DONNA GARNER EXPLAINS KISD'S LACK OF PREPARATION FOR STAAR TESTS:

The problem is NOT with the Type #1 TEKS nor with the Type #1 STAAR/End-of-Course tests.  The problem is with the lack of transition by Katy ISD and districts all over this state. They CHOSE to purchase with their SB 6 funds the Type #2 curriculum and Type #2 teacher in-service training such as [but not limited to or including all of the following  MM]: 

CSCOPE, Common Core, Guided Reading by Fountas & Pinnell, balanced literacy, Lead4Ward/Gayla Wiggins/Ervin Knezek, Ted Sizer’s Coalition of Essential Schools, Howard Gardner, Atlas Learning Communities, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe, National Equity Project, ASCD, materials and/or training by Lucy Calkins/Linda Darling-Hammond/Deborah Meier/Bill Ayers/Robert Marzano/James Barufaldi/Bill Spady/Willard Daggett/Gary Keep/Doug Reeves/Phil Schlechty Center, curriculum materials published by Heinemann,  Learning List, TASA iTunes, TASA/TASB teacher training materials, etc.

This Type #2 curriculum and the associated Type #2 teacher in-service are not preparing students to meet the requirements of the TEKS.  The TEKS themselves grow in depth and complexity from one year to the next; and in time after districts systematically bridge the gaps created by the “new” TEKS, students will begin to grow academically and show their prowess on the STAAR/EOC’s. More importantly, students will have a strong foundation of basic skills upon which they can do higher-level thinking. Without that strong foundation, students are bereft of any chance to become well-educated citizens and well-informed voters. 

Districts have had since 2008 (when the new ELAR/TEKS were adopted) to start plugging those gaps with a systematic transitional plan; but instead, they chose Type #2 curriculum/teacher training while putting immense pressure on the Texas Legislature to do away with the STAAR/EOC’s.  After all, without those “blamed tests,” parents would not know that their children have not learned the skills at each grade level that will help them to graduate with a strong foundation of basic-and-advanced knowledge and skills.  Without those “blamed tests,” parents will not know whether or not their children are prepared for college and/or the workplace.  Without those “blamed tests,” parents will not know whether or not their local school district is using their taxpayers’ dollars wisely to educate the local students.  Do away with the tests, and the objective means of measuring academic achievement by schools and their students would be gone.   

Unfortunately, we are seeing that the plan to put the legislature under great pressure by TASA/TASB, Texas Parent PAC, and TAMSA to dump the “measuring stick” at each grade level/course seems to be working.  In the last legislative session, the EOC’s were dropped from 15 to 5; and in this present legislative session, a move is on to reduce the STAAR’s even further in K-8 as well as the STAAR/EOC’s in high school.

Parents are right to be concerned about this dumbing down of our Texas public schools. Our Texas school children deserve better from KISD administrators and from other administrators and educators who work at the pleasure of those taxpayers who pay their salaries.

Type #1 vs. Type #2 Chart:  http://www.educationviews.org/comparison-types-education-type-1-traditional-vs-type-2-cscope-common-core/

Donna Garner

Retired Texas Classroom Teacher

Wgarner1@hot.rr.com