Florida PTA Supports Resolution Efforts Against High Stakes Testing; Meanwhile, Gerard Robinson's Meltdown Continues

From Orange County’s (Orlando) PTA Councils:

Florida PTA, along with our parent National PTA, supports recent Resolution efforts against high-stakes testing. PTA’s long-standing position is, in summary.

PTA opposes the use of a national, mandated, standardized test as the sole criterion for measuring a school or student’s progress.

PTA desires an accountability system, which includes multiple indicators of educational quality.

PTA believes that student assessment should identify how instruction and learning can be improved.

PTA feels that assessments should be used to help parents and teachers determine the specific academic needs of students and increase opportunities for student learning. Assessments should not be used for high-­stakes determinations such as grade promotion or graduation.

The website has the link to the official document.

Who’s on who’s side (Currently)

 The Bushies (Jeb, Gerard Robinson, Patricia Levesque, John Winn and Kathleen Shanahan) and Pearson

VS.

Florida’s 67 County School Boards

The Florida PTA

Numerous Parent Groups including Parents Across America

Florida’s Families

Florida’s Teachers

Florida’s Students

Lets not forget to recognize the strangely silent since the bottom fell out after the FCAT Writes debacle:

Governor Rick Scott

Members of the Florida Board of Education (Except for Chair Kathleen Shanahan was Bush’s Chief of Staff  while he was Florida Governor)

The Florida Legislature

The Florida Chamber of Commerce

Robinson’s proving to be more ideologue than educator. He doubled down yesterday on his contemptuous scolding of the state’s school board members with a press release. Robinson obviously perceives high-stakes tests and common core standards as  Holy writ by chiding the FSBA’s resolution as “short on providing hope to schoolchildren.”  The education commissioner demonstrates a remarkable level of tone deafness by closing with “a nation bubbling with high expectations.”

As Robinson and his handlers got his statement out before noon yesterday, it means they went into damage control mode after Robinson left the FSBA dais. This wasn’t a walk back by any means. It was a futile attempt by Robinson to grab the bully pulpit and win an argument he’s already lost.

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