Contact your N.Y. Assembly representative!
Recently, four bills were sponsored in our N.Y. State Assembly, and I have no idea how the legislative process works in great detail, but the spirit behind and purpose of these bills is encouraging. It certainly could be part of what has some of the lobbyist/wealth-funded school privatizers running around flapping their hands as if the sky is falling, whining about parents opting out and states looking to reconsider some of the destructive policies that money had previously bought.
“Backsliding” they call it. As if all of what has been done to communities, families, their children and their schools under the broad brush vernacular and euphemisms of “education reform (e.g. “college and career”, “grit and rigor”, “value-added measures”…) is meaningful (vs mechanical) progress forward. In some direction. Going who-knows-where, really.
I only say the “who-knows-where” because the incredible amount of funding to drive deep investigation/research into formulas to crunch data and find schools to close and teachers to fire has not been met with the same level of vim and vigor to measure and define what the world/economy/job market/income prospects of tomorrow will be. Lots of “compete in the global economy” and “jobs of tomorrow” talk…
But when the man so excited for everybody else’s children to get common cored because of the edu-market forces that would be unleashed more or less says (ala’ Theodore Kasinsky) that in about 20 years, technology will steal our jobs (our sense of purpose/ direction?), it’s time to start demanding accountability for the money, the decisions, and for the money behind the decisions. I have lived the job market data from the time I was old enough to work, and I have seen it play out in my community and in my schools. These politicians and wannabe edu-experts are not fooling people anymore, and it is time to demand honest participation and collaboration from them.
So here is a very brief summary of those bills. The link right before the summaries should work for each, but they are easily searched.
Assembly Bills: A09626, A09578, A09584, A09579
A09626 – Immediately decouple teacher evaluations from test results and direct the Board of Regents to establish a committee to research and develop an alternate, research-based method for teacher evaluations, which will ensure that students and teachers both have better experiences in the classroom.
“These regulations have resulted in the strangulation of educators’ classroom creativity, the stifling of imagination and the prevention of the cultivation of the innovative brand of talent we need in our future workforce. This cookie-cutter approach to learning and teaching has always overlooked a critical element of education that our state’s educators have always recognized – there are many paths leading to success and those paths can be as diverse as our state’s student population”
Currently in committee: 3/22 ; Enacting clause stricken: 5/4
A09578 – Repeal State Takeover of Failing Schools and put the school reform process back in the hands of local educators, parents, and other stakeholders who are in the best position to understand the specific needs of the school district.
“…the provisions in 211-f Education Law weigh heavily upon our state’s students who are living in poverty. A repeal of this section will allow educational communities to solve their problems on the local level with educator input, while avoiding the imposition of long-distance interventions that are ineffective.”
Currently in committee 3/22; Enacting clause stricken 5/4
A09584 – Reduce testing by directing the Board of Regents to establish a committee to shorten the length of tests and find ways to increase their transparency. Additionally, tests would be given to students, parents and teachers so that they can be used to improve the manner in which teachers teach and students learn.
“During the past few decades, education policies are being shaped more frequently by entities other than educators. This has resulted in a cumulative set of policies that are detrimental to our children and have greatly impeded the ability of our state’s educators to teach in a manner that maximizes a student’s potential for growth, both educationally and emotionally. This bill will require the Education Commissioner to establish a committee of educators, who will explore methods of addressing the over-testing of children, while ensuring the content of current standardized tests are disclosed to the taxpayers of this state.”
Currently in committee 3/22; Enacting clause stricken 5/4
A09579 – Create an alternate pathway to graduation by establishing a Career and Practical Education (CPE) pathway to a high school diploma which would provide a valuable alternative for students who do not wish to take – or are unable to pass – the Regents exams. By teaching practical life skills and training students for a career, a CPE pathway will better prepare all New York students for a future following high school.
“In addition to students with disabilities, there are many other children in our state who have otherwise succeeded throughout high school, but will be denied a diploma due solely to their inability to pass five standardized Regents tests in specific subjects. Most colleges and secondary schools require a high school diploma that is now out of reach for these students. They will also be unable to compete for entry level jobs that require a diploma. This is a tragedy. This bill will require the creation of a career and practical education pathway to a high school diploma, ensuring options are offered and logic prevails in determining whether a student is prepared for secondary education and/or the workforce.”
Currently in committee 3/22; Enacting clause stricken 5/4
Below is the message I have just shot out to several New York State Assembly members, including my own assembly representative (with some rewording for hers-we have met and spoke several times). Use whatever ideas here you like. Call your friends, your family, your colleagues. Assembly members have seemed timid and reluctant to take on the “reform” machine and the governor in the past, but I have been told that if legislation friendlier to the education endeavor shows up on his desk-he would be “happy” to sign it. I think “happy” is a reach, but that is how it was described to me. I will also be shooting something out to my local newspapers as soon as I hear anything back on the status of these bills.
I am a teacher for over 15 years. I have three daughters still in the small rural school I teach in. I was encouraged by the news that on March 20th, Assemblyman Kaminsky had sponsored 4 education bills that seek to bring some common sense and collaboration (A09579, A09584, A09578, A09626). I see that you are listed as cosponsor on a few of these bills.
I am a little concerned about the recent action on all four, (“Enacting clause stricken, 5/4) and the fact that I can’t find contact information for Assemblyman Kaminsky on the Assembly directory. It may be that I am unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of the process, but I want to share that I support the intent, purpose and spirit of these bills. Our leaders have fed a profession to the wolves, and failed parents and children and it’s about time something is done. These bills seem to be at least a fair attempt.
Even though you are not my rep, I wanted to reach out to let you know, will also reach out to others, and would love to hear back. If the process of putting together actual boots-on-the-ground educators to fashion better teacher evaluation/student pathway approaches is planned, then I would love to play a part. I would also suggest a student committee. I have one soon to be senior who is a regional and national winner for her writing and art, requires some accommodation for her own “pathway”, but is knocking it out of the park in terms of her college level coursework and community service activities.
I will be also reaching out to my actual rep, Barb Lifton. Please contact me with any news, and contact me enthusiastically if it’s good news about the status of these bills and what more I can do to help make this stuff happen.
