We welcome our first chapter in Virginia, PAA-Roanoke Valley, and its leader, Laura Bowman.Check out (and like!) their new Facebook page! Here’s the story Laura told us about why she wanted to start a PAA chapter: I think it’s so important to have a parent group in my area speaking up in support of our public schools, teachers, and students. I believe that high stakes testing and the education reform movement have hijacked our schools and turned them into testing … →
From PAA Houston member Karen Miller: This morning the Senate Ed Comm did pass the parent trigger bill, SB 1263 with some amendments, one, by bill sponsor Sen Taylor would require the school to be defined as low performing for three years rather than two. Sen Lucio was concerned about governing body of open enrollment charter school cannot coerce, bribe or induce a parent to sign a petition for the parent trigger. Intent is to assure this is grassroots parent … →
From Karen Miller: The Texas House of Representatives voted 3/26 to reduce high stakes tests required for Texas high school graduation from 15 to 5 tests: English II reading and writing, algebra I, biology and US history. House public education committee chair, Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, began the marathon nine hour debate by asking the members four questions: *Are we over-testing our students? *Is it ok for a child to find a path outside of a four year college degree? … →
Garfield High School teacher and MAP test boycott leader Jesse Hagopian told the crowd at the Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago last Thursday night that he agreed with Arne Duncan that education is the civil rights movement of our time. But history teacher Jesse reminded us that the last major civil rights movement started with a boycott….and this time it might just be a test boycott. All the speakers for our “The…
PAA Board member Karen Miller shared this update on the threatened voucher amendment to the Senate budget proposal which she alerted us to last week: The US Senate pulled an all nighter last Friday, passing its first formal budget in four years. The Democratic-drafted budget was approved narrowly by a 50-49 vote, largely along party lines with all Republicans opposing the plan. They were joined by Democratic Senators Baucus (Montana), Hagan (North Carolina), Pryor (Arkansas), Begich (Alaska). Eighty nine year … →
TX Senate Education Committee Hearing Public Testimony of Lorie Barzano, March 26, 2013 Good afternoon, Committee members, guests. My name is Lorie Barzano, a public school parent, taxpayer and Chair of the Coalition to Strengthen Austin Urban Schools, a local affiliate of Parents Across America. We are a parent led group committed to quality, accessible Public Education for all children. I come here today as a parent to speak on behalf of countless parents who cannot miss work, find childcare … →
PAA affiliate MecklenburgACTS.org has launched a North Carolina-wide petition drive aimed at the high-stakes standardized tests that are doing so much damage to our children’s education. The petition builds on our successful campaign against testing madness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools two years ago. It calls on state legislators and school officials to reduce the number of exams required by the state and to remove all high-stakes consequences such as A-F schoolgrading and any connection to teacher pay. Our goal is to … →
One of our eagle-eyed members has alerted us to the fact that the Senate may be voting this afternoon on an amendment to the FY14 budget to divert some Title 1 money to private and religious schools in the form of vouchers. Please consider calling or e-mailing your Senators as well.You can watch the vote here on C-Span. Here’s the fax we just sent to the members of the Senate education committee voicing our opposition to vouchers. Parent Voices Emergency … →
Parent Voices Weekly Education Fax March 20, 2013 Support democratic governance of public schools The story: Legislative proposal seeks to strengthen local control of schools Last November, voters in Bridgeport, Connecticut rejected a corporate reform-backed effort to strip voters of their right to an elected school board. PAA Connecticut member Wendy Lecker wrote, “Bridgeport’s voters were not fooled by the reformers’ claims. A sound majority elected to retain their right to vote, maintaining public accountability for education.” 87% of … →
Parent Voices Weekly Education Fax March 13, 2013 Replace massive standardized testing with meaningful assessment The story: Parents and students across the U.S. are opting out of standardized tests A Texas mother and her son share outdoor learning while his schoolmates are indoors taking the state test (http://tinyurl.com/axwmhgq). Teachers and students in Seattle boycotted the state high school test (http://tinyurl.com/a4zmrqs). Chicago parents are passing petitions to stop the explosion of tests (http://tinyurl.com/a7pwkx9). Oregon parents are standing behind their high school … →
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