If it is important for our teens to pass the WASL, then why are we testing them at 7:30 a.m.?Haven't studies documented that teens are not fully alert prior to 9:00 a.m.? Why then are the kids at Edmonds-Woodway WASL testing from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. all week? I'm sure there is a good reason for testing at 7:30 a.m. Early morning testing is probably required due to overcrowding of the school, a desire to save money, sports schedules, or the personal convenience of an individual staff member (we need the kids finished by 9:30 a.m. so that so and so can get on with thus and such).
Still, what an incredible waste of public resources!
All the time, money and effort devoted to the WASL, and we ask the teens to perform with one hand tied behind their backs. If our teens don't pass the WASL, we won't even know if it was because they don't know the material, or because they were asleep when they took the test.
Maybe for the Math WASL in April we can look at a different testing schedule. Do you want to be tested on your Math skills at 7:30 a.m.?
Lora Petso
Fun Factoid: The District decided to rent tables for $5,000 to accommodate the WASL tests. At the last minute, "someone" decided to cancel the rental arrangement only to discover there would be a $2,500 cancellation fee.
16 comments:
fun fact: That came down from MARLAs desk. But they changed their "her" mind.
Why don't they buy the tables?
Marla knows the guy where the district rents the tables from.
Hello!
And the someone was Marla Miller. Rent? Don't rent? Rent? Don't rent? This was a train wreck for many staff members.
The testing schedule is set by the state. The school is not large enough to accomodate all 10th graders testing in classrooms *and* have the rest of the classes run a regular schedule. Thus the half day testing schedule. Teachers have to serve as proctors and must still work a specific time shift as defined by their contract. NO ONE wants to give the WASL on the day after a time change and on this schedule. No one but the state that is.
added to that is why did they schedule WASL testing the monday after Daylight savings takes effect (the one that you get one hour less sleep).
Good planning dudes.... Glad we got some good planning going on here.....
While I agree that students should perform at their best when they have had abundant rest, one could certainly argue that any reduction in performance from this factor alone would need be rather insignificant. If there occurs a significant issue of poor perfomance on the WASL, one can not reasonably attribute the score to an hour of sleep deprivation.
This is not out of line with the real world in which these students will soon find themselves. We need still perform our job functions whether or not we have had the benefit of sufficient sleep, and so will they. An hour of lost sleep will not factor into their college entrance exams nor job interviews.
I do see a trend with respect to performance on the WASL, and I believe the causes have little to do with rest. But then we now have an Assistent Superintendant of Instruction and Learning (or some such title). With this appointment we can all rest easy - if not the kids on one night.
Does Arnie rent tables?
Unfortunately this would require higher level planning and thinking. I don't think we have leaders, local and state, with the insight (please underline), planning skills, passion or determination to consider all the issues involved to serve our students well. We need new, insightful and educated leadership
Thank you Mark, for your persistence in this crusade.
Who the F is saying 5,000 for the rented tables? Square up to me.!!!! It was closer to 18,000 for this round of WASL. Neither you or the Freak upstairs knows what the F is going on. Take a FN math class you FN moron. Get out of the school district, you can't FN add. Who FN taught you, you FN POS? Do a public discosure if you can't FN add!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regarding the $5,000 figure, I am merely reporting what I have heard thus far. I think it may be for Mountlake Terrace High School, but I will confirm.
A records request has been submitted. Details in "30 working days".
Do you know the name of the vendor?
ABC Rentals is who I think we need to talk with.
It is ABC Rentals and the figure is probably closer to the $20,000.00 for the District. The question of why rent and why not purchase since we use them annually has been posed but no reply has been given, although storage might be an issue. Perhaps there is something more to this?
I think "stew pid f said..." needs to go see a Farwest counselor. He/she/it seems a little tooooooo angry.
I think that person sounds like the guy who has been tied up at meetings over here for the last two weeks. What has he done now? Sure seems to be a lot of time and money spent on this manager. What were they thinking with this hire?
Let me guess, is it the warehouse supervisor? He is angry. Just guessing by the way he talks to people. They are spending tons of time coaching him. If he could behave, I would not have to see him. BLAAAHH!
That guy needs training of any kind.
Well he's been getting training over here for almost three weeks. What kind of training is he getting this latest round?
Post a Comment