SB1620/HB7197: Digital Learning Bill Passes

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Sandra in Brevard






Late Monday, I noticed that the House ditched its version of so-called digital learning and voted on a new bill that matched the Senate version. Last week I read the 50 plus page Senate bill and called my legislator to voice my concerns. The entire Brevard delegation supported the bill. As written, the bill opens the door for outsourcing virtual charters. The requirements for teachers include a type of certification for individuals who may live outside the United States, but no Florida teacher certification requirements are needed. These virtual charters do not require a physical presence in Florida; however, all who offer services must be approved by the Florida Department of Education. This bill is also an unfunded mandate requiring school districts to provide access for those who do not have the proper equipment and Internet access. The bill was introduced by Florida Senator Anitere Flores, who is listed as a member of the digital learning committee on the education foundation established by former Governor Jeb Bush.


On another note, UCF won a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant to develop national standards for blended learning that seems will apply to higher learning. Blended learning means students attend class AND complete some coursework online. This approach has years of supportive research as the most successful application of online learning and so noted on the UCF website. More students successfully finish courses in blended learning than other formats. SB1620/HB7197 does not acknowledge the research and takes a step backward in successful application of virtual capabilities.

This blog marks #50 and coincides with the near end of the Florida legislative session. So-called education reform sped through legislatures nationwide with barely any public discussion and even less media coverage. Non-public entities with no accountability are establishing national policy on national standards, national assessment, and national curriculum. Local control has been vastly diminished. Soon the U.S. Congress will be taking up the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind. Many of the issues connected with education reform will likely re-emerge. Grumpy Educators serves as a resource for Brevard County residents and others who are interested in education reform and may be helpful for those who are interested in the reauthorization when it comes up. Hopefully, the national media will take greater interest in covering these issues when they are debated in Congress.

Education reform is a complex topic and moves faster than a speeding bullet. I have attempted to break it down into small enough chunks so the entire picture could be understood. I hope it has been helpful. Now, as last year, Sandra In Brevard will take a blogging break. However, there are two separate groups who have organized to push back on the efforts to nationalize education that I am following closely.

Best regards to all readers of Grumpy Educators.


Read all of Sandra's Blogs at Grumpy Educators


SandraInBrevard
 

*****Grumpy Note*****

 
I highlighted the part about the blog that mentions outsourcing.. Sandra will have to fill in a blank, but, one Charter School, not in Florida, is already using teachers from Turkey.  In theory, Virtual Charter Schools will be considerably less expensive than conventional Brick and Mortar schools.   A lot less expensive if the teachers live in so called developing nations... Turkey's been a developing nation since the birth of civilization. 
 
If cost alone becomes the primary driver,  Virtual Charter Schools will start to replace conventional public schools.  For the Computer and software industry it creates a huge potential market, China and India will thank us.  Pearson Testing, the folks that haven't been able to deliver FCAT Scores on time for two years straight has been given the green light by the Federal Government to develop the courses the government will accept.  Pearson is based in the UK, the Brits will thank us too..
 
At a time when US Corporations are being demonized for sending jobs to other countries it bothers me to see our government writing laws that encourage the practise.
 
Sandra's done an amazing job here this year.. I don't know of anyone else who would have the patience to read dozens of boring newspaper articles about education every night.  We all know, No One Except Sandra bothers to read the bills in front of either Congress or the State Legislatures.  The elected representatives that pass them don't..
 
I sincerely hope she makes her break from blogging a short one.  I know I'm going to miss the hell out of her research, opinions and insight.  I'm still trying to find something to bribe her with, no luck so far.
.
 

Education Reform: North Carolina Changes Course

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Sandra in Brevard







In the 2004-2005 school year, North Carolina began implementing end-of-course exams. Last year, some were eliminated and more will be eliminated this year. With bi-partisan support, Bill 48 passed the N.C. General Assembly and SB114 passed the Senate. The legislation is now headed to the Governor's desk for signature. This legislation removes all state tests except those required by the federal government and is expected to save nearly $3 million dollars.


According to the Civitis Institute, North Carolina's Conservative Voice, Republicans led the charge to end the tests, due to the complaints by parents and teachers that education had become teaching to the test. Democrats, on the other hand, opposed the measure saying "testing is necessary to identify which schools are failing so resources can be distributed accordingly."

Other reasons drove the decision for change. The validity of end-of-course tests themselves had been called into question and they are standardized rather than norm-referenced. The legislature wants some testing, but believe the "current one is not the right one."

There are concerns that the legislation may conflict with the terms of Race to the Top requirements. N.C. expects to receive $350 million over the next four years. Additional concerns were raised by a Superior Court Judge saying ending these tests would "violate student's rights under the state Constitution." The judge's statement while a bill moved through the legislative process was met with some consternation and questions as to where testing measures are mentioned in the state Constitution.

In the meantime, Florida lunges into the creation and implementation of standardized end-of-course testing, silent on the costs, and ignoring decades of parent and teacher complaints in bi-partisan fashion.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/06/2114865/pay-plan-has-cms-teachers-on-edge.html#ixzz1Fr21xqoi

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reasonselimtests

http://www.carolinajournal.com/jhdailyjournal/display_jhdailyjournal.html?id=7451

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/opinion/our-views/state-moves-end-some-standardized-tests-342279


Missed blogs on educational reform? They are all here.

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Education Reform: A Good Old Fashioned Crisis

Posted For

Sandra in Brevard










Kids don't change



Why can't our Highly Paid Educational Experts figure out
how to Teach Them



National and state policymakers cite U.S. student performance on international exams as the reason for urgent education reform. These results are the indicators that the U.S. will not be able to compete in the global marketplace. And so the reforms begin....again.

In 1983, a report titled "Nation at Risk" described the grave outcomes for the nation if the reported decreased S.A.T. scores at that time, were not taken seriously. In the context of the Cold War, the report found a "rising tide of mediocrity" was sweeping through the public education system.

"If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves."

In 1990, the U.S. Secretary of Energy commissioned the Sandia Laboratories to support the claims in the "Nation at Risk" with real data. The study of declining S.A.T. scores revealed that overall scores had indeed dropped, but the scores of sub-groups had increased, known in statistics as Simpson's Paradox. The fact that more students of all backgrounds were taking the S.A.T. than in previous years is significant in understanding test scores. The government received the report, did not like the analysis, shelved it, and the narrative continued. Others who examined the analysis found the findings relevant, but the media took no interest. What has resulted is a national past time of reform efforts in every single administration since - Democrat and Republican. In 1980, the U.S. spend $16 billion on education to $72 billion in 2007.

In other words, the U.S. has been in a sustained state of an education crisis for 31 years, dominated by an industry of professional education reformers, non-profit educational consultants, publishing corporations, and software developers, standing in line to answer the call of legislators and politicians, who promise to make education their number one priority and fix the broken system.

After 12 years of test-driven schools with questionable outcomes, isn't it long overdue that we hold the Florida legislature accountable? Failing to pass legislation that meets the requirements of Race to the Top funding has funding consequences. The requirement, as I understand it, is that legislation must mandate that teacher evaluations be based to some degree on student achievement data. Current bills are far more complex and attempt to standardize a process statewide. Proponents acknowledge the bills are incomplete and will be fixed over time. There is worry over costs and silence on the math.

Conclusion

We are in a budgetary crisis now, but I do not believe we have been in an education crisis at all. The word has been used effectively to manipulate public opinion for 30 years. After reading commentary and opinions from a variety of viewpoints, I conclude we do have serious problems that require precision akin to a surgical team, whose members are knowledgeable and experienced working with children and adolescents, armed with the relevant data gathered over the years, and unaffiliated to politics, large corporations, and money-pumping non-profits.

Not a dime should be diverted from classrooms and students in order to fund solutions and experiments that fail to identify the problem and fail to identify all the costs.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-04-22-nation-at-risk_N.htm

http://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/the-end-of-the-education-debate

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0422/p13s02-lepr.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gerald-bracey/righting-wrongs_b_75189.html



Missed a blog on education reform efforts in Florida? You can find them all here.


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Education Reform: One More Hour for Low Performing Schools

Posted For

Sandra In Brevard






Earlier this year, Florida Senator David Simmons declared his intention of filing a bill that would extend the day for schools categorized as low performing. According to the Tampa Bay Gradebook, bill details will be revealed this week.

Simmons calculates the cost for such an initiative ranges between $30 and $100 million dollars. "He said he strongly believes the Legislature will be able to find the money."

Some school districts have been supporting extra time in low performing schools. Teachers have a lot to cover and some students seem to benefit from additional time. Unless I am missing something, Simmons should be able to refine the range of costs since the math seems relatively simple: the number of low performing schools x number of teachers and staff x 1 additional hour of operational costs

It is difficult to comment without reading the details; however, this bill is a targeted solution to a defined problem. Adding an hour is not a complex effort requiring enormous effort. Also, this solution means the students needs are front and center. What really matters is not the time itself, but the quality of that hour. I'll keep an eye out for the bill.


http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/content/florida-legislature-consider-longer-school-day-struggling-schools

Missed reading a blog on Florida education reform efforts? You will find them all here.

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