[ProgressiveEd] Fwd: [rsct] [Fwd: UpState NY Resistance to High Stakes Testing Growing]

Sun, 22 Jun 2003 23:43:16 -0400

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I think we should be part of this coalition. What do other people think? Carol
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Subject: [rsct] [Fwd: UpState NY Resistance to High Stakes Testing Growing]
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: UpState NY Resistance to High Stakes Testing Growing
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2003 18:49:22 -0500
From: "S. E. Anderson" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected], [email protected],"PAC/SLA"
<[email protected]>,"Take Back Our Schools" <[email protected]>
CC: [email protected],"Center for the Advancement of Bl"
<[email protected]>,[email protected], [email protected]
Following is a post and some follow-ups from Bill Cala, Superintendent
of Schools in Fairport, NY (Outside Rochester.) 
Bill is one of the leaders of the struggle against the impact of high
stakes testing, at some risk of the wrath of NY State Education
officials, in particular Richard Mills. Notice the 4th demand: That
Mills step down immediately. We think the UFT and NYSUT has in effect
been a supporter of Mills' policies through silence. Send Bill support
statements for him to use on Tuesday for press releases. Norm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On Tuesday, June 24th at East High School (tentative) in Rochester, New
York, there will be a demonstration and rally against the damage done to
thousands of New York State high-school students this past week. 
What Happened?
The Math A exam was given this past week. The Math A exam (along with 4
others) must be passed by all students in order to receive a high school
diploma in New York State.
While final statistics are not yet available (and will most likely be
buried by the State Education Department, as they did for one year on
the June 2002 Physics' exam), it appears that no greater than 30% of the
kids taking the exam passed. These results are not relegated to the
inner city. Suburban districts had similar results. Most wealthy
suburban districts scores were in the high 20 to 30% passing range.
A Rochester City Honors school had 200 kids take the exam. No one
passed. This is not a misprint. NO ONE PASSED! The School of the ARTS
had 12 kids pass out of the same number taking it. 
Many of the kids taking this exam across the state are seniors who will
not graduate as a result of this unfair exam and corrupt system (see
Michael Winerip, March 12, 2002 NY TIMES). 
Also, this past week the Regents Physics exam was given. Could it have
been worse than last year's fraudulent scoring scam? One wouldn't think
so, but yes, it was worse. This year it looks like about 50% of the kids
will pass it. Physics is taken by the top 30% of the kids in the state.
Last year, 57% of the kids passed (these scores were never made public.
SED release passing rates excluding NYC which drastically brought down
the passing rate). 
PROTEST DEMANDS
We will be making the following demands on Tuesday
1. That the MATH A exam be eliminated as a requirement for current
seniors and that their grade be calculated on the 4 quarter marking
period average.
2. That the MATH A exam be re-scaled immediately for all remaining
students who wrote the exam this past week.
3. That the Physics exam be re-scaled immediately by a scale that aligns
with the scaling for Regents Earth Science and Living Environment (Biology).
4. That the commissioner of education Richard Mills step down immediately.
5. That the board of regents be removed legislatively. 
6. We will be (hopefully) announcing legal action against the state on
Tuesday, seeking an injunction, preventing the failure of seniors based
on the Math A results.
We have a another planning meeting on Monday at 7:00 a.m. at the
Fairport High School Auditorium on 860 Ayrault Road in Perinton (14450).
All are invited. All are invited to the rally on Tuesday. If you wish to
speak, please let me know by responding to this e-mail.
Keep abreast of the action on my website: www.freespeech.org/ccse
Bill Cala
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Actually, we are a spontaneously formed coalition. Sorry, we have no name.
It is, however, a Math A/Physics Revolt Against the Regents.
If you post by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, I'll be able to print the statements
and have them ready for the 3:30 protest rally at East High School in
Rochester NY.
Many Thanks Again
Bill
-- 
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