Schools across Douglas County and along the Front Range are cranking out their upcoming PARCC/CMAS "testing madness" schedules. Parents are doing their research and initiating some great conversations with fellow parents and their educators. Some of these conversations are getting confusing and somewhat frustrating when educators/school leaders are not relaying the correct information to parents and adding to this chaos.
Parents, please do not let the frustration deter you from doing what you feel is in the best interest of your child. You did not do it when they were babies, why do it now? There is a lot of misleading information being put out to parents right now that is very confusing due to the inconsistencies and lack of proper communication between the Colorado Department of Education filtering down through our districts and to our principals. Disappointingly, the charter schools in Douglas County are leading the pack with the fabrications they are sending out to parents regarding a student’s non-participation in state tests and the harm this will bring to their school. Their bully tactics and guilt trips on parents are unnecessary, punitive and threatening.
The Colorado Department of Education recently sent out this letter specifically addressing parent refusals stating that districts will NOT be penalized.
Parents, please do not let the frustration deter you from doing what you feel is in the best interest of your child. You did not do it when they were babies, why do it now? There is a lot of misleading information being put out to parents right now that is very confusing due to the inconsistencies and lack of proper communication between the Colorado Department of Education filtering down through our districts and to our principals. Disappointingly, the charter schools in Douglas County are leading the pack with the fabrications they are sending out to parents regarding a student’s non-participation in state tests and the harm this will bring to their school. Their bully tactics and guilt trips on parents are unnecessary, punitive and threatening.
The Colorado Department of Education recently sent out this letter specifically addressing parent refusals stating that districts will NOT be penalized.
Recent emails to parents, containing statements such as “our school and districts are penalized” and a non-participating student’s score “calculates as an automatic zero” are not just misleading, they are FALSE.
PARENTS: PLEASE do your research and do not succumb to the bully tactics and misinformation that is being thrust upon you simply for exercising your right to refuse.
FACTS:
1) “For calculating performance, non-participant data are not counted as zeroes – they are excluded from the calculation. So the calculations are performed on the basis solely of students that took the test and had valid scores on it.” – Jo O’Brien, Assistant Commissioner of Standards, Colorado Department of Education
2) Per letter executed by Colorado Department of Education’s Commissioner Hammond, “…districts will not be penalized by a lowering of their accreditation rating should their student’s participation rate fall below 95% on the PARCC assessments due to parental refusal of their students to take the PARCC assessment.”
Remember this information from our previous post?
Following a recent “Testing Madness” informational meeting hosted by Parent University of Douglas County School District, one parent posted this on a local SPEAK (Supportive Parents Educators and Kids) forum:
Refuse The Test (Parent): "Debora Scheffel from the 6th congressional district was at Parent University at MRMS to present information about standardized testing. She talked about the state BOE's decision to hold parents, teachers, schools and districts harmless if parents decided to opt their kids out of standardized testing. This means that schools should not bully parents, nor should principals have to worry if they fall below the 95% participation rate. Basically, parents can review the details and make the decision that feels right for them, and not have to feel badly about adversely affecting their child, the teacher or the school. For me this was the biggest piece of information though: No one who is in charge of parcc can seem to answer any questions with any clarity about anything that has to do with STUDENT DATA. What are they collecting, where does it go, how is it encrypted or protected, will it be SOLD to anyone, how long will it be stored and then what happens to it? THEY CAN'T ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS. NOT ONE. Ms. Scheffel made a point to say these things to us more than once. Anyone left on the fence can feel good about their decision to opt out - refuse the test and tell a friend!"
Below you will see our School Report Cards graded on what we have heard from parents as to how their schools have communicated these facts effectively to their parent community.
Did they PASS or FAIL by telling the truth to parents and not bullying them into having their children take the test by sharing misinformation?
PARENTS: PLEASE do your research and do not succumb to the bully tactics and misinformation that is being thrust upon you simply for exercising your right to refuse.
FACTS:
1) “For calculating performance, non-participant data are not counted as zeroes – they are excluded from the calculation. So the calculations are performed on the basis solely of students that took the test and had valid scores on it.” – Jo O’Brien, Assistant Commissioner of Standards, Colorado Department of Education
2) Per letter executed by Colorado Department of Education’s Commissioner Hammond, “…districts will not be penalized by a lowering of their accreditation rating should their student’s participation rate fall below 95% on the PARCC assessments due to parental refusal of their students to take the PARCC assessment.”
Remember this information from our previous post?
Following a recent “Testing Madness” informational meeting hosted by Parent University of Douglas County School District, one parent posted this on a local SPEAK (Supportive Parents Educators and Kids) forum:
Refuse The Test (Parent): "Debora Scheffel from the 6th congressional district was at Parent University at MRMS to present information about standardized testing. She talked about the state BOE's decision to hold parents, teachers, schools and districts harmless if parents decided to opt their kids out of standardized testing. This means that schools should not bully parents, nor should principals have to worry if they fall below the 95% participation rate. Basically, parents can review the details and make the decision that feels right for them, and not have to feel badly about adversely affecting their child, the teacher or the school. For me this was the biggest piece of information though: No one who is in charge of parcc can seem to answer any questions with any clarity about anything that has to do with STUDENT DATA. What are they collecting, where does it go, how is it encrypted or protected, will it be SOLD to anyone, how long will it be stored and then what happens to it? THEY CAN'T ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS. NOT ONE. Ms. Scheffel made a point to say these things to us more than once. Anyone left on the fence can feel good about their decision to opt out - refuse the test and tell a friend!"
Below you will see our School Report Cards graded on what we have heard from parents as to how their schools have communicated these facts effectively to their parent community.
Did they PASS or FAIL by telling the truth to parents and not bullying them into having their children take the test by sharing misinformation?
Academy Charter School's Testing Info Email to Parents
Academy Charter School's Email Response to Test Refusal
COMMENTS: From concerned parents, Middle School Athletics participation used as punitive action towards our Middle Schoolers for opting Out of School Events. Children sitting out in hallways by themselves during Test Prep. Absences resulting from Testing Refusals are considered Unexcused.
Academy Charter School's Email Response to Test Refusal
COMMENTS: From concerned parents, Middle School Athletics participation used as punitive action towards our Middle Schoolers for opting Out of School Events. Children sitting out in hallways by themselves during Test Prep. Absences resulting from Testing Refusals are considered Unexcused.
Academy Charter School = FAILED
American Academy's Testing Info Email to Parents
American Academy's Response to Test Refusal
INCORRECT: Carole Murray has not represented Colorado since 2014. Oct 2013 she announced she would not be seeking a fourth term.
***UPDATE*** 2/28 - KUDOS to American Academy!!! They WILL respect parent's choice for test refusals AND permit children to attend school during testing WITHOUT making them take the test!! AWESOME job, AA!!
American Academy's Response to Test Refusal
INCORRECT: Carole Murray has not represented Colorado since 2014. Oct 2013 she announced she would not be seeking a fourth term.
***UPDATE*** 2/28 - KUDOS to American Academy!!! They WILL respect parent's choice for test refusals AND permit children to attend school during testing WITHOUT making them take the test!! AWESOME job, AA!!
American Academy = PASSED
Aspen View Academy's Testing Info Email to Parents
CAUTION: AVA will test students during make up window.
CAUTION: AVA will test students during make up window.
Aspen View Academy = FAILED
Challenge To Excellence = FAILED
DCS MONTESSORI = PASSED
Mesa Middle School - PASSED
STEM Academy = FAILED
Rock Ridge Elementary = PASSED
District 49 = FAILED
Monument Academy = PASSED
WORK IN PROGRESS:
Please understand this is a work in progress. We are adding schools to the list daily. Status and information may change as we have more parents opt out and receive their school's updated responses. We are receiving correspondence all day every day and will continue to try to update as information is received.
If you have information/updates to share from your school, please email us or message us on facebook.
Please understand this is a work in progress. We are adding schools to the list daily. Status and information may change as we have more parents opt out and receive their school's updated responses. We are receiving correspondence all day every day and will continue to try to update as information is received.
If you have information/updates to share from your school, please email us or message us on facebook.