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Old 03-05-2012, 10:09 AM
 
1,759 posts, read 2,030,452 times
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This is on DC Urban Moms boards and I totally agree.
We too have gotten this form but from the DC forum it doesn't look like many others did.
I know the FCPS parents tend to be pro-drill/kill, very invested in pyramids, and so on,
but this kind of thing sucks the life out of education.

Quote:
Got a sign-off sheet for one of the FCPS elem schools, stating my child would bring home SOL test cards, and "you [the parent] will test them on the terms until they are proficient" and then sign off for each of the 20?-some concepts.

I'm not being paid by the state.
I'm not the teacher.

We are greatly involved in our kids' education and test them [voluntarily] on spelling and other tests, run math flashcards by our own accord, and so on.

But the school is telling me what I will do? For the SOL, a test that exists primarily so that the district can get $$$ for a % of kids who pass? Really?
If I'm not mistaken, my kids' SOL scores have nothing to do with their classroom grades, and I have a huge problem with NCLB and all the drill-and-kill stuff the classroom is largely made up of now (by no fault of the teachers'; they have no control over this, I know)

Is anyone else blowing off any king of SOL prep, let alone NOT signing off on some "parents will do such and such, and sign" form?
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:11 AM
 
Location: Fairfax County
1,534 posts, read 3,726,546 times
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I saw that thread on DC Urban Moms and I posted there that I have never heard of or seen a form like that, and I have kids at two FCPS elementary schools.
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Old 03-05-2012, 05:32 PM
 
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Sounds like a poor decision on the part of a principal, teacher or grade level team in that school. I mean, what about kids whose parents don't speak any English? It's not well thought out at all.
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Old 03-05-2012, 05:55 PM
 
20 posts, read 43,447 times
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Hi, where can I find DC Urban Moms? I asked a question earlier that might be better for that board.
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Old 03-05-2012, 07:00 PM
 
Location: Suburbia
8,826 posts, read 15,326,854 times
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My wife and I both teach elementary students in FCPS. We have never seen a sign-off sheet like that go home with students. I personally don't send home very much for review. It's pretty much business as usual up into May and then some pretty typical review a little before testing. No reason to stress the kids out about it.
Edit: I am also a parent of a 6th grader in FCPS, and I don't think I would sign off on a letter like that.
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Old 03-05-2012, 08:05 PM
 
Location: Fairfax County
1,534 posts, read 3,726,546 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kimmycat5 View Post
Hi, where can I find DC Urban Moms? I asked a question earlier that might be better for that board.
www.dcurbanmom.com
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Old 03-06-2012, 06:57 AM
 
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I got a letter from my daughters school last week - not assigning SOL homework, but notifing me of a parent SOL prep meeting. Which sounds like homework to me!
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Old 03-06-2012, 07:13 AM
 
Location: Northern Virginia
4,489 posts, read 10,949,601 times
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We're starting after school "boot camps" immediately after spring break targeting our under performers. Each core subject teacher has to identify a list of 15-20 kids needing extra remediation and set aside a few hours a week after school to tutor them.

As a secondary math teacher, I can't expect parents to be able to help with the kids' work, even if they wanted to. The vast majority of parents don't remember algebra anymore! (And the kids have to pass--if they don't they have to retake the same test again next year in order to be able to get their diploma).
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Old 03-06-2012, 07:51 AM
 
1,759 posts, read 2,030,452 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliTerp07 View Post
the kids have to pass--if they don't they have to retake the same test again next year in order to be able to get their diploma
The elementary and middle school kids don't have to, though.

Quote:
Each core subject teacher has to identify a list of 15-20 kids needing extra remediation and set aside a few hours a week after school to tutor them.

Which is infuriating because the reason the school is so invested in the scores is because of the $$$ it makes for them. Sigh.

Also, for anyone asking if/when we got those sign-off sheets, I got mine on Friday, but I don't know how long my child had it in the folder before that.
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Old 03-06-2012, 07:57 AM
 
Location: Fairfax County
1,534 posts, read 3,726,546 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken View Post
Also, for anyone asking if/when we got those sign-off sheets, I got mine on Friday, but I don't know how long my child had it in the folder before that.
Interesting. I received nothing and my 5th grader took the first part of the writing SOL yesterday.
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