Project-based Assessment Graded by Unpaid Teachers

An on-line application for teachers to sign up to be graders for the PBA’s is displayed on the Pennsylvania Department of Education Website  It states: 

PDE is seeking certificated Pennsylvania educators to evaluate Project Based Assessments in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature.  Educators selected to evaluate student projects must participate in online training.  Projects will be evaluated via an online portal.  ACT 48 HOURS WILL BE AWARDED FOR BOTH TRAINING AND PROJECT EVALUATIONS.

Act 48 requires all Pennsylvania educators to participate in ongoing professional education.  Unfortunately, the PDE has perverted the intention of Act 48 and decided that they have a cheap source of labor for grading the Project-based Assessments – teachers!    

Both students and teachers will be the losers if teachers are used as lackeys for rote grading of PBA’s in lieu of more appropriate ways of continuing their professional education.  Shame on the PDE for even considering this!!!

How To Opt Out of the Keystone Exams

Section 4.4 of Title 22, Chapter 4 provides for the rights of parents to excuse their child from the Keystone exams if they find the assessment to be in conflict with their religious beliefs.  It is important to note that no religious affiliation or discussion is required to be shared with the school district, simply state that you are opting out based on "religious beliefs".

STEP 1:  
Parent request in writing to the building principal to review exam within two weeks of exam.  

SAMPLE LETTER:

 Dear Superintendent,

Pursuant to Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(4) I am hereby exercising my right as a parent to have my child, [NAME], excused from Keystone testing because of religious beliefs.

Sincerely,

Two weeks prior to the testing window, exams must be made available for review.  School districts must provide a convenient time for the review.  Parents will need sign the 'Parent Confidentiality Agreement' that simply states they will not share what is on the test with anyone. 

STEP 2:  
Parent reviews test at school.

STEP 3:  
Parent provides written request to be excused from test to the Superintendent. Can be worded same as first letter, stating that that you reviewed the exam.

SAMPLE LETTER:  

Dear Superintendent,

On [Date] I had the opportunity to review the Keystone exam and pursuant to Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(4) I am hereby exercising my right as a parent to have my child, [Name] excused from Keystone testing because of religious beliefs.  

Sincerely,

STEP 4:  
Superintendent reviews the request - this request cannot be denied.

School personnel must provide an alternative learning environment for the student during the assessment and complete the “Non-Assessed Students” grid by selecting “Student had a parental request for exclusion from the assessment.”


OTHER:

Although there is no other apparent reason for student non-participation in the exam, this category is provided for the rare exception. The most notable rare exception is student refusal to participate at the time of testing. Refusal represents a defiant act on the student’s part despite school personnel’s every effort to obtain compliance. If you have exhausted all options and believe you have a case that fits into the “Other” category, complete the “Non-Assessed Students” section by marking “Other.”

This is the letter I wrote:

We are writing today to formally inform the district of our decision to refuse to allow our daughter to participate in state standardized assessments for the 2013-2014 school year.  Pursuant to Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(4) I am hereby exercising my right as a parent to have my child, [Name], excused from PSSA/Keystone testing because of religious. 

In no way is our decision to opt out of these high stakes tests a reflection of our perception of [School District] or the teachers.  We are satisfied with the quality of education our daughter has received.  Our disappointment in this matter is with the current school reforms in the form of the Common Core Standards and the increase in high stakes standardized testing.  These state and national policies put forth by politicians and corporations have corrupted the process of education in our schools.

High stakes standardized tests do nothing to improve creative thinking, meaningful learning, and dynamic teaching. This national and statewide emphasis on standardized testing is a waste classroom time and taxpayer's money that could otherwise be spent on valuable educational opportunities. The latest trend is to link these standardized test scores to the rating system for their teachers.  Using the state standardized test scores as a percentage of an educator's effectiveness rating is unfair to everyone involved. There are too many factors that influence a student's ability to answer the test questions correctly, and it is in no way an effective tool for determining how effective a teacher is.  

It is our hope that sometime in the near future our students can be rescued from these ill conceived test-driven educational policies, and our schools and teachers will be free to teach children as they always have: with a heartfelt desire to see young children grow and develop intellectually to the best of their abilities.

§ 4.4. General policies.

(4)  The right to review a State assessment in the school entity during convenient hours for parents and guardians, at least 2 weeks prior to their administration, to determine whether a State assessment conflicts with their religious belief. To protect the validity and integrity of the State assessments, each school entity shall have in place procedures to be followed when parents or guardians request to view any State assessment. Procedures must be consistent with guidance provided by the Department in its assessment administration instructions. If upon inspection of a State assessment parents or guardians find the assessment to be in conflict with their religious belief and wish their students to be excused from the assessment, the right of the parents or guardians will not be denied upon written request that states the objection to the applicable school district superintendent, charter school chief executive officer or AVTS director.

Chapter 4. Academic Standards and Assessments

Found at this link:

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/022/chapter4/chap4toc.html

Cost of Keystone Testing in Pennsylvania

Keystone Exam Statewide results for Spring 2014

Algebra 1:  40.1% of students scored Proficient/Advanced

203,357 students TESTED     

81,470 students PASSED 

121,887 students to RE-TEST

Biology:  41.4% of students scored Proficient/Advanced 

164,757 students TESTED   

68,215 students PASSED     

96,532 students to RE-TEST

Literature:  52.4% of students scored Proficient/Advanced 

111,612 students TESTED     

75,076 students PASSED     

68,222 students to RE-TEST

According to the PDE and the Spring 2014 administration of the Keystone exams these are the number of students who needed take a remedial class and re-test:

Algebra 1 - 121,887 students 

Biology – 96,352 students 

Literature – 68,222 students

Please note that the above number of students for Algebra 1 include students who have completed Algebra 1 course which is class of 2015 thru 2019.  

The above numbers for students in Biology and Literature are mostly students in class of 2015 and 2016 as the class of 2017 are current 10th graders taking Bio and Lit now and will be taking the Keystone for both in May for the first time.  The reason that is an important is because those Biology and Literature students who are retesting (a total of 164,574 students) do not need to pass the Keystone to graduate.  

If you look at this from a budget standpoint, consider for example sake that the remedial class and re-test cost $25 for each student then that is $4,114,350.00)!!  Schools are dropping courses to make room for these remedial classes due to cost.  What a huge waste of time, money and instructional time as these are classes that students already passed!!

PA Dept. of Ed on Religious Opt Out

See below for the email that went out to all Pennsylvania school districts on April 2, 2015 regarding the Religious Opt Out provision.  This confirms that parents DO NOT need to specify or explain their religious beliefs when opting out.  

See page 4, question 10 of the link provided in the below email (Penn*Link).  It says (emphasis added):

10. How does an LEA determine if a letter submitted by a parent meets the requirements in Chapter 4 to qualify for a religious opt-out? 

If after reviewing the state assessment a parent provides the school with a written request that states a religious objection to the superintendent, CEO, or AVTS Director, the child(ren) should be excused from the state assessment. So, as long as a parent or guardian reviews the state assessment and provides a written statement providing his/her written objection for religious purposes (however vague that objection may be), the child must be excused from the assessment. PDE will not provide an opinion as to what is a proper religious objection.

Chapter 4 Reference: 22 Pa. Code 4.4(d)(4) 

Subject: PENN*LINK - Religious Opt-out provision of Chapter 4
Date: April 2, 2015 at 2:39:02 PM EDT
To: "all-lea@lists.cas.psu.edu" <all-lea@lists.cas.psu.edu>

Pennsylvania Department of Education
Office of Elementary Education
April 2, 2015
PENN*LINK

To: All LEAs

From:  Matthew Stem, Acting Deputy Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Subject: Religious Opt-out provision of Chapter 4

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) would like to remind all LEAs of the existing regulation regarding opting a child out of participation in the PSSA or Keystone Exams based upon a religious objection.  Chapter 4 states that "School entities should adopt policies to ensure that parents or guardians have . . . the right to review a state assessment in the school entity during convenient hours for parents and guardians at least 2 weeks prior to their administration, to determine whether a State assessment conflicts with their religious belief.  . . . If upon inspection of a State assessment parents or guardians find the assessment to be in conflict with their religious belief and wish their students to be excused from the assessment, the right of the parents or guardians will not be denied upon written request that states the objection to the applicable school district superintendent, charter school chief executive officer or AVTS director."  22 Pa. Code 4.4(d)(4).

For additional clarification, please see the Chapter 4 Guidance, Frequently Asked Questions posted at http://www.pdesas.org/module/assessment/pages/keystone/.

If you have any questions concerning this provision, please contact John Weiss at PDE at (717) 214 - 4394