The following is an email from UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh.
Over the past few weeks, students have been taking SAGE tests on writing. We have heard from many of you about the challenges your students have experienced with this test and others.
The UEA has assisted Rep. Marie Poulson in writing a resolution (numbered HCR7, view here) to minimize excessive testing and its negative impacts on the schoolchildren of Utah.
HCR7 is being heard in the House Education Standing Committee on Tuesday, February 17, at 4:10 p.m. in Room 30 in the House Building (view agenda). I will be testifying in support of this resolution. I encourage you, your members and anyone who can possibly join us to do so. Our presence will show our support of this resolution and the efforts of Rep. Poulson.
Even if you cannot attend, please share your testing stories by e-mailing your Legislator.
Thank you!
Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh
UEA President
Showing posts with label Testing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Testing. Show all posts
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
SAGE Information from UEA
The following is from UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh.
Thank you for all of your feedback on the SAGE computer adaptive test. Many members contacted me and shared personal experiences, frustrations and hopes about the SAGE test. More than 3,000 members participated in our online survey and shared their experiences with SAGE. This input was extremely valuable in understanding the problems and potential of the new tests for students and educators. Based on this feedback UEA met with the Utah State Office of Education (USOE) to discuss SAGE and request specific action.
We specifically requested that the Utah State Board of Education address, correct or implement several critical issues related to SAGE:
· Technical glitches
· Technology infrastructure
· Accommodations for special education students
· Testing protocols
· Loss of instructional time required to administer assessments
· Clear communication plan to engage educators
As part of the effort to keep educators more fully informed about SAGE, please see the letter from USOE Associate Superintendent Judy Park. The letter outlines corrections and changes that will be made to the test, the timeline for release of testing data and next steps in the SAGE development process.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
SAGE Issues
We have been working with AIR today and this evening to investigate, diagnose, and respond to today’s testing problems. After receiving an update from AIR this evening, they have assured us that all server problems contributing to the SAGE system issues seen yesterday and today, have been resolved and that testing can proceed as scheduled tomorrow.
AIR has provided the following response to Utah’s concerns:
SAGE Summative -3/26/14 System Disruption Update
AIR has identified and corrected the cause of the issues experienced today in some schools. After making the correction late this afternoon, AIR continued to closely monitor the servers. The performance of the servers immediately returned to their normal operating state. We are confident that students should not experience any further problems related to the SAGE servers. We will be monitoring the system closely throughout the day tomorrow. Additionally, AIR is confident that no student data was lost. If you have any concerns about student data, or if you want to report any other concern, please call AIR’s Help Desk at 1-855-570-7239. Thank you for your patience.
SAGE Help Desk Improvement -3/26/14 Update
AIR is committed to providing Utah teachers, test proctors, and students with the best possible customer service and timely information from our Help Desk. In support of ongoing process improvement we are working with USOE to update all our Help Desk reference materials to ensure they are consistent with USOE testing policy and reflect the system requirements of SAGE. Help Desk staff will be retrained on updated communication protocols and SAGE-specific reference materials. Knowing how important timely responses are to the schools, AIR is adding additional Help Desk staff that will be dedicated to the SAGE program.
Julie Quinn
CoordinatorTest Administration and Reporting
Assessment and Accountability
Utah State Office of Education
Julie.Quinn@schools.utah.gov
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Third Grade DIBELS
Three weeks ago, the District was notified by the State Board of Education that the Legislature had found an old law requiring a reading test be given to third graders at the end of the year. Originally, the IOWA Test of Basic Skills was used. When the funding ran out, the testing stopped. Now the legislators want the testing done during the CRT window without providing any money, another unfunded mandate. The Legislature directed the State Board of Education to decide which test would be used. Due to the lack of time and money, the State Board decided on DIBELS.
Third grade teachers should have been told they do not have to administer the SRI. Also, teachers administer and report words per minute and errors. Literacy coaches will be entering the data.
Third grade teachers should have been told they do not have to administer the SRI. Also, teachers administer and report words per minute and errors. Literacy coaches will be entering the data.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
School Board Retreat
Yesterday the School Board met for a retreat, which was a public meeting, so I attended. The agenda had items on it I am interested in knowing about.
The first item was Board Meeting Agendas and Procedures. There was a lot of discussion about what types of items should be discussed in Study Session and what should be part of the General Business Meeting. I believe some of the presentations given during the Study Sessions are now going to be part of the General Business Meeting. This would include presentations from district administration on various programs or policies. There was also talk of adjusting times for Board Meetings.
Steve Dunham, District Communications Director, came to talk about the website and social media and answer questions. He showed the Board Members how to search and where to find links to commonly sought information. They discussed the use of BoardDocs. Facebook and Twitter accounts have been reserved but not activated, because the Communications Department was cut from four to one person. Steve doesn't feel he can respond as people on Facebook and Twitter expect at this point.
The Board wants to be more proactive in telling the District's story. They want the positive aspects of the District to be known. The website has a lot of information on it. The Sunshine Review graded the JSD website with an A+ for transparency as far as information found on the website.
Morale of employees was discussed. Several Board members agreed that employees want to feel valued. There was a discussion on how to help employees feel valued. They recognize that it is going to take some time to rebuild trust. Susan Pulsipher suggested that Board members be visible in schools as often as their time permits and just listen to employee concerns.
Clyde Mason, Director of Compliance and Accountability, gave a presentation on test scores for just the west side current Jordan District for the last five years. There has been some progress made in closing the achievement gap between Hispanics and Caucasians. The bar is being raised for NCLB, so they should expect more schools to not make AYP for this year. Secondary Math and Science scores are down.
Schools implementing the Math Scope, Sequence, and Assessments are seeing improvement on CRT's.
The DIBELS testing done mid-year showed approximately 1/3 of students in grades 1-3 were not on grade level at that time.
The District has had a grant to give the EXPLORE test in eighth grade, the PLAN test in tenth grade, and the ACT to all juniors this year. Using the entire cadre of tests would prove valuable for teachers, students, parents, and counselors in helping find the best path for post-high school education and employment. These tests would be more meaningful to students than UBSCT, because they gain valuable information and have scores sent to colleges and universities. The UBSCT was for legislators.
Laura Finlinson, Director of Curriculum and Staff Development, shared information about PLC's, which include learning, collaboration, elimination of failure, commitment, guaranteed curriculum, specific goals, dynamic assessment, planning to improve, learning fixed, and learning for all. The questions that need to be asked are: What do we want students know and do? How will we know if they do? What will we do if they don’t? What will we do if they do?
Board members want the School Board to become a PLC. They want principals who come to Board Meetings to celebrate their schools to talk about how PLC's and collaboration are working in their schools. They see PLC's as the research based tool for school improvement.
Burke Jolley, Business Administrator, presented a 10-year plan for building new schools. The new elementary in West Jordan is under construction and scheduled to open Fall 2011, and a new middle school in the Herriman/Bingham areas is planned using county equalization money and scheduled to open Fall 2013.
Nine other schools are planned to open between Fall 2013 and Fall 2018, including six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.
A discussion followed about a bond of about $230 million that will be needed to pay for those nine schools. The Board doesn't think now is the time for a bond election. They will start an Enrollment and Housing Committee this fall after the new superintendent starts.
It was interesting to listen to the discussions. The Board seems very aware of problems in the district. They recognize their role is to determine the "What" as far as the direction and policy for the District. They then leave the "How" that direction and policy are carried out to the administration.
The first item was Board Meeting Agendas and Procedures. There was a lot of discussion about what types of items should be discussed in Study Session and what should be part of the General Business Meeting. I believe some of the presentations given during the Study Sessions are now going to be part of the General Business Meeting. This would include presentations from district administration on various programs or policies. There was also talk of adjusting times for Board Meetings.
Steve Dunham, District Communications Director, came to talk about the website and social media and answer questions. He showed the Board Members how to search and where to find links to commonly sought information. They discussed the use of BoardDocs. Facebook and Twitter accounts have been reserved but not activated, because the Communications Department was cut from four to one person. Steve doesn't feel he can respond as people on Facebook and Twitter expect at this point.
The Board wants to be more proactive in telling the District's story. They want the positive aspects of the District to be known. The website has a lot of information on it. The Sunshine Review graded the JSD website with an A+ for transparency as far as information found on the website.
Morale of employees was discussed. Several Board members agreed that employees want to feel valued. There was a discussion on how to help employees feel valued. They recognize that it is going to take some time to rebuild trust. Susan Pulsipher suggested that Board members be visible in schools as often as their time permits and just listen to employee concerns.
Clyde Mason, Director of Compliance and Accountability, gave a presentation on test scores for just the west side current Jordan District for the last five years. There has been some progress made in closing the achievement gap between Hispanics and Caucasians. The bar is being raised for NCLB, so they should expect more schools to not make AYP for this year. Secondary Math and Science scores are down.
Schools implementing the Math Scope, Sequence, and Assessments are seeing improvement on CRT's.
The DIBELS testing done mid-year showed approximately 1/3 of students in grades 1-3 were not on grade level at that time.
The District has had a grant to give the EXPLORE test in eighth grade, the PLAN test in tenth grade, and the ACT to all juniors this year. Using the entire cadre of tests would prove valuable for teachers, students, parents, and counselors in helping find the best path for post-high school education and employment. These tests would be more meaningful to students than UBSCT, because they gain valuable information and have scores sent to colleges and universities. The UBSCT was for legislators.
Laura Finlinson, Director of Curriculum and Staff Development, shared information about PLC's, which include learning, collaboration, elimination of failure, commitment, guaranteed curriculum, specific goals, dynamic assessment, planning to improve, learning fixed, and learning for all. The questions that need to be asked are: What do we want students know and do? How will we know if they do? What will we do if they don’t? What will we do if they do?
Board members want the School Board to become a PLC. They want principals who come to Board Meetings to celebrate their schools to talk about how PLC's and collaboration are working in their schools. They see PLC's as the research based tool for school improvement.
Burke Jolley, Business Administrator, presented a 10-year plan for building new schools. The new elementary in West Jordan is under construction and scheduled to open Fall 2011, and a new middle school in the Herriman/Bingham areas is planned using county equalization money and scheduled to open Fall 2013.
Nine other schools are planned to open between Fall 2013 and Fall 2018, including six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.
A discussion followed about a bond of about $230 million that will be needed to pay for those nine schools. The Board doesn't think now is the time for a bond election. They will start an Enrollment and Housing Committee this fall after the new superintendent starts.
It was interesting to listen to the discussions. The Board seems very aware of problems in the district. They recognize their role is to determine the "What" as far as the direction and policy for the District. They then leave the "How" that direction and policy are carried out to the administration.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Council of Local Presidents
Judy Park from the State Office of Education did a presentation on SMARTER Balanced Assessment which will assess the Common Core and will be implemented in the 2014-2015 school year.
Kory Holdaway, UEA Government Relations Director, discussed the upcoming Legislative Sesison. You can see a preview of hot issues at the link. There are several issues that educators will need to monitor and respond to. As members, you may receive e-mails throughout the session from UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh. Please read them so you know what is happening on the hill and so you can act if necessary.
Sara Jones, UEA Director of Educational Excellence, shared the results of a survey on alternative pay structures.
There was a lot of information presented at this meeting. I believe these three items of the most interest and relevance to you right now.
Kory Holdaway, UEA Government Relations Director, discussed the upcoming Legislative Sesison. You can see a preview of hot issues at the link. There are several issues that educators will need to monitor and respond to. As members, you may receive e-mails throughout the session from UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh. Please read them so you know what is happening on the hill and so you can act if necessary.
Sara Jones, UEA Director of Educational Excellence, shared the results of a survey on alternative pay structures.
There was a lot of information presented at this meeting. I believe these three items of the most interest and relevance to you right now.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Southland Elementary Visit
I spent lunch today at Southland Elementary. I enjoyed visiting with all the teachers there. I was also able to talk to the new student teachers. One item that came up there was the SB 150 requiring a specific reading test for grades 1-3 prior to mid-year. The Literacy Coaches have spent since before Winter Break going to all the elementary schools to do this testing. By law, principals must send a letter to parents of students who are not on grade level telling parents of available interventions and then implementing those interventions. Go to Utah.gov to see the law.
January Jordan Education Foundation Board Meeting
This morning I attended the JEF Board Meeting. Interim Superintendent, Dave Stoddard, talked about Jordan District's support of Promises to Keep and the Prosperity 2020 ideas that came out of the Education Excellence Summit 2010: partnerships for Educational Success. He discussed the hold on UBSCT for two years and how Jordan District received around $50,000 in a block grant from the State Legislature to pay for the cost of giving the EXPLORE to eighth graders, the PLAN to sophomores, and the ACT to juniors throughout the District. The total cost is around $150,000. Jordan believes the ongoing use of these tests can give teachers data to help students find their career path. Jordan will apply if another grant is offered.
JEF is holding their annual fundraising breakfast on Wednesday, February 23 at 7:45 a.m. at the Gathering Place a Gardner Village. If you know someone who lives or owns a business in Jordan District who may be interested in helping the Foundation raise money which goes to teachers through grants and students through scholarships, please let me know so I can invite them to this event.
JEF is holding their annual fundraising breakfast on Wednesday, February 23 at 7:45 a.m. at the Gathering Place a Gardner Village. If you know someone who lives or owns a business in Jordan District who may be interested in helping the Foundation raise money which goes to teachers through grants and students through scholarships, please let me know so I can invite them to this event.
Friday, November 19, 2010
November DAC
The District Advisory Committee met yesterday afternoon. We discussed principals who are not following the newly negotiated item about Grade Transmittal Days being optional, and that teachers will complete their grades on time, either prior to or on that day.
High school Parent Teacher Conferences were discussed. This item will go to the new committee that will begin meeting in January to look at possibly restructuring to make better use of time.
AP funding was addressed. Funding is based on the number of students who passed the tests the previous year. However, the amount of funding changes from year to year. This is very difficult to predict.
Suspensions in 9th-12th grade show on the transcript, which is a permanent document. Once information is on a transcript, it cannot be changed.
The time to administer the PLAN test in middle and high schools was a problem. They would like a late start, but the logistics of transportation make this difficult. Questions need to be directed to Clyde Mason.
A question about our calendared holiday breaks not matching surrounding districts was brought up. We have year round schools, and try to match our traditional and year round holiday breaks as closely as possible. This makes adding days to Thanksgiving, Winter, or Spring breaks nearly impossible. Anyone who has served on the Calendar Committee recognizes this.
Finally, we reviewed some recently revised policies.
High school Parent Teacher Conferences were discussed. This item will go to the new committee that will begin meeting in January to look at possibly restructuring to make better use of time.
AP funding was addressed. Funding is based on the number of students who passed the tests the previous year. However, the amount of funding changes from year to year. This is very difficult to predict.
Suspensions in 9th-12th grade show on the transcript, which is a permanent document. Once information is on a transcript, it cannot be changed.
The time to administer the PLAN test in middle and high schools was a problem. They would like a late start, but the logistics of transportation make this difficult. Questions need to be directed to Clyde Mason.
A question about our calendared holiday breaks not matching surrounding districts was brought up. We have year round schools, and try to match our traditional and year round holiday breaks as closely as possible. This makes adding days to Thanksgiving, Winter, or Spring breaks nearly impossible. Anyone who has served on the Calendar Committee recognizes this.
Finally, we reviewed some recently revised policies.
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