WE ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT TESTS OF KNOWLEDGE BUT DEMONSTRATION OF PERFORMANCE \doc\web\98\09\perftest.txt "We are not as concerned with whether a student has covered content in, for example biology, as we are that the student develops the abilities to: read science, think critically, collect information, categorize, etc. Therefore, we measure a student's growth based on a demonstration of competencies through actual performance rather than on tests of knowledge." Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 06:06:27 +0000 To: jimmyk5@swbell.net From: SCecil123@aol.com (by way of Jimmy Kilpatrick ) Subject: [ppie-texas] Re: Goals 2000/STW Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Status: FYI - as follows are the latest articles on STW in Texas - The Texas Model Program, STW in a Nutshell, and What Can Be Done About STW in Texas. Following that is a list of other articles (with Web sites) available from Texas Eagle Forums web site (texaseagle.org) Stephanie Cecil, Education Liaison, Texas Eagle Forum / SCecil123@aol.com What Does A STW Program Look Like In Texas The Proof Is In The Pudding December TORCH - Texas Eagle Forum In the waning hours of the 1997 legislative session, the legislature passed HB1468, a bill that established a model program for the state's school-to-work initiative. The author of the bill proposed designating the Ector County ISD Career Center as "the state's model school-to-work program" that was exempt from the curriculum, graduation, and assessment requirements that bind all other schools. The bill that finally passed designated the Career Center as a "pilot project," changing the words "school-to-work" to a "career-targeted transition program." It also required the pilot project to comply with assessment and graduation requirements and allowed the curriculum requirements to be met through the use of an "integrated" curriculum. The TEA was required to monitor, evaluate, and assess the development and implementation of the program. Although the wording change to a "pilot program" was significant, it still served to validate the program as a state model for school-to-work (STW). The bill was unnecessary for any other reason because the program had already been implemented. The change in language from "school-to-work" to "career- targeted transition" illustrates the tactic of STW promoters to deflect criticism and hide intent with vague language, since the initial term was accumulating opposition. Information supplied to legislators indicated that in 1993 Ector County ISD provided $8.6 million dollars, through a referendum, for a workplace center for 10th-12th grades. The center opened in August 1995. According to a document prepared by the district, the program represents a "fundamentally different education paradigm from traditional high school." This program is instructive of Texas's overall STW efforts. The Ector county career program uses a "integrated" curriculum "targeted at workplace skills." The "courses" are titled traditionally (eg. science) because "the concepts of earning credits, receiving grades, and fulfilling graduation requirements are deelply ingrained in traditional high schools." But the content varies greatly based upon relevance, availability of information and materials, and "opportunity of the moment." Students "work with teams of teachers" that ensure that academic learning is "relevant to the student's chosen career learning." Learning activities are chosen based upon "relevance to life and work," and "interest to the students." Instead of completing academic courses and tests, students are assessed on "competency requirements." These competencies are based upon the SCANS work skills which have been defined at the national level. The competencies are measured by "authentic assessment" (subjective, experimental, expensive, nonstandardized tests). "We are not as concerned with whether a student has covered content in, for example biology, as we are that the student develops the abilities to: read science, think critically, collect information, categorize, etc. Therefore, we measure a student's growth based on a demonstration of competencies through actual performance rather than on tests of knowledge." The thirteen competencies of the Ector County program are: 1. The competency needed to obtain a first job. (Assessed by a panel of business experts.) 2. The required employability qualities to be highly effective and achieve advancement in a career. (Assessed by a business/professional/educator panel.) 3. The self confidence and interpersonal skills to function effectively as a member of a team, interact comfortably and acceptably in social setting, and influence the actions of political, social, and business organizations. (Assessed by faculty/business partner/peer assessment of personal interactions.) 4. The resource management skills to manage time, money, material, and human resources effectively. (Assessed by successful completion of a project in the role of a team leader.) 5. The critical thinking skills that maximize his or her value and effectiveness in social, economic, and political systems. (Assessed by completion of an essay or presentation that demonstrates critical thinking skills.) 6. The information retrieval and use skills needed for effective decision making and problem solving. (Assessed by completion of a project requiring application of information management skills.) 7. The reading skills necessary to function as a productive citizen. (Assessed by TAAS, work keys or other measure.) 8. The writing skill necessary to function as a productive citizen. (Assessed by TAAS, or writing samples in a portfolio.) 9. The speaking and listening skills necessary to function as a productive citizen. (Assessed by a formal oral presentation.) 10. The math skills necessary to function as a productive citizen. (Assessed by TAAS or use of a mathematics as a problem-solving tool in a portfolio.) 11. The necessary technology skills to select and use technology to enhance personal and professional effectiveness. (Assessed by authentic use of ability or a demonstration as a part of a portfolio.) 12. Appreciation for and makes fine arts a part of his/her life. (Assessed by the use of fine arts in the portfolio.) 13. Understands and applies wellness principles. (Assessed by a personal wellness plan included in the portfolio.) Twelfth grade students can receive a "Certificate of Mastery." This decision is made by a review board that examines the portfolio. Since the school will be judged by the success of graduates, "a detailed tracking program will follow the progress" of graduates. This program illustrates that a strong knowledge-based curriculum and test take a back seat behind subjective, experimental outcomes in STW programs. SCHOOL-TO-WORK PROBLEMS IN A NUTSHELL By Stephanie Cecil, TEF Education Liaison October TORCH School-to-Work (STW) is another trendy, experimental education fad that calls for every classroom teacher to take on new responsibilities and integrate more experimental components into the curriculum, further diluting academics. The evidence suggests that academics will take a back seat to the social engineering goals of STW. At least twelve problems cause significant concern about STW: 1. STW nationalizes and standardizes education. National goals, standards, tests, certification, and a data tracking system are all part of STW. 2. STW builds big government. STW entitles the government to take over job placement and act as a gatekeeper, controlling access to jobs. The government will determine what jobs are needed, what jobs young people will be trained for, what certificate qualifies individuals to be hired and who will qualify for certification. 3. STW builds new bureaucracy at the state and local level. The National Skills Standards Board, the Texas Workforces Commission, The Texas Skills Standards Board, The Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness and local workforce boards are all new bureaucracies. 4. STW alters governance by transferring education decision-making power to appointed (rather than elected) officials. The bureaucracies listed above are all appointed. 5. STW increases education costs. Vocational education is more expensive than teaching academics. 6. STW institutionalizes the failing progressive practices that have destroyed our schools. The mission of schools changes from knowledge (facts) to behavior (acts); from a knowledge-based curriculum to an outcome-based curriculum focused on behavior. 7. STW institutionalizes the teaching, testing and certification of subjective, affective, value laden, interpersonal behavior such as cooperating with others, self-esteem, decision making, sociability, sexual stereotyping, life skills, etc. 8. STW violates parents and students rights by integrating health and human services with education which increases the responsibilities of the schools, usurps the responsibilities of parents and leads to controversial school-based clinics. 9. STW uses the schools for invasive and expensive guidance, counseling, aptitude testing, and decision-making for the purpose of guiding a child's future career decisions. 10. STW builds cradle-to-grave data tracking systems that enables the government to track every citizen. STW requires tracking the progress of a student from school, into the workplace, and throughout his career, including promotions and wages. 11. STW requires coercive government policies. The system will probably not be possible unless business participation is mandated. 12. STW sets up government intrusion in the private sector by "reorganizing the workplace" and setting "private sector standards." Regulations must be developed for hiring, firing and employment security. WHAT YOU CAN DO: To counteract some of the worst qualities of STW, parents and concerned citizens should concentrate on these six objectives: 1. Reject federal control of education. 2. Preserve the academic mission of schools. 3. Invest education authority in elected officials. 4. Ensure local control. 5. Ensure parents and students rights. 6. Preserve privacy. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT STW IN TEXAS By Stephanie Cecil, TEF Education Liaison November TORCH Governor George Bush campaigned on a promise to abolish the regulatory authority of the Texas Education Agency (TEA). But SB1 (the 1995 Education Code) greatly increased the power of the TEA. Because of SB1, the TEA/Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education (SBOE) are entirely separate entities. Pitted against each other, they often have power struggles. The controversy over School-to-Work (STW) has played a large part in these education power struggles. Legislative action on STW that passed during Governor Bush's tenure has contributed to the problems in public education by continuing to splinter education authority. Accountability to the citizens of Texas and a philosophy of open government on education policy has been lost. The Governor's appointed Chairman of the SBOE has condescendingly referred to the concerns of many citizens about STW as the "boogeyman that's not there." The citizens of Texas want and need accountability for education policy, including STW. Governor Bush's STW staff has said STW "eclipses every other issue" and "touches on virtually every issue in our society." This is true. STW has an enormous impact that cannot be ignored. The following Legislative recommendations address many of the problems with STW: 1. Take the Federal Mandates Out of the Code SB1 requires the TEA to "prescribe requirements for Career and Technology education in public schools as necessary to comply with federal law." The TEA must also make sure "the state complies with requirements for supplemental federal career and technology education funding." One such optional and supplemental program is the federal STW Opportunities Act (STWO), which requires STW programs (state and local) to meet all of the requirements listed in the Act. The legislature should amend the Education Code to remove mandated compliance with optional federal programs. SB1 requires Texas assessments to "meet federal requirements for measurement of student progress" and requires Texas students to demonstrate exemplary performance in comparison to national and international standards. These provisions force a focus on and comparison to national standards and require compliance with federal regulations for testing. The legislature should delete these programs. 2. Invest Education Authority in Elected Officials SB1 gave the Commissioner of Education authority to enter federal contracts without approval of the SBOE. This bypass of elected officials increases the power of the TEA and has the capacity to greatly increase the regulatory authority of the TEA. The legislature should require the SBOE to review and approve agreements between the federal government and the TEA Commissioner. Governor Bush's Welfare Reform Bill (HB 1863) gave authority for STW programs to his advisory committee (TCWEC). The legislature should give the SBOE authority over STW progams. They should require SBOE approval of all TCWEC policies or strategic plans relating to programs for which the board has authority (e.g., curriculum, assessment, and certification of academic or work skills). 3. Preserve the Academic Mission of the Schools New education goals in SB1 force the schools to make family membership, wage earning, and "high-skill, high-wage jobs" the specific goals of the schools. The legislature should eliminate these non-academic goals. SB1 requires the curriculum to "prepare and enable all students to continue to learn in postsecondary, educational, training, or employment settings." The Governor has called this a "strong statutory mandate." SB1 also requires the curriculum to contain skills "necessary to problem solve, (and) think critically." These are undefined and subjective terms. The legislature should ensure that curriculum is knowledge-based by amending this wording to require the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to be knowledge-based: a coherent sequence of grade-level factual knowledge. SB1 requires assessment to be "primarily-performance based." It is clear that the words "primarily-performance-based" were the impetus for experimental, subjective, expensive testing that shifts the focus from factual academic knowledge to subjective applications and behavior; funding a national assessment and certificate of initial mastery through the New Standards Project; and professional development that focused on teaching methods associated with Outcome-Based Education (OBE). The legislature should ensure that assessment is knowledge-based by replacing the words "primarily performance-based" with the words "knowledge-based." 4. Ensure Local Control HB 1863 and Texas' STW federal grant application require STW promotional activities and marketing campaigns. The legislature should stop the publicly funded STW advertising campaign by prohibiting, through statute, the use of state money for advertising or promoting STW policies or programs. HB1863 created a new bureaucracy, the Texas Skills Standards Board (TSSB). The TSSB is supposed to validate nationally established skill standards and to review standards developed by other states and nations and enter into agreements for mutual recognition of credentials. This is not local control-it is a requirement to implement national skill standards and certificates. The legislature should abolish the appointed TSSB. The meaning of "skill standards and certification system" initially came from a report entitled "America's Choice" by Marc Tucker. Since the publication of this report, its recommendations have been federally legislated in Goals 2000 (Title V) and the STW Opportunities Act of 1994. The Governor's advisory board has mandated the development of a skills standards and certification system. The legislature should prohibit the development of such a state system. 5. Ensure Parental and Student Rights and Preserve Privacy The legislature should ensure that parents give permission for and have total access to all STW components including, aptitude testing, assessment of interpersonal and personal qualities, instruction in "positive work attitudes." They should also require parental approval of four-year education plans and student course selections. The legislature should require schools to obtain parent and student permission before using personal information to track a student from school to work. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Send a copy of this article to your state legislator and ask him/her to file and vote for legislation that returns control to the SBOE and the local school districts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Eagle Forum Articles from the TORCH - the first to break the STW news in Texas at texaseagle.org. Look at back issues of the TORCH. Texas Eagle Forum - Torch - Oct 96 - THE TUCKER MANIFESTO A government-controlled, government-managed, national educational system for Texas, By Stephanie Cecil, TEF's Education Liaison Texas Eagle Forum - Torch - Nov 96 - FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE, Gov. Bush signs School-to-Work Grant, By Stephanie Cecil, TEF Education Liaison Texas Eagle Forum - Torch - Jan 97 - LINKING OBE & THE TEKS By Stephanie Cecil, TEF Education Liaison Texas Eagle Forum - Torch - Jan 97 - PRESCRIPTION FOR EDUCATION, Give Power Back to the SBOE, By Stephanie Cecil, TEF Education Liaison Texas Eagle Forum - Torch - Feb 97 - THE "SMART CARD" FOR TEXAS STUDENTS - "Community Partnership" Supplants Parents, By Anne Newman, director of the Texas Family Research Center Texas Eagle Forum - Torch - Mar 97 - "HILLARYCARE" FOR TEXANS, By Cathie Adams, President of Texas Eagle Forum (contains section on education by Stephanie Cecil) TORCH - Texas Eagle Forum - Apr 1998 TUCKER'S SCHOOL-TO-WORK PLAN UNFOLDING IN TEXAS, High school honors programs to be eliminated ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subscribe, unsubscribe, opt for a daily digest, or start a new e-group at http://www.eGroups.com -- Free Web-based e-mail groups.