So we are administering STAR testing today.

[LetTimmySmoke]

Thank you State of California and George W. Bush for this wondrous bounty of standardized testing booklets and answer sheets. You are truly making education the best it can be!

[HopeHoops]

1. Hey. Edison and the other companies that produce those bullshit tests are making a killing.

Gee. I wonder if the orange Boner would consider cutting THEIR funding? :rofl: - silly question.

[LetTimmySmoke]

2. That depends...

Is there an Edison-sponsored round of golf in store for Boehner and company?

[HopeHoops]

4. I think that's a fair bet.

[defendandprotect]

3. Standardized test profits went from $100 million to 1 Billion via "LNCB" ....

"Leave No Child Behind" --

PLUS, as Hartmann was nothing the other day, teachers used to run off test papers

on copy machines -- but now they have to buy tests -- $35 each!!

That's beyond all of the standardized tests!!


And, the Bush Family is certainly involved in the testing business --

Also -- when a school fails in any way on these tests -- one teacher told me that they

had to they BUY something called "C.O.W." -- Curriculum on Wheels -- to try to

requalify!!

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. First you buy the milk and then you buy the cow?

This is like many acronyms, a joke on us. Similar to the first "Operation Iraqi Liberation. OIL

Until someone figured it out, it's just one big joke on us.

[defendandprotect]

7. Exactly what the teacher said ... "Is this supposed to be a joke?" ...

"Are they laughing at us?" --

Sad -- but true!!

Hartmann did a lot on this the other day -- I missed a lot of it tho --

[Igel]

6. Could be worse.

Every school in TX had TAKS tests back in March and April.

But they're phasing in EOC/Star tests. So in addition to TAKS, some classes get to take the EOC tests.

Of course, to provide a baseline a lot of schools had "TRT" (TAKS released test) last September, where they take a week to have the kids take a practice test composed of previous years' TAKS tests. Then, in February or March, they retook the exact same test to see how they improved over the previous few months and to tell teachers what their students need to know to take the "real" TAKS test in April.

3 1/2 weeks of actual testing. 4 weeks or more of time dedicated specifically to reviewing for the TAKS.

During that time the "lunch" period is fixed and unchanging. So on Monday you may see pd 1, lunch, and 2nd. On Tuesday you'll see pd 3, lunch, and 4. On Wednesday, pd 5, lunch, and 6th. At the end of the week you'll have spent perhaps 1 hour with a couple of sections, 2 hours with other sections, and 7 1/2 hours with your lunch section.

It's insane.