks. Today, however, we've got weigh-ins from Rep. John Kline, the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and from Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Kline's comments came during an appearance today on Bill Bennett's radio show, as my colleague Alyson Klein reports over at Politics K-12. During the 13-minute interview, the Minnesota Republican said he thought the federal government was using its Race to the Top program to "push" a "national curriculum." (RTT, you remember, gave states points for adopting the common standards and is also providing funding for state consortia to develop tests and curriculum materials for those standards.)

"My concern is if you look at what the administration is doing with Race to the Top and so forth, on the one hand they will say they want this bottom up, and yet it's all stick and carrot with Race to the Top," Kline said.

"You do what the secretary thinks is a good thing to do and you get rewarded, and if you don't, you get punished. ... That's the line we're talking about, where you get the federal government starting to push a national curriculum, or insisting on one, and as you know, that's been against the law, and I think correctly so. We don't want the secretary of education to decide what the curriculum is in every school in America..."

Duncan weighed in on the topic this morning as well. At a forum hosted by the National Center on Education and the Economy, Duncan was discussing lessons that can be learned from higher-performing countries, and he mentioned national standards and curriculum. But he said: "We have not and will not prescribe a national curriculum. I want to repeat that." This remark prompted laughter from the audience, my colleague Stephen Sawchuk, who attended the forum, reports. Duncan also said it would be against the law to prescribe national curriculum. (A webcast of the symposium is here.)

How, might you ask, could this debate affect the holding-together of the common-core movement? Good question. Worth watching.

Here's a Way Congress Can Save Money and Improve Education

“Congressmen: A Great Place To Cut Funding -- National Assessments”

by Donna Garner

4.9.11

Almost daily I continue to submit my requests to Congress, asking them to cut the federal funding of Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and the national assessments.  

Besides the obvious -- that CCS/RTTT is a federal takeover of the public schools and lies way outside the provisions of the U. S. Constitution -- American taxpayers simply cannot afford it. 

Besides the cost of states’ dumping their own textbooks, standards, and tests in order to implement the Common Core Standards, the cost of the national assessments alone would be horrendous!

An education technology expert whose name I shall keep confidential explained to me how expensive the national assessments would actually be, and the costs would fall squarely on the shoulders of local taxpayers.

To take the national assessments, every student in a school (K-12) would be required to have his own individual technology device because the multi-media, interactive assessments are to be given online; and students would continually be taking formative assessments (a.k.a., periodic, benchmarked) throughout the entire school year.

The USAC Universal Service Fund, which is presently tacked onto the price of all of our cell phones and home phone bills, already supplies Internet Access (IA) at a reduced fee for every public school and library in the country.

The USAC spends $2.5 Billion each year just on telecom, IA, and building infrastructure to these schools and libraries. Therefore, the costs are very substantial already. 

Recently the federal government put $10 Million into a pilot project to give Internet Access (IA) to individual school students.  The federal funding for this pilot project, which provides only the IA, was eaten up almost instantly by just a few school districts. 

For us to understand the scope of the problem, we must realize that states such as Texas have 1,237 separate public school districts and charters, 8,435 campuses, and over 4.8 million students.  California has 1050 districts.  The nation has over 35,000 districts.  

Unfortunately, there is not a cost-effective way to deliver IA to every public school student without their also paying a $30 a month IA fee along with the cost of the technology device.  In fact, the cost of the device itself is becoming incidental to the monthly fees over which AT&T, Verizon, and other companies are salivating.

This is similar to companies giving a free cell phone to a customer if he signs up for the two-year plan; the companies know the monthly fees will more than make up for the cost of the devices themselves. 

As people in the telecommunications industry consider the money to be made under the Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and the national assessments, talks have begun surfacing about building mesh networks around the public schools. This would allow Internet Access (IA) to everyone living around the schools (the outliers), and they could use the same IA that the feds through the USAC fees are currently purchasing at the school sites.   The “gotcha” is that the outliers would be required to pay the monthly technology usage fees. 

A huge fiscal problem is that building out these mesh networks around all the public schools in America would cost billions, and the USAC fees would not pay for this part.  

It is easy to see why AT&T, Verizon, Microsoft, Cisco, and Dell are all planning on benefitting from the implementation of the Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and the national assessments. [From the very first moment that Obama came into the White House, Bill Gates has been using his moneybags to promote CCS/RTTT.)  

As usual, it would be the taxpayers who would have to foot the bill for these national assessments and the technology infrastructure required.  

ACTION STEP:

Please contact your Congressmen and ask them to cut immediately the funding for the Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and the national assessments.

Donna Garner

Wgarner1@hot.rr.com

=======================================

As a follow-up to this Education Week Teacher article (posted below), please read my March 18, 2011, article entitled “Taxpayers, Grab Your Wallets.” 

http://www.navigator-news.com/component/content/article/3-local/251-taxpayers-grab-your-wallets

======================================

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/04/high_tech_testing_on_the_way_a.html

High Tech Testing on the Way: a 21st Century Boondoggle?

Excerpts from this article:

by Stephen Krashen and Susan Ohanian

When the plans to create Common Core Standards were announced, Secretary Duncan told us that it would be accompanied by assessments to enforce the standards. We were also told that developing standards would be relatively inexpensive, but developing assessments, by contrast, will be a "very heavy lift financially" (USA Today, June 14, 2009).

It is gradually becoming clear that the lift will be extremely heavy. The new tests will be computer-based, administered online, and "will make widespread use of smart technology. They will provide students with realistic, complex performance tasks, immediate feedback, computer adaptive testing, and incorporate accommodations for a range of students" (Duncan, 2010). Duncan noted that "with the benefit of technology, assessment questions can incorporate audio and video. Problems can be situated in real-world environments, where students perform tasks or include multi-stage scenarios and extended essays."

An example:
The National Education Technology Plan 2010 (U.S. Department of Education; Office of Educational Technology) describes one kind of testing that is being developed, testing that takes place "in the course of learning" (xvii) and that tries to find out what students are thinking while doing projects:

As students work, the system can capture their inputs and collect evidence of their problem-solving sequences, knowledge, and strategy use, as reflected by the information each student selects or inputs, the number of attempts the student makes, the number of hints and type of feedback given, and the time allocation across parts of the problem.

(pages 29-30: "Assessing during online learning").

Aside from the mind-control aspect of this kind of testing, how much will it cost, in addition to the cost of developing, testing and revising the new tests?

If we are going to have computer-based tests, and if they are to be delivered to students via the internet, the first requirement is that all students need to be connected to the internet. A recent article in the New York Times gives us some idea of what will be involved. The article begins by noting that money is scarce these days:

Despite sharp drops in state aid, New York City's Department of Education plans to increase its technology spending, including $542 million next year alone that will primarily pay for wiring and other behind-the-wall upgrades to city schools ... and $315 million for additional schools by 2014...

(New York Times, "In city schools, tech spending to rise despite cuts," March 30, 2011)

Buried deep the article is a statement by "city officials" that the huge expenditures for technology are primarily to make it possible for students to take computerized national standardized tests.

We can expect this to happen nation-wide. If the New York figure is extrapolated to the entire country, the cost to connect all children to the internet will be at least 50 times the cost of connecting New York City alone, or $25 billion (New York City enrolls one million students, the USA as a whole, over 60 million). This is only to connect students to the internet. The whistles and bells needed to do "computer adaptive testing" with audio and video will cost more.

Technology, of course, continues to develop all the time, and consumers have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to discard the old and embrace the new, even at considerable expense. We can expect that after every student is connected, sooner or later the set-up will become obsolete and need to be replaced, either in part or totally. The schools, we predict, will cheerfully pay up, eager for the "newest" technology, and the computer companies will cheerfully accept their money.

The billions spent so that students can take national tests will have a huge payoff for the entire computer industry in other ways. This was enthusiastically announced by Education Secretary Duncan's Chief of Staff and former CEO of the New Schools Venture Fund, Joanne Weiss. Weiss noted that because all students will have internet access in order to be tested, technology companies can now profit from one giant national market for all their educational products:

The development of common standards and shared assessments radically alters the market for innovation in curriculum development, professional development, and formative assessments. Previously, these markets operated on a state-by-state basis, and often on a district-by-district basis. But the adoption of common standards and shared assessments means that education entrepreneurs will enjoy national markets where the best products can be taken to scale

(Weiss, 2011)…

Of course, the administration has argued that these will be new and better tests, more sensitive to growth in learning, able to chart student progress through the year, and able to probe real learning, not just memorization. Before unleashing these "improved" tests on the country, however, there should be rigorous investigation, rigorous studies to show that these measures are worth the investment. Right now, the corporations and politicians insist that we take on faith the claim that these tests are good for students. Such claims exhibit a profound lack of accountability…

The Department of Education plans to use American students as experimental subjects to try out an extremely expensive, time-consuming and dubious testing program that will engulf classrooms. If it fails, the effect on students will be devastating, with schools robbed of money, and a generation of students poorly educated, teacher professionalism subsumed by data management, and schools robbed of funds for anything but technology repair. But the testing and technology companies will win, profiting regardless of the success or failure of their products and always ready to convince us that the next versions will be better…

Dr. Stephen Krashen is a professor emeritus at the University of Southern California. He has written numerous books on his research into literacy and language acquisition. In recent years he has emerged as a persistent voice pointing towards the basic steps we should take to build literacy and strong academic skills for our students.

Susan Ohanian, a longtime teacher, has written 25 books on education, including When Childhood Collides with NCLB and co-authorship of Why Is Corporate America Bashing Our Public Schools? Since the passage of NCLB, she has run a website of resistance, www.susanohanian.org, which received the NCTE George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public language. She is a fellow at National Education Policy Center and an editor at Substancenews.net…

Donna Garner

Wgarner1@hot.rr.com



Common Core Standards--Is It Bill Gates or Lou Gerstner or Obama's Standards?

Audio link to interviews--with Betty Peters   with Donna Garner--pointing to troubling plans and effect on boys(at bottom half of interview)

Common Core Standards--Who really is behind it?

A.  The Bill Gates Money Jump Start:

The Gates foundation gives nearly four times as much annually to education as the Walton Family Foundation.  Could there be ulterior motives behind such benevolence and such great PR--some wonders about it.  The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation gave 25 states money to help apply for Obama's Race to the Top grants. It also gave 35 million since January 2008 to the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and other organizations developing and promoting the common core standards.   Obama praises the standards movement but cannot fund it directly as it is unconstitutional.  Bill Gates Foundation however has stepped in to fill the gap. (However as in Arne Duncan's speech below they will fund the assessments.*)

An article dated Nov 12, 2008 SEATTLE  cites the foundation’s $500 million investment in experimenting with performance-based teacher pay systems; another $500 million toward creating data systems; advocacy work pushing for national standards; and efforts to create a national test distributed to states and school districts in the country, free of charge for now.  Some are speculating that what he's spent is chump change as his company may eventually reap a lot as government spending on K-12 education is estimated at more than a whopping $500 billion yearly.

Bill Gates, announced his new initiatives to a private meeting of about 100 school officials, union leaders, and policy experts such as: " the presidents of the two major American teachers unions; the current U.S. Education Secretary, Margaret Spellings; at least one former Education Secretary, Dick Riley, who served under President Bill Clinton; and several people named as possible Education Secretary in the Barack Obama administration now being formed."

B.  Enter Achieve:

In April 2009, representatives from 41 states met with CCSSO and National Governors Association representatives in Chicago and agreed to draft a set of common standards for education.

They commissioned Achieve to draft the new "common core" standards by summer '09 and grade-by-grade standards by the end of the year.   Achieve work-groups met in private and the development work was conducted by persons who were not, with apparently only a single exception, K-12 educators. The work groups were staffed almost exclusively by employees of Achieve, testing companies (ACT and the College Board), and pro-accountability groups (e.g., America's Choice, Student Achievement Partners, the Hoover Institute). 

C.  Obama's plan:

Obama's Sec. of  Ed Arne Duncan's speech at  2009 Governors Education Symposium  June 14, 2009 Cary, North Carolina

He states the following:

 Perfect Storm for Reform

• Obama effect
• Leadership on the Hill and the Unions
• Proven strategies for success
• The Recovery Act -- $100B

 "But if all we do is save jobs, we will miss this opportunity – which is why we are also using this recovery money to drive reform"

"There has never been this much money on the table and there may never be again"

"Once new standards are set and adopted you need to create new tests that measure whether students are meeting those standards. Tonight -- I am announcing that the Obama administration will help pay for the costs of developing those tests."*

"Today, perhaps for the first time, we have enough money to really make a difference."

Money indeed-- from the American people to implement the plan.

D.  Mr. Lou Gerstner's suggestions:

Wall Street Journal article Nov 23, 2008-- See Mr. Lou Gerstner suggestion to the president elect Obama:

..."I’m going to suggest is that he convene the 50 governors, and the first thing they do is they abolish the 16,000 school districts we have in the United States. Sixteen thousand school districts are what we’re trying to cram this reform through...

These organizations stand in the way of what we want to do.

Now, the governors could decide, we’ll keep them as advisory, we can keep them as community support, but they will not be involved in the fundamental direction of public education in America. Second, this group of governors will then select 50 school districts, plus I’d say 20 major cities, so we got 70 school districts. Seventy instead of 16,000.

They will within one year develop a national set of standards for math, science, reading and social studies. Twelve months after that they will develop a national testing regime, so that there’ll be one day in America where every third, sixth, ninth and twelfth grader will take a national test against a national curriculum."

And as Chairman of Achieve--his plans are being carried out thanks to Bill Gates money and the administration of O'bama.

So really there are many behind the common core standards including all three named on the title.  They have pooled their resources.  And with the perfect storms in healthcare, jobs etc., which most parents are still trying to figure they can hardly pay attention to the future of America--their children.  And with the flowery words in the presentations of the common core states standards the ugly truth has been beautifully hidden.   America has monied and powerful people that think they know best for your children and you are not a part of the equation (just in the payment).   I hope you will no longer be ignorant to this precious foundation of the future of America--but be wary and share your thoughts with your governors (governors can be the key--hear interview).

E.  Enter Kevin Jennings Dream:

Kevin Jennings, the safe schools czar in the Dept of Ed (that unlike the green czar, Van Jones could not be removed--though some in Congress tried)has plans for our kids.  Dr. Sandra Stotsky, one of the professors in the validation committee, would not affirm these common core standards and one of the reason is there is so much left out of the standards.  

Indeed they have made "room" for affecting thoughts of generations of children.   Kevin Jennings has said he looks forward to the day when “promoting homosexuality” in schools will be seen in a positive light (find out more on plans click here.) 

F.  The Church disconnect of their role in government--remember this nation shed tyranny due to the warnings and help of the church.  Have we failed and are we on the way to living in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah?  Media and schools may both be promoting that to our children.

“Temptations (that is, snares, traps set to entice to sin) are sure to come; but woe to him by or through whom they come! It would be more profitable for him of a millstone were hung around his neck and he were hurled into the sea, than that he should cause to sin or be a snare to one of these little ones.” Luke 17:1&2 Amplified.

Those snares are on the way and it is through the Dept. of Ed.  Our children are no longer safe and most citizens are too tired to do anything.   Would you please be the one to help take a stand and protect them, your right as parents and the future of this nation?  First step is get informed-share it with your church-  click here and maybe a petition.  Listen to interviews and learn more about the common core standards and be sure to PRAY (the founding fathers did and it made all the difference).