October 27, 2015
My name is Susan Cobb. I'm the parent of an elementary
school student in the Northshore school district. I'm here to speak on the
Challenge issue.
~~~~~
When talking to other parents about this issue, the first
question they ask is WHY the Middle School Grade Reconfiguration
Task Force is considering eliminating the current self-select Challenge Program
in favor of one-size-fits-all classrooms?
Is there data that shows the Challenge Program isn't
serving students well? If so, the district hasn't shared it. The district
absolutely needs to address the question of WHY, otherwise it
appears to be courting change for change sake.
Last week, we learned that the district recently engaged
UW to independently research middle school instructional grouping. This is a
good thing. However, rather than simply identifying one (or more) alternative
models to the current Challenge Program, the district should
1.
clearly define the problem it is trying to
fix
2.
provide compelling data proving that the
problem exists
3.
identify metrics for evaluating success in
resolving the problem
4.
propose potential solutions backed by solid
research
5.
sign up to be accountable for the success of
the solution
Note that the district should set a more specific goal
for struggling learners than "narrowing the achievement gap," as this
goal could be counter-productively achieved by holding down the ceiling while
raising the floor.
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