Unsettling Scores and Three Responses.

This week my sophomores received their state scores in the mail, so we had a conversation to clarify the graduation requirements and their progress. The wide eyed, at times sick, looks on their faces were sobering. With so many variables in test results, there is not a simple formula for when or who should retake what test. I found the whole experience disheartening. The system requires a thoughtful analysis of the situation on a student by student basis. Or, to put it another way, the system needs to go.

In my last post I recounted my opposition to excessive standardized testing and the high stakes associated with it, especially as it relates to the graduation requirement. More importantly, I was hoping to encourage people to contact legislators in the interest of influencing change. 

I'm not sure everyone realizes how important this simple act can be. Perhaps you've written before and gotten no response. Maybe you got a response and they didn't take your advice. It can be frustrating. However, I believe that public engagement of elected officials is terribly important. This correspondence can become an important piece of the public record in support (or opposition) to an idea. 

I received some promising responses to my last emails to the House and Senate Education Committees. I'd like to share these with you, and once again encourage you to contact your legislators. I'll include the contact information for the aforementioned committees at the end of this post. Read the responses, and consider a quick note to a legislator. Shake things up.

The most compelling encouragement to write comes from this reply from Rep Teresa Fedor. She is a former teacher and advocate for students and teachers.

Matt,

Thank you for contacting me. I will forward your insightful perspective with my collection of teacher emails and letters as a portion of my input for the Department of Education on the new guidelines of ESSA. Please encourage your colleagues to write me about their thoughts and recommendations. Legislators are not the experts and it's time for the teaching profession to step up and be heard.

Again, thank you Matt!

Rep Teresa Fedor

In the next reply, Bowling Green Republican Senator Randy Gardner shares his history in education and support. The fact that he "largely" agrees is cool with me. I've grown accustomed to the fact that legislators, and anyone else for that matter, will not agree entirely with my ideas. Perhaps we'll simply take some steps in one another's direction.

Matt:

Thank you for your very thoughtful email.  I was a teacher, my father a superintendent, my brother a teacher, my other brother a middle school principal and my sister a middle school counselor.  I appreciate your concerns and ideas and largely agree.

--Senator Randy Gardner
 2nd Ohio District

In the last reply I'll share here, Euclid Democrat Rep Kent Smith agrees with, and expands upon my ideas with some important points of his own. Emails like this give me hope that we may be able to move away from No Child Left Behind's era of test and punish.

Thank you, Mr. Jablonski, for writing to share your comments. 

Yes, Ohio has gone from 5th to 23rd in the Education Week's Quality Counts 2016 Report.  No other state in the top 5 in 2010 has fallen further than 12th.  No other state in the nation remains as dedicated to funding for-profit charter schools as Ohio.

ESSA gives us an opportunity to reset education policy regarding school districts that are struggling with high need students.  It is clear that punitive methods do not work.  I hope other members of the House Education Committee are willing to examine new ways to grow Ohio's future workforce based on evidence and research and not a desire to punish teachers.

Thank you for your work.

Best wishes,

Kent Smith

8^th House District

On behalf of my students and those who will follow, I hope you'll consider providing your perspective on these matters. Here's the contact info.