"Minimum" tech standards to give common core tests

A blog in Ed Week has summarized “minimum technology standards states will have to meet” to give the common core tests. The description is quite daunting. All this has to be done by 2014-15.

http://tinyurl.com/amc4g8j

Here are two comments posted on the Ed Week website:

Sonja L
3:39 PM on February 8, 2013
Common Core is just another push by big business to suck public funds from our school system. There are so many urban poor and rural areas that would never have funds, nor means to have the computer access/internet platforms available to take the publishing industrial complex's "tests" in the time frame suggested. Many schools don't have full-time teachers (or properly credentialed teachers in the case of many Charter schools that are allowed less oversight under the ridiculous law). How can a student be ready for a test if teachers aren't available? How are students with moderate to severe disabilities considered in the plan?

While larger districts like LAUSD have the means to create plans and provide training, many smaller, underfunded school districts don't have enough computers for staff. Access to functioning computers for all students is a pipe dream mandate in the current hostile funding environment teachers and regular public schools face.

School Districts across the nation have had budgets cut to the bone in the last 6-8 years already and in the last 3-4 we've seen excessive layoffs and firings just to keep things from falling into ruin.

Now these cash-strapped districts are given yet, another unfunded mandate to utilize another "reform" program AND do the testing online without being provided funding for equipment or training. As there are fewer staff available - it creates a bigger burden on those already performing two, three and even four full time jobs due to the deep cuts.

I'm absolutely sick of federal education dictates being given by business and legislators who refuse to listen to academics, child development specialists and parents. We know what our children need to learn. And it isn't more interference by outside business organizations that see our education funding as the next big poaching frontier.

We need trained teachers. We need nurses and librarians. We need safe neighborhoods with accessible health clinics, child care and a community that is able to send a child to school healthy, well-fed and ready to learn.

Until our legislators start addressing the needs of parents and families, these plans will just frustrate and disappoint us.


skrashen
1:32 PM on February 11, 2013
Probably the greatest educational boondoggle of all time. As soon as the system is running, it will be declared obsolete (remember ethernet?) and will require constant upgrading and new equipment. And when it doesn't produce improvement, they will demand we install National Test 2.0. All through taxpayer dollars. Take from the needy and give to the greedy.