Byrd Bennett uses mysterious 'focus groups' instead of research to claim test-based policy is OK... Board of Education to vote October 23 on new 'promotion policy' that adds to standardized testing without verification of credibility
Chicago Schools Chief Executive Officer Barbard Byrd Bennett waited until the last minute on Friday, October 18, 2013, to inform teachers and other staff that this week, at the October 23 meeting of the Chicago Board of Education, she would propose what she calls a "new" elementary school promotion policy. The new policy obliterates the use of the previous generation of standardized tests that were used by CPS (the ISAT) and promulgates new standardized tests to be key to children's promotions in third, sixth and eighth grades in Chicago. The new policy ignores the controversial history of student r
In addition to a memo to principals and some other staff, the Chicago Executive Officer of the third largest school system in the USA issued a press release. The press release indicated that the policy will be approved, even though legally any action must be voted on by the Chicago Board of Education. The seven board members, all of whom have been appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, have rubber stamped every administrative proposal since May 2011, when Emanuel took office.
The proposed CPS "Promotion Policy" that will doubtless be enclosed in an elaborate Power Point on October 23, 2013, when Chicago Schools CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett presents it to be uncritically rubber stamped by the seven members of the Board of Education. This version, including the loyalty oath required of parents, was distributed by Byrd Bennett in an October 18 memo to principals.Part of what is being done is revealed in Byrd Bennett's letter to staff. "This new elementary school promotion policy was crafted by a cross-departmental steering committee and included feedback from focus groups that consisted of teachers, principals, parents and various community-based organizations," she wrote. "Getting input from stakeholders was key to the development of this revised policy."
BELOW ARE BOTH BYRD BENNETT'S OCTOBER 18 MISSIVE TO PRINCIPAL AND THAT PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON OCTOBER 18, 2013. ALSO INCLUDE (AS A GRAPHIC WITH THIS ARTICLE) IS THE POLICY SHE IS PROPOSING FOR THE BOARD MEETING ON OCTOBER 23.
FIRST: Byrd Bennett's October 18 letter to principals and some other staff follows here:
October 18, 2013
Dear Principals,
To ensure that every child, in every neighborhood throughout Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is on the right path to success in college, career and life, and to provide them with the individual supports they need to reach their full potential, we are proposing a new elementary school promotion policy that will be considered by the Board of Education at their monthly meeting this Wednesday, October 23.
The new policy will replace the current two-tier achievement model system with a three-tier achievement model, in order to better identify student academic need and prioritize supports for students. Additionally, due to changes in the Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT), CPS will replace data once generated by the ISAT with data from the Northwest Education Association (NWEA) exam to help determine promotion for students in grades 3, 6 and 8. Ultimately, this revised policy ensures that a wider range of student needs are identified and proper supports continue before and during summer school and throughout the following school year.
This new elementary school promotion policy was crafted by a cross-departmental steering committee and included feedback from focus groups that consisted of teachers, principals, parents and various community-based organizations. Getting input from stakeholders was key to the development of this revised policy.
I thank you for your support as we implement this policy. By aligning with more rigorous state assessments, and by creating a more well-rounded picture of student progress and needs, we will be in a better position to support the next generation of Chicago�s children as we prepare them for a brighter future.
To view the proposed policy change, please click here . Sincerely,
Barbara Byrd-Bennett
CEO, Chicago Public Schools
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY CPS ON OCTOBER 18, 2013
CPS Announces New Elementary School Promotion Policy Revised Policy Will Align with More Rigorous Assessments to Assure Students are Prepared for the Challenges of Critical 3rd, 6th and 8th Grades
October 18, 2013
CHICAGO � The Chicago Public Schools today (CPS) unveiled a new elementary school promotion policy for students entering grades 3, 6 and 8. This policy change is being proposed in order to better align with more rigorous state assessments, as well as to create a more well-rounded picture of student progress and needs by considering both grades and performance for student promotion. This revised policy will go before the board for approval at its monthly meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, October 23rd.
The current promotion policy is no longer consistent with state requirements and must be updated. The state changed the format of Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT) for School Year 2013-2014 (SY13-14), so that it now aligns with the Common Core State Standards. Scores derived from the SAT10, which were comprised of the first 30 items on the old version of the ISAT, were previously used as the performance lever under the current promotion policy. However, due to the changes of this year's ISAT, the SAT10 no longer exists. CPS is adopting the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) to replace the SAT10 as the tool to be considered, in conjunction with student grades, for promotion decisions in critical grades of 3, 6, and 8.
"This new policy will better prepare and support students during elementary school to get them on a path for success in college, career and life," said CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett. "As the District adopts more rigorous assessment standards, we must provide teachers with better tools to measure academic progress and identify where intervention is necessary to provide students with the individual supports they need to reach their full potential."
In addition to a cross-departmental steering committee that was charged with crafting the proposed changes to the elementary promotion policy, CPS also engaged various stakeholders through focus groups comprised of teachers, principals, parents and various community-based organizations.
Under this new policy, a three-tiered level achievement model will be introduced, moving from a two-tiered model, guaranteeing that a wider range of student needs are identified and proper supports are provided throughout the year to prepare them for all future grade levels. The new achievement levels will allow teachers to better evaluate student needs and build a more focused curriculum based on their individual needs.
Implemented in School Year 2012-2013 (SY12-13), the NWEA is currently administered to students in Grades 3-8 at the beginning and in the spring of the school year, and to Grade 2 students only in the spring. As the common assessment used throughout the District, NWEA will serve as a far more accurate indicator of student readiness for grade promotion and will align with national standards of achievement. The added rigor of NWEA, coupled with a more accurate achievement level model, will better gauge the need for summer school intervention. Furthermore, summer school instruction will now be tailored to individual student needs, versus a one-size-fits-all approach, enabling teachers to deliver more powerful instruction to students.
Additionally, the NWEA will be considered in promotion decisions until the state implementation of the Partnership for Assessing Readiness in College (PARCC), a strong index of college readiness, expected to be in place by Spring 2015. The District will continue to engage parents and families for feedback on criteria used in promotion and retention decisions to next grade level.
This revised policy aligns directly with the vision of CEO Byrd-Bennett's Strategic Five-Year Action Plan. By positioning teachers and school leaders to better identify student needs, instruction will reflect the expectations of both the Common Core State Standards and the pillars that support the next generation of Chicago's children.
