Weekend News: CCSS School Officials Alignment

While our attention is focused on the re-authorization efforts of the CCSS/CTE, data mining, high stakes assessments laden HR5, S1177 and the HEA, we need to stop and consider that also included in these bills are the teachers, the principals, the superintendents, and all the other school officials in between. I’ve brought you news in the past about the national groups for these leaders and their CCSS/CTE activities. It’s time to see if anything new is in the works. This article will be quite in-depth, but if you know a school official, or are one who is fighting CCSS, please use the below information to help STOP Common Core!

NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals):

Before we look at the most recent alignment activities, I’d like to remind you of what I’d previously shared with you. It was back in April 2015 that I uncovered the NAESP’s webinar geared to instilling ‘grit’ into our elementary schools. Here’s a brief excerpt, “…presentation on ‘Grit’ to the NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals), April 9th, 2014. It was titled “Grit, Mindset, and Determination: The Key to Leading by Influence, Grades 1-8”. To read the rest of the article, as well as being able to access the highlighted webinar, see: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/04/01/wybi-crystal-clear-common-core/

So, what’s the latest for NAESP’s involvement with CCSS/CTE? Plenty. On their website you can see their supportive positions on the re-authorization of the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) via the HR5 and S1177.) You can see how they believe that by making sure a child is on point by the end of 3rd grade their ability to graduate with readiness for college, career, and life. Below you’ll be able to see a screen shot of the CCSS guide for NAESP members to use. You can read the entire guide: common core checklist_2_22_2013as

If you’ve not seen it, the NAESP has a 12 step guide for elementary principals for CCSS, too. This guide is also part of  a partnership between NAESP, Achieve, Inc., the NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals), College Summit, and MetLife Insurance. If you didn’t know it, several insurance companies are backing CCSS/CTE. (See my article on “Prevent Common Core” website:
http://preventcommoncore.com/?p=1154) To get the 12 step guide: http://achieve.org/publications/implementing-common-core-state-standards-role-elementary-school-leader-action-brief
Before we move away from the elementary principals, be sure you go to their website to get the other pro CCSS materials they have. You’ll find a dialogue guide for coaching conversations, CCSS and technology, CCSS and PARCC assessments, and a ‘synthesizing’ tool. Visit: http://www.naesp.org/common-core-state-standards-resources

NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals):

Their website: http://www.nassp.org/ Back in February 2015, I delivered this article to you for your use as a tool to fight CCSS/CTE, https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/02/13/fom-friday-ccss-cant-be-wrong/ In this article, you found the Gates Foundation funded ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), the Hunt Institute, Colleagues on Call, TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), the Carnegie Foundation, IDEA Partnership, Council of Great City Schools, and the CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers) are connected to the secondary principals.

So, is there anything new going on in the secondary principals’ lives that continues to connect them to CCSS/CTE? Let’s find out! Top on their “Action List” is the re-authorization of the ESEA. They are in full support of the moves to see either HR5 or S1177 turned into law. See: https://www.votervoice.net/NASSP/Campaigns/42272/Respond

From earlier this year, a webinar devoted to the ties between NASSP, Common Core, and Literacy:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeFdEEoHRVQ&w=560&h=315]

Then, there’s also a video from earlier this year concerning the College/Career Readiness Math Standards for NASSP members:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RT9fyBjuLM&w=560&h=315]

You also may find the level of community partnerships, politics, and their “Breaking Ranks” program of interest in your War Against the Core. For “Breaking Ranks”, see: http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/BRFrameworkExecSummary.pdf
To see their Community Partnership motives: http://www.nassp.org/Knowledge-Center/Topics-of-Interest/Community-Partnerships
To see how the NASSP encourages principals to use politics to their advantage: NASSPpolitics

The School Superintendent Association, (AASA):

This association has been written about 5 times on my blog. The first one was back in Sept. of 2014. Since then, I’ve given you much more information about them. One of the articles they are featured in is found above (look in the NASSP’s section and find “Can’t Be Wrong”) In the other 4 articles you can find:
how AASA has been key to the past EdSurge conferences where much alignment to not only CCSS, but CTE as well. See:
(https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/06/08/monday-musings-ccss-tech-schedule/)
*Note: This article will also link to another one of my articles where AASA is exposed (look for “UpSkilling Part 2)
In this article from April 2015, you can read about one of AASA‘s leading members who’s knee deep in CCSS/CTE: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/04/23/tech-thursday-caps-via-career-pathways-is-still-ccss/

Upcoming for the secondary principals is their 2016 Conference, in the promotion of this conference,you can find the #1 theme of the 7 major topics is CCSS. You can also see that how secondary principals and school board members are a big topic. I have to wonder if the NAESP‘s coaching conversations guide will be used. See the other main themes: http://nce.aasa.org/attend/ You may also want to know that of the 3 key note speakers, one will be addressing ‘disruptive innovation’ for your school’s improvement. You can find out by clicking on ‘general sessions’ under the “ATTEND” tab.

There will also be ‘thought leaders’ at this conference. Among those leading you to more CCSS/CTE will be a NC resident. His name? Dr. Mark Edwards. To learn just how tied to Pearson, digital alignment, and more he is, see my fellow anti Warrior, LadyLiberty1885′s blog for her research into his educational foray. She has 3 articles on him. See: http://ladyliberty1885.com/?s=Mark+Edwards 

AASPA (American Association of School Personnel Administrators):

From their ‘About Us’ section, “AASPA is the only organization that specifically targets and represents school personnel professionals.  If you are a personnel/human resource administrator, personnel support staff, superintendent, principal, or graduate student interested in this field, you will benefit from AASPA membership.” The section also shares how this group has grown to include other nations as well.

While I’ve not previously written about this particular association, I have written about their product, TrueNorth Logic. See: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/02/04/wybi-the-gtn-of-north-carolina/ In  this article, you can find out what the AASPA would prefer you didn’t know about their data mining activities, how NC and other states have signed onto this system, and how TrueNorth Logic is tied to the CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers). To see what the AASPA tells you about TrueNorth Logic, see: http://www.truenorthlogic.com/cp/AASPA/

AASPA just wrapped up their 2015 Conference (Oct. 13-16, 2015). Was CCSS/CTE there? Let’s see. Geared for those in the HR (Human Relations) departments of schools, this conference covered data mining.management, state, local, and regional initiatives to positively impact those in the education workforce, lots of compliance issues from the U.S. Dept. of Labor, quality teacher prep for Americans to be ‘classroom ready’, performance measurements and organizational alignments combined with cultural shifts in communities and how they can be used in your school districts, an example from an SC school district where state and local standards, enrollment data concerning students and how school officials can use both for success, how the ESEA‘s updates will impact school officials, and more. See: http://media.wix.com/ugd/14e560_f68c4e0461034eeeae13248bed06b3bf.pdf

In their upcoming December 2015 Conference, you’ll find Human Capital as the theme. See the screen shot:

What’s a bit disturbing about this upcoming event, is that while it’s aimed at school leaders, it still uses ‘human capital’ in referring to employees. It also states that it’s okay to have ‘Principals as human capital managers’. My question to this is, since we know that the CCSS Machine forces alignment of not only students, teachers, principals, and others, just how much of the HR5/S1177 will this type of conference include? We already know that school counselors are being pursued diligently to align their guidance to CCSS/CTE (see my previous article, https://www.commoncorediva.com/2014/10/10/fridays-post-breaking-news-you-need-to-know/)

When I searched the AASPA‘s site for “Common Core” I didn’t find anything with that name. However, if you consider their bylaws, the association is in full support of upholding whatever’s going on in public education. See their bylaws, http://aaspa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AASPA-Operational-Handbook-June-2015.pdf (*Note: the page with the most telling information is page 6)

Closing:

Are there other efforts to align our school officials to all things CCSS/CTE? Sure there are. Just a couple of weeks ago, I shared with you how AIR, Inc. is doing so.
See: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/10/03/weekend-news-college-career-readiness-updates/ (*Note: look at point #3)