New York State Public Education System has more than just a few flaws it’s shattered.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) responsibility is to oversee schools, not direct my parenting. I don’t need NYSED to grant me permission to opt out/ refuse that my child take part in Standardized testing.  I’m choosing to do what is ethically and morally right by my children. My children will not take part in Standardized testing or any assessment especially the ones used to grade their teachers. School Districts are mandated to administer the tests but there is no mandate stating my child is obligated to take the test. 

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) is an evaluation system that rates if a teacher is effective or ineffective based on student performance and growth on assessments. Yet another flawed system created by the New York State Education Department. APPR a system that was devised to divide and conquer. APPR does not create a professional learning community. Teachers are less likely to share their pedagogy for fear of their HEDI rating. APPR creates a CYA (Cover Your a$$) effect. When your career is on the line and you’re measured based on student growth you lose collegiality.

Students will be cherry picked based on how well they can perform on tests. Teachers will want the students in their class who scored a 4 the previous year on the English Language ART Exam. Hi Scoring students are the desirable students because they increase the chances of being rated as an effective teacher. Those students who received a 2 on the test become the undesirables because they put the teacher at risk of receiving an I (ineffective) on their overall evaluation. The teacher that received the I will be entered into a mentoring program. A mentor will teach the teacher how to teach the students to pass a test.

With all the focus on testing I wonder what career lists excellent test taker as a requirement for employment?