Sunday, March 08, 2015

WATERED DOWN TESTING RESOLUTION COMING TO UFT EXECUTIVE BOARD

The UFT leadership has come up with their own resolution on testing. You knew this would be happening after Mike Schirtzer (MORE) received significant support for an anti-high stakes testing resolution at the February DA. 

The UFT resolution does not go nearly as far in opposing misuse of standardized testing as the original NYSAPE resolution.

The UFT calls for multiple measures to evaluate students and teachers instead of calling for the elimination of high stakes, invalid, and unreliable testing for teacher evaluations.
 
Here is the actual text.  It will be rubber stamped by the Unity dominated Executive Board tomorrow night.

Resolution calling for the proper use of assessments to further education

WHEREAS, assessments are a natural part of the teaching and learning process, as educators constantly appraise how well their students are learning; and

WHEREAS, in order that assessments fairly gauge student progress, they should be authentic measures of students’ knowledge and abilities; and

WHEREAS, when assessments are used properly, they are a servant to curriculum: The curriculum drives and determines the manner of assessments – not the other way around; and

WHEREAS, setting standards is also a natural and appropriate part of education, as without them, students who may be struggling – such as English language learners, students from high-poverty neighborhoods or students with special needs – can fall through the cracks; and

WHEREAS, standardized tests, when designed and used appropriately, are one facet of the assessment process, but when they are overemphasized, they can lead to an increase in test-prep; a narrowing of curriculum; and a diminishment of time and resources available for subjects such as art, music and physical education; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers opposes the disproportionate impact of any test in relation to its educational value; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT supports the right of parents and guardians to choose to opt their child out of standardized tests because parents and guardians know what is best for their children; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT affirms its support of standards and its support of multiple measures to assess student progress, evaluate teachers and gauge the success of schools; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT calls for all standardized assessments used in New York City to be diagnostic and informative tools for educators and for the assessments to be developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive and socially relevant for students, and will work with the city Department of Education to ensure that assessments meet these criteria; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT calls on the state to break the monopoly of Pearson Education Corp. on testing in our state by engaging educators to participate in the design of standardized assessments – a move that would also recognize the critical importance of including teachers in decisions about education; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT condemns Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ill-conceived proposal to increase the weight of standardized tests in teacher evaluation as this would only cause harm to the state’s public schools by greatly overemphasizing and distorting the use of these tests; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT will continue to lobby at the state and federal levels to ensure the appropriate use of standardized assessments.
                                                                                                                                                             

11 comments:

NYC Educator said...

"...the UFT affirms its support of standards and its support of multiple measures to assess student progress, evaluate teachers and gauge the success of schools"

Perish forbid we should oppose rather than support the same old reformy crap.

Anonymous said...

Why would we oppose it? We have our seat at the table.

Pogue said...

Whereas, our union leadership is uncreative, weak, and cowardly...

Anonymous said...

The UFT is irrelevant.

Anonymous said...

Whereas, LeRoy Barr, who's not in the classroom nor the borough representatives, and the district representatives are supposedly teaching one class and they are not tied to the teacher evaluation, the other members of the UFT Executive Board are either retired and the majority have signed a loyalty oath, and the excessive testing and teacher evaluation does not faze them because they will not lose their cushy jobs and perks at 52 Broadway.

Resolved to embrace the leadership's decision to screw the non-unity members and to push for whatever fits their agenda and wait on Randi to tell them what to do next.

Anonymous said...

Whereas the UFT has supported and advocated Common Core, Value Added Measures, Mayoral Control, High Stakes Testing, Charter Schools, and many other corporate led reform

Resolved, The UFT will continue to not lead the fight to defend union workers, nor will we mobilize in order to defend public schools

Anonymous said...

Did Raving Lunatic write these?

Anonymous said...

Who is the UFT supporting because its not teachers

Anonymous said...

Itself.

Ellen said...

At its March 9 Executive Board meeting, the UFT Executive Board approved the resolution as written.

NAC High School Executive Board Member Jonathan Halabi attempted to make a weak amendment to Resolved clause #3, which reads in its original, "RESOLVED that the UFT affirms its support of of standards and its support of multiple measures to assess student progress, evaluate teachers and gauge the success of schools..." Halabi's suggestion was to drop the words, "evaluate teachers", and accept all the rest of the nonsense. Needless to say, even this mealy-mouthed attempt at an amendment was roundly defeated.

Ellen

Anonymous said...

No surprises here.