CCSS Warriors: It’s the last day of May. School is winding down for some of us. Have you had a great year? So far, in 2015, we’ve seen some small victories; learned much truth; and seen the CCSS Machine continue to crank out propaganda. Marking the beginning of final month of the first half of 2015, all this week, I’ll be looking back at how far we’ve come, so we can continue to plan ahead.
RMT (Riddle Me This) Posts: The Central Point:
From 2014, when I first began to blog, until today, the Riddle Me This articles have spanned a wide array of Common Core related topics. My very first RMT was an open invitation, to you my readers/followers to ask a question about anything related to Common Core. Since then, I’ve been able to share with you many answers. I thank each of you for your continued trust in my fact based research. From that very first post, here’s the riddle I gave as an example:
Example: “Dear Riddler, According to the 2009 Stimulus bill, which is a big part of the backstory to CC,
Stimulus $$ established $48.3 million on SLDS, Student Longitudinal Data System, (included post-secondary/workforce as well as technology assistance and evaluation). Two hundred million was used for Improving Education under Title 4, NCLB. School Improvement (including tech & needs for homeless students under Title II of NCLB) got $720 million. IDEA (covers disabilities for ages 3-21), $12.2 billion. Education for the disadvantaged (Title 1), $13 billion (included taking corrective actions and restructuring NCLB) Innovation Fund (aka “Whatever Works”), $650 million (it’s a new fund with the purpose of achieving academic excellence. A big stipulation, MUST establish a partnership with a private business or a philanthropic foundation. As part of the Stimulus $$, non public students & teachers MUST be included via Title 1, part A, Title 2, part D (includes education & technology) and IDEA, part B.
Enter Race to the Top with $4.35 billion (aka State Incentive Grants) Stipulations: teacher equity, launch SLDS, enhance quality standards & assessments, support struggling schools under NCLB.
When you factor in in this stipulation, it is the momentum that helped spur the CC Machine into overdrive. Remember, the Stimulus $$ was placed in the states’ pockets back in 2009. ICYDK, Gates (as in Bill Gates & Microsoft) had married business in education back in 2004 when he signed the “Cooperation Agreement” with UNESCO to create a ‘master curriculum’. (Berit Kjos’ wonderfully researched blog article/printed booklet delves into this topic. If you do not have this resource, you should.) See the entire post: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2014/08/31/riddle-me-this-ill-tell-you-that-sunday/
RMT, So Far in 2015:
Some of the most viewed topics covered have been: January‘s: “Benchmark Education”; requests for speaking out against the re-authorization of the ESEA (aka HR5)which was revisited at least 2 more times before the end of May 2015; a focus on CT’s Common Core thanks to a reader tip. Both of these are evidence there are many topics and sub-topics to the CCSS.
February‘s: how CCSS was connected to the Super Bowl; a focused look at a lesser known CCSS tied educational group.
In March, we learned how the Arts, especially a musical program have been aligned to CCSS. A connected article about the Humanities’ alignment followed in April. We also took the CCSS Warrior Checkup seriously, so we can be the best anti CCSS warrior possible.
April‘s top post dealt with how the Catholic Church has its own Common Core Initiative. The update of the Techocratic’s move to reform America via CCSS was also a big hit.
May found us not only sharing our top 3 words to describe our loathing of CCSS and the CCSS Machine, but taking an in-depth look at AdvancED’s ties to CCSS
On Sundays, so far this year we’ve also heavily questioned why so much of the educational deck of cards appears to be stacked in CCSS’s favor. I can’t wait to see what the rest of our Sundays together for the balance of 2015 will bring us.
Note: Each day this week; I’ll be sharing similar information about the themes of each day and the results so far. As we continue to uncover evidence and share it, our warrior like skills will continue to be sharpened. Don’t forget: you have CCSS riddles, so ask them! Together, we’ll find the answers!
Remember, the reasons we fight Common Core are OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR STATES, and OUR COUNTRY.
The CCSS Machine has left us hanging. We, the anti CCSS warriors, will NOT leave our country in this shape!
