Teacher Union Shores Up Support for John King And Reaffirms Backing for Common Core

Randi Weingarten, president of American Federation of Teachers, also expressed support for the Common Core, along with the teacher evaluations, diverging only on one point. “The testing, right now, is not ready for prime time,” she said. .. Epoch Times

 Clearly a heavily scripted event, designed to signal AFT attempts to shore the collapsing support for King, the SED and the Regents. More proof, as if any were needed, that the UFT/AFT has joined with the so-called reformers to co-manage the implementation of the standards, which will ultimately require far more testing. Needless to say, Ms. Weingarten said nothing about that. It was also fitting that this little love-fest was held at the Harvard Club, since that august institution has been so active in making teachers and students lives miserable. Another footnote to Weingarten's disgraceful legacy.... Michael Fiorillo

A request came in this morning to the MORE listserve for MORE to take a strong position on the Common Core with an explanation as to why oppose it. MORE has been so focused on the eval issue CC has slipped through the cracks. There is so much anti-CC stuff out there a book could be written. If any of the readers want to chip in on some points leave a comment or send me an email. I'll collate the ideas and work something up for MORE to use.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/327696-heads-of-teachers-union-state-education-department-agree-on-common-core/?photo=2

By Petr Svab, Epoch Times | October 23, 2013Last Updated: October 23, 2013 11:11 pm

NEW YORK—Two heavyweights in the education field discussed the Common Core curriculum testing, as well its connection to teacher evaluations, during the Teaching Matters annual luncheon, held at the Harvard Club in Manhattan on Oct. 23.

John King Jr., the state’s education commissioner, expressed resolve to push forward with the federal-issued Common Core curriculum, along with teacher evaluations, and “make adjustments along the way.”

Randi Weingarten, president of American Federation of Teachers, also expressed support for the Common Core, along with the teacher evaluations, diverging only on one point.

“The testing, right now, is not ready for prime time,” she said.

Weingarten proposed delaying the use of Common Core for assessing teachers, schools, and students, while the adjustments are made.

The debate, moderated by Columbia University professor Jeffrey Henig, veered even closer to consensus, with King using consoling language on the issue of test-based decisions.

“I don’t think assessments alone should be the basis for decisions about students or decisions about educator effectiveness,” he said, adding that the performance on Common Core tests is a “factor worth considering.”

King said that only 20 percent of teachers were evaluated based on student performance on Common Core tests. The teachers who were evaluated using state tests; the exams counted for only 20 percent of the final assessment. The rest of a teacher’s evaluation was decided based on criteria set by local districts.

In practice however, the local criteria are bound to such complex standards, that schools are deciding to base up to 40 percent of a teacher’s evaluation on state tests.

Weingarten said that adjustments should happen both in schools and at the state level.

“I want the commissioner to listen to teachers and parents, the way he listened and respected the audience we were in front of today,” she said. “Adjust based upon what their saying, not just based upon what you think.