In July of 2013, the Douglas County School Board passed a unanimous resolution against Common Core. Please read to see this resolution.
Douglas County Board of Education passes resolution on Common Core
CASTLE ROCK – Douglas County Board of Education passed a resolution on Tuesday night opposing the Common Core State Standards, more commonly referred to as Common Core, in the specific case of the Douglas County School District.
The Resolution passed unanimously at tonight's monthly board meeting. According to the Resolution, the Douglas County School Board "expressed its opposition to the uniform imposition of Common Core Standards in the specific case of Douglas County, because DCSD's standards are more rigorous, more demanding, more thorough, and reflect higher expectations and aspirations for our students than any national standard now in existence, including the Common Core Standards."
Colorado adopted Common Core's standards on August 2, 2010. The full implementation begins the upcoming school year of 2013-14. The full resolution is as follows:
WHEREAS, Colorado is a local control state, where local school boards are constitutionally granted broad discretion in setting curriculum and standards for their students; and
WHEREAS, Douglas County School District has used that broad local control to pursue world-class education innovations and the most rigorous academic standards anywhere -- innovations and standards that will prepare our students for the demands of the 21st century workplace and global economy, and;
WHEREAS, the Common Core Standards, while reasonable and appropriate for many school districts to emulate, are not reasonable or appropriate in Douglas County because our District’s standards are more rigorous, more thorough, and more directly tailored to the unique needs of our students, as they prepare for positions of leadership in the 21st century workforce and global economy[,] and
WHEREAS, the District’s leadership team has reviewed the Common Core Standards, and determined that they do not meet the expectations this District has for all of our students, and, for more than a year has been working in collaboration with teachers across the District to develop a more rigorous and thorough curriculum, the Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC’s) that will best prepare our students for the college or career of their choice in the 21st century.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Douglas County School District Board of Education hereby expresses its general opposition to a one-size-fits-all application of the Common Core Standards, because local school districts should retain broad latitude in establishing customized, rigorous and high standards and guidelines for the maximum educational attainment of all students in their specific communities. More particularly, the Douglas County School Board expresses its opposition to the uniform imposition of Common Core Standards in the specific case of Douglas County, because the Douglas County School District's standards are more rigorous, more demanding, more thorough, and reflect higher expectations and aspirations for our students than any national standard now in existence, including the Common Core Standards. In Douglas County, our taxpayers, parents, teachers and students expect the very highest and rigorous standards – as embodied in our Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum – that will allow our students to learn today and lead tomorrow. The Douglas County Board of Education is resolved and committed to meet or exceed those expectations, at every turn, for every student, in every school.
July 16, 2013 | By Anonymous | Category: Community Relations
https://www.dcsdk12.org/community-relations/douglas-county-board-education-passes-resolution-common-core
The Resolution passed unanimously at tonight's monthly board meeting. According to the Resolution, the Douglas County School Board "expressed its opposition to the uniform imposition of Common Core Standards in the specific case of Douglas County, because DCSD's standards are more rigorous, more demanding, more thorough, and reflect higher expectations and aspirations for our students than any national standard now in existence, including the Common Core Standards."
Colorado adopted Common Core's standards on August 2, 2010. The full implementation begins the upcoming school year of 2013-14. The full resolution is as follows:
WHEREAS, Colorado is a local control state, where local school boards are constitutionally granted broad discretion in setting curriculum and standards for their students; and
WHEREAS, Douglas County School District has used that broad local control to pursue world-class education innovations and the most rigorous academic standards anywhere -- innovations and standards that will prepare our students for the demands of the 21st century workplace and global economy, and;
WHEREAS, the Common Core Standards, while reasonable and appropriate for many school districts to emulate, are not reasonable or appropriate in Douglas County because our District’s standards are more rigorous, more thorough, and more directly tailored to the unique needs of our students, as they prepare for positions of leadership in the 21st century workforce and global economy[,] and
WHEREAS, the District’s leadership team has reviewed the Common Core Standards, and determined that they do not meet the expectations this District has for all of our students, and, for more than a year has been working in collaboration with teachers across the District to develop a more rigorous and thorough curriculum, the Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC’s) that will best prepare our students for the college or career of their choice in the 21st century.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Douglas County School District Board of Education hereby expresses its general opposition to a one-size-fits-all application of the Common Core Standards, because local school districts should retain broad latitude in establishing customized, rigorous and high standards and guidelines for the maximum educational attainment of all students in their specific communities. More particularly, the Douglas County School Board expresses its opposition to the uniform imposition of Common Core Standards in the specific case of Douglas County, because the Douglas County School District's standards are more rigorous, more demanding, more thorough, and reflect higher expectations and aspirations for our students than any national standard now in existence, including the Common Core Standards. In Douglas County, our taxpayers, parents, teachers and students expect the very highest and rigorous standards – as embodied in our Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum – that will allow our students to learn today and lead tomorrow. The Douglas County Board of Education is resolved and committed to meet or exceed those expectations, at every turn, for every student, in every school.
July 16, 2013 | By Anonymous | Category: Community Relations
https://www.dcsdk12.org/community-relations/douglas-county-board-education-passes-resolution-common-core
Board passes resolution to address “Testing Madness”
In a unanimous vote, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) Board of Education passed a resolution to address “testing madness.”
The DCSD assessment calendar illustrates the urgent need for change. Students at one level or another are taking tests nearly every day of the year, most of which are mandated by state law.
“The over testing of our students has been a hot topic among our parents, teachers, and students,” said DCSD Board of Education President Kevin Larsen. “We are committed to full accountability in measuring student outcomes with quality assessments. Unfortunately, assessments like the new, state mandated PARCC test represent a lower level of skills than what our students require to be leaders in the 21st century.”
According to district officials, a confluence of legislation has created an increase in testing this year. On top of the intensive TCAP schedule and trial testing for the new PARCC tests, school districts across Colorado, including Douglas County, have been forced to add more standardized exams in an effort to meet new mandates.
“The unfortunate result of the complex web of state laws has been over-testing,” continued Larsen. “We are committed to doing what is best for our students and that means finding a solution and some relief from over testing.”
According to the resolution, “the Board of Education is actively advancing legislation which would provide school districts in Colorado an option to be fully accountable for creating quality, local assessments that measure what matters most for our students, and reporting those results to the community. The legislation would also recognize a parent’s right to exempt their students from the statewide standardized tests without risk of a penalty to the student, teacher, school or district.”
Read more:
Board of Education resolution: full text
Douglas schools seek to opt out of federal, state standardized testing
(Your Hub / The Denver Post)
DCSD encourages parents to provide input on 'testing madness'
DCSD addresses testing ‘madness’
January 22, 2014 | By SCPaulsen | Category: Assessment and System Performance, Board of Education
The DCSD assessment calendar illustrates the urgent need for change. Students at one level or another are taking tests nearly every day of the year, most of which are mandated by state law.
“The over testing of our students has been a hot topic among our parents, teachers, and students,” said DCSD Board of Education President Kevin Larsen. “We are committed to full accountability in measuring student outcomes with quality assessments. Unfortunately, assessments like the new, state mandated PARCC test represent a lower level of skills than what our students require to be leaders in the 21st century.”
According to district officials, a confluence of legislation has created an increase in testing this year. On top of the intensive TCAP schedule and trial testing for the new PARCC tests, school districts across Colorado, including Douglas County, have been forced to add more standardized exams in an effort to meet new mandates.
“The unfortunate result of the complex web of state laws has been over-testing,” continued Larsen. “We are committed to doing what is best for our students and that means finding a solution and some relief from over testing.”
According to the resolution, “the Board of Education is actively advancing legislation which would provide school districts in Colorado an option to be fully accountable for creating quality, local assessments that measure what matters most for our students, and reporting those results to the community. The legislation would also recognize a parent’s right to exempt their students from the statewide standardized tests without risk of a penalty to the student, teacher, school or district.”
Read more:
Board of Education resolution: full text
Douglas schools seek to opt out of federal, state standardized testing
(Your Hub / The Denver Post)
DCSD encourages parents to provide input on 'testing madness'
DCSD addresses testing ‘madness’
January 22, 2014 | By SCPaulsen | Category: Assessment and System Performance, Board of Education