Schools

Pearl River Schools Answer Questions About Assessments, Common Core

Pearl River School District Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Sue Wheeler often addresses developments or changes in classroom planning during board of education meetings.

Tuesday night, she gave a presentation on the history of New York State assessments right up through the state's grade three through eight testing last year, which brought relatively low scores and questions from parents in Pearl River and all over the state, 

"We now find ourselves in another revision cycle," Wheeler said. "We are looking at the Common Core (standards), which New York State adopted in January 2011."

The more rigorous Common Core Learning Standards, taken on with the goal better preparing New York State's students for college and beyond, began to impact classroom education last year and are reflected even more this fall, raising further questions from concerned parents. 

Parent Kerry Baker said her children, who attend Lincoln Avenue Elementary School, were happy in school before this year. 

"They were average to above average," Baker said. "Now they are failing and do not want to go to school. They are failing tests. The math is too advanced. Other parents are also complaining."

She said her second grader in particular is upset and concerned about being left behind and she has heard similar stories from other parents.

"The school system was not broken, but it seems to be broken now," Baker said. "I've never heard home school thrown around as much as I do now."

Issues with second grade math were brought up by more than one parent.

"I've heard about second grade a number of times this evening," Evans Park Elementary School Principal Peggy Lynch said. "I share your concerns. We are looking where a missing piece of first grade might be. We are making adjustments. The second grade teachers are moving on to the next module, which doesn't seem as challenging. The second grade one has been particularly tough. I don't ever want children feeling anxious or going home upset. None of us do. We are going to go back and revisit things where we think we have gaps and make it better."

Franklin Avenue Elementary School Principal Maureen Alaimo said she already sees progress. She had teachers tell her they were covering material in October they might have gotten to in February a year ago, but she was encouraged by her classroom observations t his week.

"Kids were getting it," Alaimo said. "By the second week of October, kids were getting what in the past they may have gotten to in February. That made me feel better. Let's give it a try. If it makes them better mathematical thinkers, the hard part is this year."

Parent Clare Steward, who lives in Pearl River, but her child attends BOCES for the special education programs, also questioned data being gathered by the state.

"I ask the board and (Superintendent) Dr. (John) Morgano, when do you put the safety and love of knowledge of our children before the corporate-backed, top-down government?" Steward asked. "When do you say enough? Our children come first."


The parents who spoke up were quick to say their issue was with the state requirements more than the district and praising the work of teachers and administrators in trying to deal with them. Wheeler and Morgano both pointed out that the district has little control over these things other than speaking through representatives to the state and joining with other administrators to raise concerns. Morgano said that New York State Education Department John King does not even speak to superintendents directly. Morgano pointed out that King was expected to speak at a forum in Poughkeepsie last week. Check back with Patch for more on that forum.

Morgano said the issue was not so much with the new standards or with APPR, the new evaluations for teachers and building administrators, but with the implementation of the changes.

"There are some things we have control over and some we do not," Morgano said. "As I told the teachers Monday, the Common Core and APPR are sound, but I don't think they were implemented in the best way possible," Morgano said. "I told them that. The state rushed it because of the Race to the Top money. We got a few thousand dollars over four years.

"They are sound ideas, but they were implemented in a rush. The teachers are working hard trying to make it work. I give them a lot of credit. Thankfully, we have the best teachers there are. If the (NYS) Commissioner did ever answer the phone, I can't say, John, it's a pleasure to know you, but I'd like you to stop Common Core for a couple of years. That's not going to happen."

Morgano spoke of his involvement with the Council of School Superintendents, which has sent letters to King about the changes. He said teachers can respond through their organizations as parents can through the local, state and national PTA.

"We cannot stop it, but perhaps we can slow it down a bit," Morgano said. "Now maybe PARCC testing may be delayed. Sometimes we can have influence. They don't say it is because of what they are hearing. They don't want to tell us it is because of what they are hearing because they don't want to encourage it."

Steward asked Morgano if he would support legislation calling for New York State to stop implementation of the Common Core standads. In June, New York Assemblyman Al Graf proposed Assembly Bill A-7994, which would do just that. Morgano said he had to read the bill first.

"You are bringing up reasonable concerns," Pearl River Board of Education member Tom DePrisco said. "We understand you are not here to beat us up. You are legitimately bringing up concerns."

Wheeler expressed her confidence that the district and its students will overcome the current challenges.

"I am confident we will get over these bumps in the road and our kids will do really well and send rockets into space," Wheeler said. 

Wheeler will speak at a Parent University focused on the Common Core for math in Grades K-4 Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Evans Park Elementary School. She said she also plans to address shifts in ELA and math at the next board of education meeting Oct. 22.

Meanwhile, there are more changes coming, including the first administration of Regents Exams in ELA (Common Core) and Algebra 1 (Common Core) in 2014, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC) testing could come as soon as 2015. 

Editor's note: Check back with Patch for more on the statewide debate regarding the Common Core Learning Standards, including the forum in Poughkeepsie last week. 


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