From the Craig-Haddaway Campaign:
Harford County Executive and candidate for Maryland Governor David R. Craig called today for the state’s withdrawal from the common core national test, citing a lack of clarity over how much the new system will cost, concerns about test questions and that only 9 percent of teachers feel ready to implement it.
“There are red flags going up everywhere threatening the statewide K-12 education system, and it’s time to cut our losses now,” said Craig. “Common core has its own set of issues and the national test that is lumped in with it just compounds the problem. The State Department of Education is embracing a federal education agenda that forces too many changes onto teachers and students at once, and it’s time to put the word ‘Maryland’ back into our schools.”
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, which goes by the letters PARCC, is a national testing organization that received part of a $330 million federal grant to implement the test in 18 states that have adopted common core. Despite the federal grant, the organization estimates the cost to administer the test will be nearly $30 per student, at least $2 million more than the Maryland state test being phased out.
“I have not seen one example of a government expenditure coming in below estimate,” said Craig. “This is a floor of what taxpayers can expect to pay to implement the PARCC test, not a ceiling. Let’s see the bill because whatever the final amount due is will be coming out of the budget for teacher salaries, school supplies and building construction.”
Harford County Public Schools has budgeted $18.5 million to implement the test. At a stop at a county public school classroom this week, Craig took note of confusion over the wording of a test question that baffled the teacher, the student and the county executive himself.
“The problem with outside groups designing tests is there is no accountability in the classroom,“ said Craig. “When I was a teacher, we developed our own tests and our students then could measure up with any other student in the world. They are making this far too complicated. Let teacher’s teach.”
A survey released November 13 by the Maryland State Education Association shows just 9% of teachers across the state feel that their school has the technological and physical capacity to administer the PARCC exam. This summer, state test scores dropped dramatically as common core was being rolled out.
PARCC tests are being piloted in Maryland and other states this year and they will replace existing Maryland assessments beginning in 2014-15. By ending Maryland’s involvement in PARCC, the state would join Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Oklahoma and Utah in removing the test from state classrooms.
Craig has previously called common core a “great mistake.”
Wow, he said something intelligent for once.
But too late.
Under the Craig Administration 412 HCPS kindergarten students have become pregnant. We need more money to combat the over quailified …Hiccup… We need more progress and aditional tax dollars to further impliment the guide lines set forth by the Jacobian principals set fourth in Our wonderful Common Core. ..hiccup.. .glug glug… ..More Bombay Sapphire please… David Craig has been a menace to the people. The middle Class must go…. hiccup… Who Farted
Although flat out refusal of the entire Common (communism!) Core program would be the BEST thing for our entire country, A N Y dis-assembly or elimination of any part of it, is a good thing. Parents should be absolutely livid regarding this vile program that will finish the job of turning children’s brains into mush, that indoctrination has already started. If you think our country has problems now – just let this program fully implement and turn kids into drones. How do you spell evil? C O M M ON C O R E.
Why is Craig worried about money for teachers salaries? First the state does not pay them and second Craig doesn’t believe teachers should get paid as evidenced by his career here!
David Craig could cure every illness, raise the dead, and end poverty, but the fact he is not a progressive will still have CDEV the lemming bitching.
Not sure if that was supposed to be Mormons or morons. Regardless of party affiliation Mr Craig has his detractors and his defects.
Still waiting for the State to send that check from the record gambling revenues they collected. Remember the gambling revenue was all about education. Teachers, most of you voted for O’Malley just like HCEA wanted you to so maybe you could also call him and ask him when the check will be coming so you can get a raise.
They’re already sending the check!
The wording of the gambling law did not state that current contributions to school funding from general tax revenues would remain at the previous level. The legislature thus reduced the contribution from non-gambling taxes to local schools in the amount equal to the gambling tax revenue, letting them spend that general tax revenue on pork instead.
You wont get it. The state already blew it on free shit for freeloaders
Does this mean the County Executive will forgo construction money for a new high school in HdG? Does this mean the YBES community should be concerned about his commitment to a new school for them?
No, it means Ryan Burbey, HCEA and David Craig all 3 agree on something. Do you agree with them or not? A simple yes or no would be fine.
These were asked as serious questions about school construction funding. In the article Mr. Craig said whatever the cost for implementing Common Core “… will be coming out of the budget for teacher salaries, school supplies and building construction.” According to the BOE’s approved CIP the largest construction projects would be replacement of HdG high school and YBES. I am just asking if his statement means he would pull funding for one or both of these projects if the State moves forward with Common Core testing requirements and their associated costs. In light of his statement the communities of HdG and Fallston deserve an explanation as to how strong remains his commitment to fund these projects.
The state is moving on with PARCC. Not a thing Craig can do about it now. Furthermore the testing is not a capital expense!
The testing may not be covered in Capital expenditures but the technology hardware necessary for students to take the test will be paid for from the Capital budget. The BOE is asking for 20 million dollars in funding from the County Government to purchase new hardware and upgrade exiting hardware to reach a point where the school system is able to implement the PARCC testing. Mr. Craig has the authority to pull his support for other CIP projects (including HdG and YBES) to meet the BOE’s technology request if he so chooses.
And now I see that the Baltimore County teacher’s union has filed a grievance to keep it from being implemented because of the extra work it causes. Will they be successful? It will be interesting to see.
Need a new high school in HavreDeGrace???? I know of a real nice , brand spanking new, building , built next to the Target in Aberdeen… :0)..(supply your own buses..LOL)
It’s time for Craig to cut his losses and withdrawal from his statewide campaign
It will take years for Harford to recover from Craig’s mismanagement. Glassman should start by clearing out the cronies and family Craig has hired over the last 10 years. The rats are starting to feel the water. Gibson has jumped and Tomarchio ready to go next.
Oh My Goodness,… Bill:
“Glassman should start by clearing out the cronies and family”
And Ba…Ba…Barry won’t have his own “friends and family” to put in their place?
Can you spell NAIVETY or perhaps….NEPOTISM ?
Bill,
Enlighten us all on what Craig’s mismanagement is as you see it. We would all like to know.
Paul, that is your opinion. I am not sure on what you based your opinion. Why don’t you share with us all your criteria for how you made that decision and statement.
We are fighting common core. Burbey pushes it
http://www.wbal.com/article/104006/3/county-teachers-union-files-grievance-over-common-core
I might be wrong, but from what i understand about common core education is that its goal is illogical.
We live in a nation that needs driving forces within our economy; one of those forces is competition. Competition would be nonexistent by the use of national common core, for the basic fact that its national. For an economy to exist within a nation, there must be differences in what different regions teach. If the entire nation consisted of all students knowing exactly the same things, there would be major lack in competition for jobs, and therefore a lack of competition in an economy. Common core education = slow economic growth
So what you are basically saying is you do not think it’s important to teach topics in public education that all the students across the country should know in order to be able to market their skills and capabilities to different regions of lesser caliber? How very elitist of you.
If common core is implemented nationwide, these so-called “lower caliber regions” wouldn’t exist, as all students would be taught the same things. Like it or not a successful economy needs a loser.
The real goal of this county should be to produce a curriculum that bests common core education, and therefore making HCPS students more outstanding in the job market.
Common Core – another Obama, Bill Gates – rich, elitist, intelligencia bomb dropped on teachers and students. With no warning, no prep time – here’s the text book – teach it. Teachers left scrambling, kids left in the dark. If Burbey boy is pushing this, then I’m back to thinking he’s the left wing nut I always thought he was. Go ahead Balto County Teachers, union – If Burbey had any balls and common (yeah common) sense – he would follow the BCTU lead! Enough of this love affair with our History making elitist empty suit pres and his cha ching buddies. Wake up
Damn those smart liberals interested in improving the world through their efforts, which are only seen as invasive and controlling by a group of people that would prefer to be controlled by elitist conservative forces bent on maintaining their status quo at the expense of all those little people that admire their control and manipulation in all matters public and private.
I would’ve put an exclamation mark on the end to really drive the point home, but I thought your reply was well-stated.
When will the HCEA file a grievance? Are they going to let TABCO expose HCEA leadership for what they really are – a lot of hot air that are more in the pockets of the BOE and HarCo in reality than they are fighting for their members. The ‘big idea’ of HCEA leadership was a job action that went no where.
HCEA can’t file a group grivience and Baltimore Counties issues are not issues in Harford!
Cdev – You are an irritant. Sort of like something that would afflict someone’s bowels.
Can’t file a grievance? Well they better do something instead of whining everyday on Dagger that they are overworked and underpaid.
cdev, what a weak answer.