z42\doc\web\2000\06\cta.txt
George Sheridan [gsheridan@BOMUSD.EDCOE.K12.CA.US]


Following George Schmidt's suggestion that assessment reform advocates make
special efforts to influence teacher union leadership, I am appealing to
members of this list for help.


The California Teachers Association, representing 300,000 teachers, has
announced that it is considering whether to push for a moratorium on
standardized testing. CTA has already taken several small steps such as
opposing proposals to award scholarships to students with high test scores
or to grant  bonuses to teachers whose schools have improved their test scores.


CTA is sponsoring a virtual conference on standards and accountability. So
far only about ten (!) teachers are participating in the conference. There
are various possible explanations, such as end of term in traditional
calendar, lack of awarenesss of the conference, etc., but the fact is the
conference so far has not shown CTA leadership that opposition to the
misuse of standardized testing has a broad base of support.


Please take ten minutes between now and Tuesday, May 30. Go to the CTA
website, www.cta.org and register for the conference. Skim the different
strands until you find one on which you can post a brief comment.


List members who are not California teachers may also participate. The
conference includes presenters such as Stanley Rabinowitz and Srijati
Ananda of WestEd, who might be categorized as advocates of kinder, gentler
testing.


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