As a member of a grassroots group of engaged citizens, Citizens Empowering Education, I have been researching the Idaho State Standards for about a year. One of the issues that I questioned is if we should be concerned about the upcoming testing in our schools. This question is vital since these tests will be used to evaluate our students, teachers and schools. In order to gain more information, I requested feedback from our state’s superintendents. I then received this letter from a superintendent in southern Idaho. It concerns the assessments that our district will be giving this spring, the SBAC, Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium. CCSS refers to Common Core State Standards. I quote:

“I however am completely opposed to CCSS and the upcoming SBAC test for a host of reasons. Addressing only the test my concerns are:

1. The SBAC is 2-3 time longer than the current ISAT (which I felt was already very long).

2. The current design is too rigorous. Mr. Luna and the SDE (State Department of Education) have indicated they are predicting a 60-70 percent failure rate. Just 31 percent of children in New York passed the test and only 17 percent of the minority students. After two years of testing in Kentucky the SBAC failure rate is still 46 percent. I have asked every teacher in my district if they would design a test knowing beforehand that 60-70 percent of their children would fail. Not one would do so. So why would Mr. Luna or the SDE feel this is somehow beneficial?

3. Current curriculum is not aligned to CCSS so why are we testing to as yet very new and largely unaligned curriculum?

4. No college or university in the USA looks at SBAC results, so, again what is the premise for the test?

5. The results will not be made public this year, so, students will be subjected to intensely difficult testing for 8 + hours to what end?

6. Testing robs valuable classroom instructional time.

7. SBAC testing is cost prohibitive — especially when districts are still reeling and recovering from devastating budget cuts.

8. Adding insult to injury, the tests and the scoring are all outsourced out of state.

These concerns alone should be sufficient to halt or at least reexamine the SDE SBAC testing efforts. But if past is prologue then the SDE and Mr. Luna will plow ahead regardless.”

It appears that Mr. Luna and the other powers will oppose anyone who questions SBAC and the Idaho Core Standards.

Nonetheless, what we as concerned citizens must do. Contact your representatives from the list below and make your voice heard:

http://legislature.idaho.gov/senate/membership.cfm

Senators on the Education Committee:

Cherie Buckner-Webb (D) Dist. 19 Boise cbucknerwebb@senate.idaho.gov

Russell M. Fulcher (R) Dist. 22 Meridian rfulcher@senate.idaho.gov

John W. Goedde (R) Dist. 4 CDA/Chair jgoedde@senate.idaho.gov

Dean M. Mortimer (R) Dist. 30 Idaho Falls/VC dmortimer@senate.idaho.gov

Steven P. Thayn (R) District 8 Emmett steventhayn@reagan.com

Representatives on the Education Committee:

Lucinda L. “Cindy” Agidius ® District 5 Moscow agidiusforlegislature@gmail.com

Linden B. Bateman (R) Dist. 33 Idaho Falls lbateman@house.idaho.gov

Judy Boyle (R) District 9 Midvale jboyle@house.idaho.gov

Rep. Lance Clow (R) lclow@house.idaho.gov

Reed DeMordaunt (R) Dist. 14 Eagle Chair rdemordaunt@house.idaho.gov

Terry Gestrin (R) Dist. 8 Donnelly gestrin4idaho@gmail.com

Steven Harris (R) Dist. 21 Meridian HarrisForIdaho@gmail.com

Wendy Horman (R) Dist. 30 Idaho Falls WendyHorman@house.idaho.gov

Ron Mendive (R) Dist. 3 Coeur d’Alene rmendive@house.idaho.gov

Pete Nielsen (R) Dist. 23 Mountain Home Vice Chair pnielsen@house.idaho.gov

Donna Pence (D) Dist. 26 Gooding dpence@house.idaho.gov

Julie VanOrden (R) Dist. 31 Pingree jvanorden@house.idaho.gov

Janie Ward-Engelking (D) 18 Boise jwardengelking@house.idaho.gov

Richard “Rich” Wills (R) Dist. 23 Glenns Ferry rwills@house.idaho.gov

Also, you can contact Citizens Empowering Education at ed.issues.bonner@gmail.com

Maureen Paterson is a Priest River resident who is a member of Citizens Empowering Education.