Community Forum

Concerns with Common Core

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Education in New York’s public schools has changed in recent years with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the property tax cap in 2012. Educators, board members and parents have voiced their disdain with each, but with the first round of state assessments this week, their message has grown louder.

With the new Common Core standards put into place last year came new assessments for students in third- through eighth-grades in English language arts and math. Last year, about 30 percent of students tested passed the exams statewide, causing more people in the education community to call the tests unfair. Also, challengers say, teachers now spend more time “teaching to the tests” and have less time to work on a full curriculum.

At a forum last week in Valley Stream, a panel of speakers talked to residents about their issues with the Common Core and the standardized tests that accompany it. About 60 people attended the forum at Valley Stream American Legion Post 854.

Dr. Arnold Dodge, chairperson of the department of Educational Leadership and Administration at LIU Post, has been an educator for 45 years. “I have never seen so much intrusion as I have here in these last few years,” he said of the education system.

According to Dodge, the educational polices that were enacted were crafted by politicians who don’t know about education and the tests were developed by companies.

Marla Kilfoyle, a teacher, parent advocate and general manager of the Badass Teachers Association, said that although teachers review the assessments, it’s not the same as teachers creating the questions themselves. “How many of you would allow your child to fly a plane that was built by a plumber?” she rhetorically asked.

She said there is now less time for a well-rounded curriculum, which is a detriment to students. “What we’re now beginning to see in our schools is test prep, test prep, test prep,” Kilfolye said. “If we don’t kill the switch on this, education is going to become test prep.”

In an open letter to state superintendents last month, New York State Education Commissioner Dr. John King Jr. said the assessments are “simply a tool to tell us where we are and help us get better.”

“It is our hope that as you, your principals and teachers get more comfortable with the new state assessments,” King wrote, “you will reduce local standardized testing or test prep programs and dedicate as much learning time as possible to providing a well-rounded curriculum that meets our highest expectations of a great education.”

Jeanette Deutermann, a parent and founder of the Long Island Opt-Out Info Facebook page, which has more than 15,000 members, has been outspoken against the assessment system. “We want our children to be appropriately challenged,” she said, “not needlessly frustrated.”

Since many parents across the state feel like the assessments do not appropriately challenge students — and for a host of other reasons including data privacy and its impact on teachers — those children “opted out” of this week’s tests.

During a question and answer portion of the forum, parents asked logistical questions for opting their children out and shared similar concerns about the assessments.

One man was worried that having young children skip the tests might have the unintended consequence of getting them in the habit of not preparing for tests. Dodge advised parents who opted their kids out to make the experience “teachable” and tell them why they’re not taking the test.

The results of the assessments are tied to teachers and principals’ Annual Professional Performance Review, which is how they’re evaluated. Although she does not enjoy teaching to the test, Kilfoyle said she has no choice. “If you’re going to make the test an indicator of whether or not I have a job next year, that’s what I’m going to do,” she said. “That’s not good education.”

Tara Casucci, a Valley Stream parent, said it’s important for adults to be informed about their children’s education, which is why she thought the forum was beneficial.

There were several board members and teachers from the Valley Stream school districts also in attendance.

The math portion of the state assessments will be administered April 30 through May 2.