Schools

Kings Park Board of Ed Voices Concerns, Suggests Changes to Common Core

After months of debate, Kings Park Board of Education formally gave a voice its community concerns on the state's implementation of its new Common Core curriculum and new high-stakes testing. 

Kings Park Board trustees voted 4-0, with one board seat vacant, to approve a resolution expressing strong concerns about the state's Common Core curriculum that will be sent to New York State Department of Education offering 9 suggestions for change. 

"This resolution this evening is not in an effort to state we are against testing or against the Common Core, or a higher standard. The resolution, to me, is we are willing to say we need to send a message that this needs to be looked at on its implementation," said Board President Marie Goldstein.

Superintendent Susan Agruso drafted the board resolution approved at Tuesday night's meeting, strongly reflecting the Nov. 5 letter Western Suffolk BOCES sent to state Education Commissioner John King Jr. 

"The Kings Park Central School District is a strong proponent of accountability, and we expect our school to deliver the curriculum and instruction our students need," the resolution reads. 

The board acknowledges the state has made some changes by shorting the ELA assessments for grades 5 to 8, shorting the state math assessments in grades 3 - 8, and submitting a wavier for  U.S. Department of Education so grade 8 Algebra students can be excused from the grade 8 state math assessment. 

However, they also propose this list of additional recommendations to the state educational department: 
1. Limit the ELA and math assessments in grades 3 through 5 to two sessions each. 
2. Establish data points to serve as indicator of progress for students who do not achieve proficiency so they will know if their performance is improving.
3. Reduce the amount of field testing by offering more forms of the tests. 
4. Offer the Algebra II/Trig Regents in August. 
5. Delay the implementation of Common Core Geometry Regents and the required Regents examination in math for the advanced diploma so that the same cohort of students is not impacted by the new assessments in all three math courses. 
6. Delay high stakes decisions about students and staff until the transition to the Common Core is completed. 
7. Strengthen protections of personal student information stored on the state-wide data portal. 
8. Allow school districts participating in Race to the Top to opt out of the data dashboard. 
9. Provide additional state funding to continue to write age appropriate curriculum, purchase materials, and provide staff development for our teachers and administrators. 

These suggestions for improvements reflect some concerns expressed by Kings Park parents on the state's collection of student data and curriculum content.

Chris Philp, a science teacher at Kings Park High School, thanked board members repeatedly for approving a resolution on Tuesday night, but wish it had better reflected the concerns of the community. Read what he had to say about Common Core and high-stakes testing here.  

Tell us, What do you think of Kings Park Board of Education's resolution and suggested changes? Do you support it? 
Tell us in the comments below. 


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