More Common Core blowback

As states administer Common Core-aligned tests, they're working to minimize the backlash when student scores -- which will likely be much lower -- are released this year, reports Andrew Ujifusa for Education Week. From fliers in student backpacks to webinars for administrators and teachers, states are hoping to communicate that the tests will more accurately reflect what students know and can do, and will better inform classroom instruction. Several states, including California, Hawaii, and South Dakota, have posted answers to frequently asked questions, videos, and other documents on websites. Still, outreach is a patchwork, inconsistent nationally. Many state education departments aren't used to the volume and nature of questions and criticisms they'll face. Schools themselves lack time and resources to prioritize outreach. To allay concerns, the Smarter Balanced consortium is releasing sample student reports intended for both parents and teachers that states can use as a template, and that will demonstrate how reports will indicate scores and expectations met for various skills. Supporters of the new assessments frequently point to Kentucky's relatively smooth rollout of aligned tests in 2012, yet this flowed from years of cooperation between state officials, business leaders, and local PTAs. And if Kentucky is the model, New York, which has had protests and resistance, is the cautionary tale. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

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