Nebraska is one of a handful of states that has not yet adopted the Common Core State Standards. Our state has resisted efforts by the federal government to go along with these national standards, even though millions in federal dollars are being dangled as an incentive. However, the Nebraska Board of Education is now considering contracting themselves with the US Department of Education and adopting the Common Core. Here are the reasons the NFF opposes the Common Core:
What is Common Core?
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of content standards at this time limited to English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. These standards, if adopted by a state, will replace existing state standards in these subject areas. That is not all, there are other agreements the states make when they choose to adopt the Common Core State Standards including the new age Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) that will be given twice yearly, and participation in the State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) which will store testing data along with private student specific data and share that data with other states, the Federal Government, and private interests.
What's wrong with Standards?
Nothing. Nebraska and every other state has standards, most of which are very similar, but Common Core State Standards were created by National Non-Governmental Organizations in Washington DC with no public involvement. Proponents of the CCSS call these standards "state led" but the fact is that the National Governors Association (NGA) and the National Council of State School Officers (CCSSO) and their private partners like Achieve and the Gates Foundation.
It's Not A National Curriculum Right?
It's Not A National Curriculum Right?
Curriculum follows standards. Good or bad when standards are written and copyrighted by the Federal Government via private partnerships in business and States who agree to Adopt those standards are not free to change any standards. In fact states are allowed to add only 15% of original content standards. The connection between standards and curriculum is clear. As the Brooking Institute wrote in their report "How Well Are American Students Learning?", "The intended curriculum is embodied by standards; it is what governments want students to learn. The differences articulated by state governments in this regard are frequently trivial." So national standards will lead to a national curriculum and control over education will transfer from the hands of parents and local school boards to the US Department of Education and the set of unelected boards, bureaucrats, and private partners the USDOE decides is best.
What Does Testing Look Like Under Common Core?
What Does Testing Look Like Under Common Core?
Proponents of the Common Core are excited about the CAT tests which are developed by companies like American Institutes for Research (AIR) with grants from the federal government. AIR "is one of the world's largest behavioral and social science research organizations" and is applying behavioral and social science to educational assessments. These tests are highly statistically accurate and proponents push for implementing the latest and greatest technologies to assist with the accurate measurement of student progress in academics. So what's the problem?
Why does the NFF have reservations about participating in Common Core National Testing?
Are Nebraska's students disadvantaged by not participating in CAT tests?
What information will they store in these data basis and why should I be concerned?
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the Common Core agenda is the data mining of our children's information outside of parental consent or knowledge. Stored in these data basis that were created as part of the "Race to the Top" grant program is highly personal student data such as social security number, health-care histories, learning disabilities, disciplinary action (from detentions for minor infractions to expulsions), attendance, homework completion, religious affiliations, and any educational or physiological data assessed through CAT. In 2011 portions of FERPA were changed by Arnie Duncan at the USDOE so that data the states share with the Federal government can then be shared with private organizations and companies WITHOUT PARENTAL PERMISSION. Nebraska has already created it's version of the SLDS and is storing student specific data in this computerized system. The company charged with collecting and storing our children's data, inBloom, states in its own privacy policy that it “cannot guarantee the security of the information stored in inBloom or that the information will not be intercepted when it is being transmitted.” The NFF is concerned that if Nebraska adopts Common Core fully our children's personal and family information will have no protections under privacy laws.
GOOD OR BAD OVERALL
The NFF guiding principles are at odds with the Common Core State Standards agenda. Our principle that Family is Key is in jeopardy when parents have less control over what their children learn and how they learn it. Our principle that Freedom in Education is Essential is weakened when our schools are controlled by forces we cannot influence. Our principle that Government Intrusion can be Harmful is a reminder that we must be very careful about what kind of "help" we accept from government because governments who seek to micro-manage the everyday choices of parents in pursuit prescribed outcomes, will do great harm to the integrity of the family and by extension, the well-being of children and society as a whole. For these core reasons the NFF will work to keep Nebraska state schools free.
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the Common Core agenda is the data mining of our children's information outside of parental consent or knowledge. Stored in these data basis that were created as part of the "Race to the Top" grant program is highly personal student data such as social security number, health-care histories, learning disabilities, disciplinary action (from detentions for minor infractions to expulsions), attendance, homework completion, religious affiliations, and any educational or physiological data assessed through CAT. In 2011 portions of FERPA were changed by Arnie Duncan at the USDOE so that data the states share with the Federal government can then be shared with private organizations and companies WITHOUT PARENTAL PERMISSION. Nebraska has already created it's version of the SLDS and is storing student specific data in this computerized system. The company charged with collecting and storing our children's data, inBloom, states in its own privacy policy that it “cannot guarantee the security of the information stored in inBloom or that the information will not be intercepted when it is being transmitted.” The NFF is concerned that if Nebraska adopts Common Core fully our children's personal and family information will have no protections under privacy laws.
GOOD OR BAD OVERALL
Many will argue Common Core based on whether or not the standards are good rigorous standards, whether or not the Common Core will improve education in American, whether a national curriculum will lead to indoctrination of our kids, or whether or not the Common Core will make America's economy more competitive. These are interesting discussions but whatever side you come down on in each of these cases there are a few simple facts about Common Core that make it a dangerous path for American education. (1) States who adopt Common Core lend their constitutional powers and responsibilities to oversee education in their states to the Federal government and move decision making over a child's education further from the hands of parents and communities. (2) There is no way to control the private interests who are highly involved with Common Core or to be certain they have our children's best interest at heart. (3) There is no way to be certain that very private intimate data on our children and by extension our families won't be abused by the Federal Government or private interests with access to this data. And (4) There is NO evidence that further standardizing education and a new testing regime will result in better educations for our children.
In the words of Ronald Reagan: “Remember that every government service, every offer of government - is paid for in the loss of some personal freedom... In the days to come, whenever a voice is raised telling you to let the government do it, analyze very carefully to see whether the suggested service is worth the personal freedom which you must forgo in return for such service.”― Ronald Reagan
Join in us in this fight. We need your ACTION!
Write to the Governor, your State Senator, the Legislature's Education Committee, the State Board of Education and let them know that you do NOT want to give up local control of our children’s education and we do NOT want Common Core State Standards in Nebraska! This is happening now so we need voices heard NOW...please write, call, email TODAY!
Governor Heineman
http://www.governor.nebraska.gov/mail/govmail.html
Education Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature
http://news.legislature.ne.gov/edu/
[email protected]
[email protected]
Nebraska State Board of Education
http://www.education.ne.gov/StateBoard/Members.html
Write to the Governor, your State Senator, the Legislature's Education Committee, the State Board of Education and let them know that you do NOT want to give up local control of our children’s education and we do NOT want Common Core State Standards in Nebraska! This is happening now so we need voices heard NOW...please write, call, email TODAY!
Governor Heineman
http://www.governor.nebraska.gov/mail/govmail.html
Education Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature
http://news.legislature.ne.gov/edu/
[email protected]
[email protected]
Nebraska State Board of Education
http://www.education.ne.gov/StateBoard/Members.html
I wonder how much longer we, (the people of Nebraska, not the Gov. officals) can "stave" off Common Core. In an article in the Lincoln Journal Star, October 2011, it explains Nebraska's application for a 50 million dollar Race To the Top grant. They go on to say that there are only a few steps left, thanks to Susie Buffet, to attain all the "qualifications" necessary to receive this "grant."
ReplyDeleteWe have been told in the Johnson-Brock School District that Nebraska has alligned it's standards to common core. They are teaching our 4th graders math from a common core book new this year. My family is very upset over this. If you have not seen how they are teaching math, you need to check it out. It seems to us that it will put our students at a great disadvantage because they will not be able to multiply and divide a simple problem.
ReplyDeleteCommon Core WILL BE HERE full force in the elementary schools this next coming school year 2014/15. Not so much in the Secondary schools they are targeting elementary. it has been brought in through Building Bright Futures Organization which is tied to the Gates Foundation..
Deletemy kids hate school and cry all the time because they cant multiply and divide simple problems that dont understand and most of the teachers dont know how to teach it to them one of the kids teacher he does both old and new way for math and tells them to do what is easier to them but he even hates common core and we live in UT now but was in NE for awhile
DeleteMy family is moving there from Colorado and California. I am involved in the stopcommoncorecolorado.webs.com and know that we are heavily involved in Common Core, as we are a blueprint state for it. As I have studied CC in Nebraska(we were excited to escape CC here) I realize that you are also very involved in CC. The state standardized testing there is called Terra Nova. Please google Smarter Balanced testing along with Terra Nova and note that they are the same. Then, do your research on CC and see that in order to do these federally mandated tests you must be aligned to the Common Core Standards, which are only in English and Math now, but, next year, will also be in Science and Social Studies.. There are tests already being administered that lay the groundwork for these.. And the agenda on those are quite disgusting as they pervert American History and basically portray America as a "warmonger" nation and Science will include the National Sex Ed Standards~google those(very disgusting) Nebraska really needs a Stop Common Core group. It is a fact that Bill Gates has given millions and millions to fund the Common Core Standards. From the very beginning, he funded the NGA(national governors assoc.) and the CCSSO (chief council of State School Officers) to meet in private, with no public records, to develop the standards. They are not field tested or benchmarked..Contact Dr. Sandra Stotsky, who sat on the validation committee and refused to validate these standards. Excellent resource is Pioneer Public Policy Research Institute, Truth in American Education or watch the movie a www.commoncoremovie.com....
ReplyDeletei lived in Nebraska and have moved to Utah they do common core here the parents and teachers hate it they don't understand how to teach it to the kids and they sure as heck don't understand it my KIDS HATE SCHOOL AND CRY WHEN THEY COME HOME because they don't understand it it needs to stay the same as it is no common core crap if you want kids to learn and have fun learning then don't do it almost 85% of the salt lake valley schools are all home schooled and before they were their education levels were way down and they have doubled if not tripled since home school my kids beg me to do home school so if you want kids to have fun at learning at school and want to go then keep the common core out
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