Opting Out of Common Core

We’re posting this meeting announcement from Mansfield Tea Party, since some Cleveland Tea Party Patriots have easy access to Mansfield via I-71 or Route 42. Venue will be announced.

Many of you want to OPT your children OUT of the PARCC assessments this February, but are unsure of what to do, or are receiving push back from school administrators.

Heidi Huber (Founder of Ohioans Against Common Core) and Marianne Gasieki are putting together an informational meeting to get ALL your questions answered.

Opting Out and the 

2015 Plan to Remove Common Core

As many of you are aware, the were several roadblocks in Ohio legislative leadership last year, that prevented any success in removing Common Core from our educational system.  Many of those roadblocks are gone, but unfortunately, so are some of our allies.

A new plan of action is being formulated, which Heidi will be discussing at this meeting, as well as information needed to successfully opt your child out of the PARCC testing this February.

It's important that you RSVP for this meeting as soon as possible.  It will be held in the Mansfield area, but the size of the venue will be determined by the number attending.

WHEN:     Saturday, February 7th

                10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

WHERE:   Mansfield (venue TBA)

Guest Speakers to Date

Heidi Huber, Founder - Ohioans Against Common Core:  The real story on Opting Out of PARCC and why it's critical to reclaim your child's classroom.

Rob Coburn, President - Garaway School District Board of Education:  Role and responsibility of district Boards of Education to the community and its students.

Marianne Gasiecki - State Co-coordinator Tea Party Patriots, Mansfield Tea Party Founder: Promoting parental and district activism to get results.

Invited legislators will be added upon confirmation.

Please Click Here to RSVP.  

If others are joining you, please ask them to complete the RSVP so we have an accurate count and can accommodate accordingly.

We have the power, and the right, to control our children's education.

# # #

Did Pearson Charitable Foundation Use Common Core to Launder Money?

While OH House Rep. Gerald Stebelton (614-466-8100) continues to fight "kicking & screaming" to keep Common Core from being repealed in Ohio, we see another example of how Common Core is more about the money than it is about teaching our children....

From The Washington Post --

Last year the Pearson Charitable Foundation — the nonprofit arm of the largest education publishing company in the world — paid $7.7 million in fines to the state of New York after authorities found that it had broken state law by helping its for-profit parent. How? By helping it develop Common Core educational products and by paying travel expenses for potential clients to attend education conferences.

Nonprofit organizations are not supposed to be helping for-profit companies make money. Oops. The settlement between the foundation and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said that the foundation had a “close working relationship” with Pearson. It said:

The Foundation’s staff has consisted of Pearson employees; the Foundation’s board was comprised entirely of Pearson executives until 2012; select Foundation programs have been conducted with the advice and participation of senior Pearson executives; and the Foundation continues to rely heavily upon Pearson Inc. for administrative support.

According to the settlement (see text below), Pearson used its nonprofit foundation to develop Common Core products in order to win an endorsement from a “prominent foundation.” A story by my Washington Post colleague Lyndsey Layton said that Pearson used the foundation to develop Common Core products, including courses, to win an endorsement from a “prominent foundation,” which happened to be the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was a prime funder of the Core from its creation.

Though foundation officials did not deny or admit the charges, they agreed to pay the fines. Now, nearly a year after the settlement, the Pearson foundation is closing. Here’s the statement on the Pearson foundation‘s Web site under the headline, “Thank You”:

On November 18, 2014, the Pearson Charitable Foundation’s Board of Directors publically announced the intent to cease Foundation operations and close the Pearson Foundation at the end of the year. This follows a decision by Pearson plc to integrate all of its corporate responsibility activities and functions into its business as a way to maximise social impact and to no longer fund the Foundation as the primary vehicle for its philanthropic and community activities.

The Pearson Foundation’s closing follows more than a decade of support to some of the world’s great teachers, schools, and non-profit organizations. Since its inception in 2003, the Pearson Foundation has contributed more than $130 million to improving learning opportunities and outcomes for young people and adults, and to supporting the aims of exemplary non-profit organizations to help identify, scale, and celebrate their important work. We are pleased that their work continues.

We thank these partners for their dedication, their lasting impact, and for their continued inspiration.

We also thank Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, and our many public and private partners for their financial support and for their sustained confidence in our mission over the years.

Even more, we thank the countless individuals—young people, teachers, program leaders, and learning experts—who have inspired us and more often than not offered their own time, talents, and interests to further the Pearson Foundation’s aims. We are grateful for their example, for the time we spent together, and for their lasting friendship, guidance, and support.

Here’s the text of the 2013 settlement:

Pearson Executed AOD[1]

Common Core updates: Ohio and Wisconsin

Art credit: www.redstate.com

The Heritage Foundation posted this from The Daily Signal:

On the heels of Republican victories last week, attempts to replace Common Core with homegrown standards are resurfacing in states across the nation.

Most prominently, elected officials in Wisconsin and Ohio are spearheading efforts to reclaim more control of education.

On Nov. 5, the day after the midterm elections, an Ohio House committee passed a bill to repeal the Common Core standards.

Although officials on both sides doubt the bill will garner enough support to pass by the end of the year, they are hopeful the legislature will take up the issue in 2015.

But to be safe, Common Core supporters such as state Rep. Gerry Stebelton, R-Lancaster, say they will double down on efforts to defeat the repeal bill. “It deserved to die,” said Stebelton of the bill. “It has no merit.”

Read the rest here. 

# # #

Students to hold Repeal Common Core Rally in Westerville OH

On Saturday, October 18th from Noon to 2 PM, a "Repeal Common Core Rally" will be held in Westerville (Westerville American Legion - 393 E. College Ave.).

Date: Saturday October 18th
Time: Noon - 2pm
Address: 393 E. College Ave  Westerville, OH (Click for Map)

This event is being put on by HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!

Speakers will include both Conservative and Liberal teachers and students, as well as community members, who believe that Common Core is damaging the education system.

Common Core is taking teaching, individualism, and creativity out of schools. These standards will be detrimental to both the education of our youth, and future of our nation.

Our goal is to make the District and State education boards realize the consequences of implementing Common Core, and to provide political pressure to repeal Common Core state wide.

To keep up with efforts to repeal Common Core in Ohio and how you can help please go to Ohioans Against Common Core website by clicking here.

To get started with efforts to repeal Common Core in your child's school district, make sure to check out their Take Action section by clicking here.

Common Core: Opt Out of Fall Testing

Art credit: Dailycaller.com and Edvard Munch

This just in from the Mansfield Tea Party:

Opt Out of Fall Testing Now!

Take the Pledge to Protect Your Child

 
The first round of fall tests starts October 6th, but did you know that you, as the parent, can opt-out your child?

These tests are used to "benchmark" your child for "Value Added Measures", but are not state mandated. Common sense would tell you that any student is going to perform better in the spring than they do in the beginning of the school year, but now we have to prove it by administering more tests, leaving less time for learning.

The state mandates that the schools administer one test per year.  In the past it has been the spring OGT's and the OAA's.  Unless we pass HB 597, and Common Core gets repealed, the data gathering replacement testing - PARCC - will add six weeks of testing to the school year this spring.

Don't subject your child to this scrutiny.  Exercise your right as a parent and opt-out your child. Click Here to Download OPT-OUT form and  Click Here to learn more about the assessing of your child.

Please note all forms must be submitted by October 3rd, 2014 to ensure your child's protection. 

• Print out Opt Out Form
• Fill out Child's Name (must do separate form for each child)
• Read and check all three boxes on opt out form
• Complete bottom portion of the form 
• Be sure to leave Received by, Signature, and Date Received blank (this is for school officials to fill out)
• Take the completed form to the school office. Request signatures.
• Request two copies. One for your records and one to mail to your State Representative

# # #

Common Core: Louisiana Gov. challenges it, Ohio Republican embraces it

Art credit: blog.heartland.org

From cleveland.com, our Republican legislators at work:

Efforts to repeal the Common Core educational standards in Ohio are a disheartening "circus" that needs to fail, State Sen. Peggy Lehner said in a speech at the City Club today that was also filled with praise for Cleveland's school improvement efforts and attempts to create more preschool opportunities for city children.

Lehner, a Dayton-area Republican who chairs the Senate's education committee, blasted House Bill 597 as political maneuvering filled with several "hidden agendas." The bill, which had hearings in the Ohio House the last two weeks, would kill the multi-state Common Core standards if passed.

The packed room, filled mostly with educators and school supporters, applauded when she called the bill and its hearings a circus.

"It would be downright silly if it wasn't so sad," said Lehner, a longtime supporter of the standards that the state school board adopted in 2010.

Lehner has repeatedly said that the standards improve greatly on Ohio's old ones and will raise expectations of students, which will give them greater chances to be successful in life.

Meanwhile, Cheryl K. Chumley of The Washington Times reports that in Louisiana:

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said he was filing a lawsuit on Wednesday against the Obama administration over alleged manipulation of grant money to force states to accept Common Core as their school standards.

Mr. Jindal is also accusing the White House of manipulating the regulatory process to compel states to take the much-disputed educational program, The Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Department of Education used its $4.3 billion grant program and waiver policy to press states into accepting the same educational testing and standards program. Mr. Jindal said that action “effectively forces states down a path toward a national curriculum,” which violates the 10th Amendment of the Constitution — state sovereignty, AP said.

Mr. Jindal also alleged the action breaks federal laws that ban the federal government from taking control of school and educational content.

He was planning to file the complaint in federal court in Baton Rouge.

AP was provided a draft copy of the suit.

“The federal government has hijacked and destroyed the Common Core initiative,” Mr. Jindal said in a statement reported by AP. “Common Core is the latest effort by big government disciples to strip away state rights and put Washington, D.C., in control of everything.”

At least Gov. Jindal is now actively challenging a policy he once supported. And he is getting blasted in the press for doing a 180 on a policy he was for, before he was against it. 

The federal government should have NO say in education; that is what parents and teachers are supposed to do. Cleveland Tea Party Patriots thank all Ohio patriots who submitted testimony at the recent hearings in Columbus. 

Common Core testimony in Columbus

Image credit: greenecountyteaparty.ohio.org

Gov. Kasich is still supporting Common Core, but the cleveland.com report on hearings and testimony in Columbus has a lot of useful links:

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The state legislature continues its debate about the Common Core educational standards this week, following a week that saw opponents of the Core criticize them, Gov. John Kasich weighing in on the debate and two national polls offering varying national looks at support for the Core.

Testimony started last week on a bill that would kill the multi-state education standards in Ohio. It resumed Tuesday and continues with testimony both Wednesday morning and evening, with an afternoon break.

Testimony continues Wednesday with Eric Gordon, chief executive officer of the Cleveland schools, and Alan Rosskamm of the Breakthrough charter school networkscheduled to testify in support of the Common Core.

Marsha Mockabee, president of the Urban League of Cleveland, is also scheduled to testify.

Linda Gojak, a mathematics professor at John Carroll University who is the immediate past president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, testified for the new standards on Tuesday. See her written testimony HERE.

Also testifying Tuesday on behalf of the standards was Char Shryock, director of curriculum for the Bay Village schools. See her written testimony HERE.

Last week's Common Core opponents from Northeast Ohio included state school board member Sarah Fowler, who represents Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage and Trumbull counties, along with portions of Lake and Summit counties. See her written testimony HERE.

Kasich last week said Ohio needs stronger standards than the ones it has used the last several years. While not backing the Common Core by name, Kasich supported the state's new standards – standards that are mostly the Common Core.

He said that local districts need the freedom to set their own curriculum to meet those standards and that he believes they have that ability.

Kasich said he has not seen enough evidence to kill the standards – as House Bill 597 now being debated would do – but could re-evaluate his position if the hearings in the House find any new information.

Here are a few news accounts of Kasich's comments, given in response to a question when he was on the road.

Governor Kasich Responds To Common Core Critics In Beavercreek

Kasich expresses support for Common Core standards

Here is a recording of the short news conference where he discussed the Core, provided by Kasich's office: Kasich on Common Core July 2014.m4a

Spokesman Rob Nichols made one key clarification to Kasich's remarks: "In that second sentence – he said: 'We want local school boards to develop the curricula to "set" those standards, advised by parents who live in those districts.'  He should have said 'meet' those standards, not 'set' those standards."

Nationally, two polls dominated Common Core discussion, with their results showing increased awareness of what the Common Core is, but mixed feelings about whether schools should use the standards.

Here's what an annual poll by Phi Delta Kappa and Gallup found, according to the two groups:

"Last year, almost two-thirds of Americans had never heard of the CCSS. This year, 81 percent said they had heard about the CCSS and 47 percent said they had heard a great deal or a fair amount. And what they're hearing has led to opposition: 60 percent of those questioned said they oppose the CCSS, with the biggest factor being a belief that the standards will limit the flexibility of teachers to teach what they think is best."

Another poll by Education Next, a magazine published by the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, found declining support for the Common Core, but supporters still outnumbering opponents.

From the Education Next website:

Although a majority of the public continues to support the standards set by CCSSI, and supporters outnumber opponents by a two-to-one margin, trend lines show serious erosion in support. In 2013, no less than 65% of the general public favored the standards, but that portion is now just 53% (see Figure 1). Meanwhile, the opposition has doubled from 13% to 26%. (The share taking no position on the issue has remained essentially unchanged, at 21% in 2014.)

See also this report by Education Week on the Education Next poll and this National Public Radio report on how wording of poll questions may have influenced the results.

- - - -

For more background, go here for some good resources. Michelle Malkin reported on the maneuvering next door in Indiana earlier this year. Indiana parents are winning, and Ohioans Against Common Core can too.  

Why can't Ohio get rid of Common Core?

Art credit: fotosearch.com

A little over a month ago, Oklahoma got rid of Common Core. But legislation to get rid of Common Core in Ohio continues to languish in the statehouse. Why? Here’s a clue from July 16 in the Columbus Dispatch about Gov. Kasich, from a paragraph buried toward the end of the article:

Kasich spoke [on July 15] to more than 200 members of the Ashland Area, Bucyrus Area, Clear Fork Valley, Galion-Crestline and Richland Area chambers of commerce at Deer Ridge Golf Club south of Mansfield.

. . .

The governor also defended the Common Core, saying while the plan sets overall goals for educational achievement, local school boards must approve the curriculum to achieve those objectives. Common Core is a set of common standards for math and English/language arts.

Goals and common standards? Here is a stinging analysis of the “common standards” from Bruce Deitrick Price at American Thinker:

“Drop a precision part so it would deform a tiny bit and malfunction down the line.”  That’s practically an epitaph for the destructive results achieved by our elite educators throughout the 20^th century.

Great cunning was displayed in educational sabotage.  Typically, there is an optimal sequence in learning something, no matter if it's tennis, driving a car, typing, speaking French, or American history.  Disrupt that ideal sequence, teach things in a confusing way, and you will have poor results.

Consider reading.  The ideal sequence is that the child memorizes the alphabet, learns the sounds represented by each letter, and then learns to blend those sounds.  At that point, the child is reading.  This extraordinary skill was once routinely mastered in the first grade.  That was before saboteurs got to work.

The essence of their technique was to hide the alphabet and the sounds.  The child was kept busy doing the worst possible thing: memorizing words as diagrams.  This is a slow task, and hopeless.  English has several hundred thousand words, and many are remarkably similar: life, light, flight, lite, lifer, lit, fife, fifth, fight, fright.  Also, consider Dolch lists for the fifth or sixth grade.  The student is still illiterate at the age of 11 or 12.  Clearly, that was the plan. 

In arithmetic, the sabotage technique was equally obvious.  Again, the Education Establishment used relentless praise of a lie – in this case, that children would learn math more quickly if, at the elementary level, they studied a mix of easy and advanced concepts.  This makes as much sense as taking novice skiers up on the black-diamond slopes...which would make perfect sense if you were trying to kill kids.

New Math came along in the 1960s, and children were expected to learn matrices, statistics, Boolean algebra, set theory, base-8.  Stuff that was once taught in college now had to be taught in the second grade.  Only a saboteur would say so.  Twenty years later, Reform Math used similar gimmicks.  Children today are still bedeviled by weird and unnecessary complexities, now often ridiculed as Common Core Math.

In the teaching of general knowledge, our saboteurs were particularly ingenious.  They created what military people call interlocking fire.  Nothing survives.

Multiculturalism says don’t bother learning anything about your own culture.  Relevance says don’t bother learning anything about faraway cultures.  Self-esteem says don’t teach anything that some children won't be able to handle.  No Memorization says don’t ask a child to remember anything.  In case any little wisp of knowledge might still get through, Constructivism says that teachers should not teach.  In a sick way, all of this is genius.  From K to 12, schools have an array of reasons why they need not bother teaching.

Read the rest here.

# # #