PARCC testing: delay until there is adaptation

O'Connell's motion
Colorio: on the agenda right before the Board of Ed vote on pilot testing PARCC
"very scary this whole thing"
more days taken away from teaching and learning
budget this year has already been developed, submitted and approved
unfunded mandated
"attempts to accommodate" were insufficient
"our children will become products of a D.C. thinktank"
quoting from a letter we received today

 Boone:
Board of Ed took a vote
"very clear that the state code of Massachusetts sets the authority and provides the authority for an assessment system"
"the action that was taken by the state board...next two years and beyond...for consideration for adopting PARCC"
chart that gives the comparison of MCAS to PARCC in special education accommodations
"think we need to clearly state that the PARCC operational testing will be informed by the field test"
field test, not unusual, to look at issues of the operational aspects of the field test
"no school that is part of the field test will take the full PARCC test...a portion"
"not an accountability piece as a match for student knowledge...to inform the state board"
accommodations in PARCC that aren't available in PARCC
"will this be tweaked? I'm sure it will"
O'Connell: evolution of the PARCC test
material is particularly helpful: lacking in accommodations: some lacks of PARCC test in Massachusetts
"not ready for prime time test...divided vote of the Board of Education"
"being formulated through the time of our teachers and our students"
"waive the MCAS and take the PARCC...or waive the PARCC and take the PARCC"
"have to live with the MCAS for accountability and data...real prospect now is that it will be phased out"
students will be taking certain segments of the test..adding on additional test
"question of focus...spend time on academics...truly vital...anything that interrupt the instructional flow of our students...and disadvantages our students"
"and now deal with one additional challenge...an additional test"
"somewhat uncertain pedigree"
"I certainly hope tonight that this Committee will vote tonight to waive our students on the PARCC examination"
Mayor asks how many students and how much time
Perda: majority of schools that were sampled; majority of schools have two classrooms, maximum would be four classrooms per school
Monfredo: Legal authority rests with the state
former principal want to find out more about PARCC, only can find out by taking the test
technological era: can give in
Novick: sorry, but MOTION: to exercise our right to waive our district from the PARCC field test
bit of a back and forth on legal authority here; we have a legal opinion from MASC saying that a waiver is possible

Foley: concerns about standardized testing
concerned that Board is still finding things out
"some of our test scores over the next few years are going to be irrelevant"
will impact us negative
some misgivings about what is happening
important to try to test this out so we can see what it is like
to help tweak the test
ahead of the game a bit so we know what is happening and can prepare for it
reluctant support pilot of PARCC
Biancheria: going to be a PARCC test, whether DESE is confused or not
MCAS will be leaving
"I myself feel that one test doesn't determine the success of one student"
"still reluctant to say that this is the way to go as far as participating the pilot"
feel that participating may be beneficial for the district
asks if parents can opt children out?
Boone: There has not been an opt out form that has been filed, but parents certainly can refuse to participate
there is a score (for MCAS) for refusal to participate
"seems that it's still a process"
looking to put this to rest, so we can move forward
agree with a motion that we should send a waiver in
Mayor: small group of kids, benefit to the system, will oppose both items
Vote: waiver for entire district vote goes 4-3
Mayor calls for reconsideration which passes
reconsideration, however, fails