Dear OTA members,
Do you wonder how this period of time will be described in history books? This is something I contemplate often.
This is a time of great struggle for public education. It is a time when local authority over educational policy is being replaced by corporations, like Pearson, who have decided that reform must be done through a barrage of high stakes standardized tests. These tests are based upon curriculum that has been deemed best for the nation. Think about that....a national curriculum imposed by a government (corporations) who seem to be more interested in "winning" the Race to the Top than in excellence and equity. Our nation's unbridled enthusiasm for rigor, accountability, standardization, and competition has never been more dangerous to the underlying values of public education.
The fiscal challenges being walloped at school districts continue with the increased demands of Race to the Top. Costly mandates have been imposed on NY State's school districts while resources continue to diminish. We were being held prisoners by Governor Cuomo's threat to withhold state aid if we didn't submit our APPR plan~ although state aid proved to be far less than needed to meet the fiscal demands of this mandate.
......And how about the children? We have been informed by Commissioner King that there will be at least a 30% decline in the test scores because NY State chose to assess children on a set of standards that has yet to be fully aligned with our classroom curriculum. How are the kids going to feel when they are deemed a "1" or "2" on these unfair tests? Let's not even get into the teacher's accountability based upon these unfair assessments!
So I ask you, colleagues, friends, community members, parents and educators~please plan to attend the Rally for Public Education on Saturday, June 8th in Albany. We must show up and have our collective voices be heard! Bring your friends, neighbors, and children. Please take a moment to watch Dick Iannuzzi's impassioned speech about why we need to show up on June 8th (http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/ra_18895.htm). In Washington last week, Iannuzzi quoted Ghandi - "The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the voice of conscience."
It is truly important that we, as a union and as concerned citizens, take an active role in the future of public education. I will let you know the details as they unfold, but mark your calendars.
Thank you all for all you do for our children!
~ Hilary