Day 6 - Pre-Planning During COVID19:  Unnecessary Necessary Tasks

Our district backed up the start of our school year to August 17th, so that means we get 2 weeks of pre-planning, which I personally love.  It is so nice to know you are getting the time to get used to being in the building, time with PLC's to plan effectively, acquire plenty of technology skills and training.  This was "necessary" necessary work time for us to be afforded; I feel blessed to have it.

Last week one of our training sessions included a new data system to monitor student data, which is common to all school districts, but they also introduced a "grade level readiness" test that we will be asked to give to see where they are at after COVID schooling last spring.  The test is a 2-day, 45 minute test each day... what?

Now I understand that this is an accountability thing, and that it will most likely be tied to some type of funding be it covid-related or other, but now?  Really?  To me, until the unknown is more know this is an Unnecessary Necessary.

Here are my concerns:

Students social emotional health is more at risk than ever across all racial lines and socioeconomic levels.  There are students in our district that have heard their parents worrying at home and on social media that they are going to "get so far behind", and now they will take a 2-part test after remote learning and summer soon after getting back to school, which will bring that claim to life.  How much anxiety will this bring them?  What labels do they have to fear are qualifying them to be unable to move forward as they desire?  Good, bad, indifferent, they have been taught to always be ahead and live in a world where they can be - how do they cope when they think that is gone?  

Worse yet, there are other students in our district who face labeling and judgement the minute they walk out of their homes each day everyday.  For those students a gap was always there for them in the face of a system that is not equitable, and now they face an even higher mountain to climb.  We have to ask them to work even harder in a system that does not work for them at least yet.  They do not need the reminder that the gap already existed and is now bigger.  At the same time asking them to sit through a 2-day test as the reminder.  

Teachers can do this without a 2-day test to verify every little thing that is missing - we have prioritized standards to identify and make sure they learn.  Teachers can and do work together vertically and most likely already know what their teachers were unable to cover.  If not, they will see it in daily instruction and work assigned and make amends to their lesson plans.  Those that don't do not do it while school is face to face and/or do not utilize any data used from a readiness test.

If it has to be for accountability purposes, can it not be shorter? Can we not check readiness instead before each unit?

Standardized tests are damaging to students.  They are not equitable, they are curved and do not represent an accurate view of overall learning.   The time and need to uphold their existence gets carved away from valuable teaching and learning growth across the board.

This type, this way is even more damaging.  It is definitely an unnecessary necessary we have to do.

Three positive things:

1.  I was able to have dinner with a close friend and colleague last minute on Friday night; glad time           timing worked out!

2.  I adopted my new little furbaby on Saturday, and she is settling into our home nicely with her new         brothers and sister.

3.  My best friend and her boyfriend were able to join us for dinner last night - hubs fixed some                   awesome steak fajitas and southwest seasoned grilled corn.