Anti CCSS/ESSA and Fed Ed Warriors, schools are beginning to open for the new year (2016-17). We are beginning to see the first tentacles of the ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) reach down from the national level to the state and local levels.
Much of it will NOT use the phrase “Common Core State Standards”, but instead “College and Career Readiness”. We have been alerted to this fact well before now. However, how is the CCSS Machine spinning the ‘newness’ of the same old agenda?! That by conducting education any way BUT the ESSA way, is to “breed inadequacy”.
From ‘Their’ Files:
According to the CCSS Machine member organization “Getting Smart”, by 2020, 65% of all jobs will require post-secondary education.
From the notorious “Foundation for Excellence in Education” (FEE), here is their take on ‘inadequate’ students:
FEE also has a short video to support how inadequate education before CCSS was and how heavy the changes for CCR (via STEM, dual enrollment, AP and IB courses, and CLEP exams (College Level Examination Program)).
Every one of these ties in some way to not only CCR (College and Career Readiness) but can be found in the ESSA, the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) and the HEA (Higher Education Act) as well.
The sheer fact that FEE is using the ACT, Inc. assessment as one of its OTHER solutions for College and Career Readiness is also a clue for us. How? Act, Inc. owns “WorkKeys” assessments. “WorkKeys” is the Competency Based Education, Career Pathways test which sets the course for what job your students should not only be trained for, but educated in! Those CLEP assessments? Those are owned by the College Board, Inc., yet another CCSS Machine key member organization.
Here is the video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny8ED-DviUA&w=560&h=315]
While FEE is using Florida as an example in the video, their influence is felt in all 50 States. FEE is not only fully supportive of the ESSA, but is pledging to help each State navigate its way through the implementation process. Here is just one of the ways FEE can support your State, “Identifying ways that new federal funds can support state reforms in areas including K-3 reading, college and career readiness and digital learning.”
Awww, Warriors, aren’t we ‘honored’ to have such bias help?! (I am being 100% sarcastic here).
Let’s look at the statement above from the Warrior’s side.
a) To be truly State led (as ESSA was sold to the nation), why would we need a national group’s help in making decisions?
b) Does the FEE and other CCSS Machine organizations just assume the States are too stupid to identify funding for themselves?
c) The 3 targets FEE is offering support on are some of the biggest bullet points in ESSA. Digital Learning will be at least $849 million for the States. Where will the objectivity come from? Where will the objective research be allowed to surface? (*Note: FEE cannot be objective on this topic. How do I know? Check out their Initiative called “Digital Learning Now”, http://www.digitallearningnow.com/)
To see the other ways FEE wants to help: http://www.excelined.org/principles-2015-reauthorization-elementary-secondary-education-act/
In case you would like to see how FEE commented publicly on the ESSA Proposed Regulations (all public comments are closed as of 8/1/16):
http://www.excelined.org/news/excelined-submits-comments-u-s-department-education-essa-regulations/
Digital Learning Now:
As mentioned above, this is an initiative project of FEE’s but it is not solely FEE’s.
Read this excerpt about the history of the project, “Governors Jeb Bush(FL) and Bob Wise (WV) convened the Digital Learning Council in August 2010 to develop the roadmap to integrate current and future technological innovations into public education.”
So who is on the DLC (Digital Learning Council)?
Among other CCSS Machine/ESSA Supporter groups in the DLC:
Microsoft, the Center for Education Reform, Apple, Pearson Publishing, Connections Academy (an arm of Pearson Publishing), Data Quality Campaign, The Hewlett Foundation, The Carnegie Foundation, ETS (Educational Testing Services, associated with AIR, Inc. (American Institutes for Research), The Fordham Foundation, SchoolNet, Nat’l Assoc. for Charter School Authorizers, the U.S. Dept. of Education, and a few State Senate bodies. To see the entire list of DLC adivors and members: http://www.digitallearningnow.com/about/history
To see the 10 key points the DLC presented to the National Summit on Education Reform:
http://www.digitallearningnow.com/policy/10-elements/ (*Note: all 10 are woven into CCR and the ESSA, WIOA, and the HEA.)
If you would like to see the other DLC Initiatives:
http://www.digitallearningnow.com/initiatives/ (*Note: among them is the E-Rate Legislation. I exposed the ties to the CCSS Machine and the E-Rate: http://preventcommoncore.com/?p=1223; How does E-Rate fit in the ESSA? Remember the $849 million mentioned above? Not only will portions of that go to State for Technology updates, other tax money will be used to update entire infrastructures of regions, cities, and States for the 24/7, Open Educational Resource access to ALL learning connected resources. How? In the name of ‘student achievement’.)
From My Files:
ESSA and the Ditigal Makeovers:
a) nationally: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/02/04/essa-and-digital-overload/
b) State levels: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/02/08/state-digital-education/
c) ESSA codified Digital Promise and its connected Neighborhoods:
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/05/22/ed-for-sale/
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/01/04/meet-your-new-neighbor-essa-seriously/
d) ESSA and the national technology/in-home assessments:
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/02/23/essa-in-a-nutshell/
e) ESSA and the data mining for private education (including homeschoolers), which also lumps in AP, IB, and dual enrollment:
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/03/01/warriors-guide-to-essa-and-private-education/
f) The White House’s “Computer Science for All” will also be included in the digital push/ESSA, CCR, etc.:
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/05/07/catching-up/
Closing:
Find out if your State has received any Digital Learning Grants recently. For example, this one from 2014 from Indiana:
http://www.doe.in.gov/elearning/digital-learning-grant
What new laws or older laws undergoing a rewrite to fit Digital Learning are there in your State? For example, the NC DPI, has a list of legislation. See:
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/dtl/policy/regulations/
What State affiliated Colleges, Universities, and/or related post-secondary educational institutions are involved in the Digital Plans? For example, the NC State University’s Friday Center (both NC State and the Friday Center are ‘banner’ CCSS Machine members) produced this detailed Digital plan in 2015: http://ncdlplan.fi.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/NC-Digital-Learning-Detailed-Plan-9-14-15.pdf
So, the better question (anti Fed Ed/ESSA/CCSS Warrior) should be: what CCSS Machine members are breeding inadequate education?
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