i:\doc\web\98\05\noctbs.txtFrom: SandyElliot Everyone who has a voice, tell the legislature to leave the CTBS, it's the only reliable measure we have to compare our kids to other states, and to make sure these wacko reforms aren't harming our kids. The main reason for adopting a new test is to hide declines caused by the new reforms. The new assessment is completely worthless, it's useless for year to year comparisons. Arthur Hu To: "'Arthur Hu'" Subject: RE: Commision on Student Learning Date sent: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 06:51:39 -0700 Update on this - Peggy relates the Literacy Bill did not specifically carry the language for Criterion Referenced Nationally Standardized Testing (which we have in CTBS), nor did OSPI inform the Ed. Chairs that CTBS had run its life in validity (seven years) and they were about to have to replace it. Bob Butts from Terry's office informed her, therefore, they do not have to meet Peggy's criteria for a test in third grade that tests "Core Knowledge" on reading or any other topic. WRONG! We need to networ One more item before I go that I had missed in the mail. Did you hear that the legislature gave up CTBS testing in fourth grade in order to get Terry Bergeson's cooperation on the Literacy Bill? At least at this hour I am betting it is the Superintendent's office that threw in that kaveat. I have a call in to Peggy Johnson to get that straight from the horse's mouth. Even my best Liberal friends, one an administrator for Antioch U. and another mom are appalled we are losing the oversight which connects Thanks for the heads up reminder, Arthur. Sandy Elliot ---------- An Open Letter to Kirkland Chamber of Commerce Members >From Ian and Sandy Elliot School to Work - Goals 2000 is Your Business We want to inform you how the proposed School To Work federal education reform package will negatively affect the future of American commerce. We believe the School To Work plan has the potential to weaken national academic excellence and supplant that g Aspects of the STW proposal which will have a major impact on businesses are described below: 1) Chambers need to be watchful of pending tax legislation on businesses. (Current legislation: S1186 and HR 1853, HR1385)School To Work will levy a 1.5 to 2 percent payroll tax on all business. Last year Texas enacted such a tax. Oregon, the leading s 4) The requirement for task certification will eliminate competitive advantages gained through innovation. Newly conceived positions with new job descriptions will require not yet existing certification. While the innovator waits for the state to devel 5) With special certification required for each skill, it opens the door to expand minimum wage law to set a separate wage for each skill. Sen. Kennedy and Rep. Bonier recently called for new federal minimum wage increases and similar calls are being m 6) The STW plan features unbridled central planning. If STW is enacted, a governor-appointed board will decide how many workers will be needed in each particular skill set within each designated region. Bureaucrats would determine which schools will tr 7) Business and worker mobility and flexibility will be stifled. A business starts up in Region A and finds that as it grows, its strongest market turns out to be in Region B. Or it discovers that its cheapest energy source or new materials are in Regi 9) School to Work, with its one-stop career centers and skill certificates could be vulnerable to state abuses. Companies on the wrong side of the government may not have workers dispatched to them. Workers in a similar situation could have their certi The watchword for School To Work is "buyer beware". Last year the governor of Alabama wrote the U.S. Department of Education asking how his state could exit STW. He was told that it was not possible. STW is not optional, nor voluntary. Currently the N Federal School To Work is modeled after Germany's BMW, Daimer-Benz, BASF and other German Companies which build plants in the U.S. to escape what STW will now impose on us. STW will not only discourage firms from siting new plants here, it will encourage We encourage you to investigate further the source, intent, and ramifications of school reform under Goals 2000 and School To work, for they are inextricably linked. Copies of intent documents, authorizing federal and state legislation, STW and Goals 200 President Clinton and others will talk about the high-paying jobs for which STW will train youth. Proponents of STW define "high paying" to mean $27,000 per year, which is also the federal poverty line wage. School To Work is not about producing high-pa Ian and Sandy Elliot 425-823-2674 Sources: Federal and Washington Goals 2000, Workforce Training and Education Board documents for STW. Ask your local legislator and congressman for these documents. Your local school district has Request For Proposal documents from Goals 2000 and STW w