News From SWW

September 20, 2001 Memo to Parents

September 20, 2001

MEMO TO: School Without Walls Parents and Guardians

FROM: Dan Drmacich

RE: Saving School Without Walls

We desperately need your help!

As you know, this year's freshman class at School Without Walls will be required to pass five (5) Regents Exams during their high school experience in order to earn a diploma. We are opposed to the use of high-stakes, standardized tests for School Without Walls students (as well as all students) for many reasons. Among the reasons are that these exams:

1. Often discriminate against students who simply are not good test-takers. Some students "freeze up", some see answers that could be correct but are "wrong", and some students simply don't see the point of memorizing information to pass a test, but never use again in the future.
   
2. Most often test only lower-level skills that require students to memorize answers, but not necessarily understand what they have memorized.
   
3. Do not test for higher-level thinking skills like creative problem-solving, critical reasoning, and in-depth analysis or evaluation. These are the type of skills that SWW emphasizes.
   
4. Force all schools to be alike rather than different. Teachers end up being forced to "teach for the test" in every school. Teachers can not spend time on student needs and special interests because they have to "cover the material" students need in order to pass the tests.
   
5. Severely reduce the innovative and creative teaching strategies that excite and motivate students. When the curriculum is controlled by a test, teachers end up as controlling and not responsive to student needs and interests.
   
6. Are causing more students to dropout of high school because they are frustrated or bored. The State Education Department seems to be ignoring the fact that our dropout rates are increasing.
   
7. Are not as good as the assessment system we use at SWW, which is a combination of teacher-student evaluation conferences, quarterly Student Progress Reports written by teachers, student portfolios, student projects and demonstrations, accompanied by committees composed of teachers and community professionals to review student work.
   
8. Ignore the research and conclusions of many educational and research organizations, including testing companies that say, "No student should be failed, promoted or graduated on the basis of a single test score."
   
9. Have been shown to discriminate against students of color, who are poor, special education students and those who speak English as a second language.
   
10. Do not test for the skills necessary to be a good citizen, be a good employee, a good parent, nor a successful, college student. In fact, the exams do not test for the skills the State says they are suppose to test for.
    

Despite all these reasons and a history of success at School Without Walls over the past 30 years that exceeds the success rates of many other schools, the Commissioner of Education has continued to reject our request for a waiver from Regents exams. As a result SWW, along with approximately 30 other schools from around New York State, have filed a legal suit against the State Education Department for causing serious harm to our students and our schools. Legal proceedings will begin this October. On another front, New York State Legislator, Assemblywoman Susan John has introduced legislation to allow any school district in New York State the option of allowing individual schools, (like SWW) and parents of individual students in other schools the right to "opt out" of Regents Exams and be judged by the work and success they have achieved through their class work. SWW staff and many other educational reform leaders believe the Susan John Bill is fair because it leaves the decision of whether or not to allow students to obtain an education that is not based on Regents Exams, with local authorities rather than those in Albany.

We urge you to support the Susan John Bill by taking the following action:

1. Write a short letter to the following state legislators urging them to support the John Bill #1454 (Assembly). Use some of the reasons against standardized testing that are mentioned in this letter, if you desire.
   
2. Do state that you are a parent of a Rochester City School District student, but do not state that your child attends SWW. We have to convince our legislators that this is simply not a School Without Walls effort, but one that involves parents throughout the city.
   

Send your letter to the following legislator:

Senator John Kuhl, Co-Chairman
NYS Joint Education Committee
18 Buell St.
P.O. Box 153
Bath, New York 14810

You also should send a copy of your letter to your local NYS Senator and Assemnblyperson. You can find out who your NYS representatives are by calling the Board of Elections at 428-4550 and giving them your address. They will give you your representatives' names. They will be two of the following:

1. Assemblyman David Gantt
   74 University Ave.
   Rochester, New York 14605

2. Assemblywoman Susan John
   Village Gate Square
   274 N. Goodman St.
   Rochester, New York 14607

3. Assemblyman Joseph Morelle
   1945 East Ridge Road
   Rochester, New York 14622

4. Assemblyman Joseph Robach
   2300 W. Ridge Rd.
   Rochester, New York 14626
   

5. Senator Richard Dollinger
   339 East Ave
   Suite 309
   Rochester, New York 14604

6. Senator James Alesi
   220 Packets Landing
   PO Box 66081
   Fairport, New York 14450

Please contact me at 546-6732, ext. 1015, if you have questions. Please remember to do this. It will help save SWW.

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