In response to the 8/7/2012 post, “The Superintendent’s Corner: The Anti-testing Resolution” another LYS Nation Superintendent sent in the following.

SC,
I am usually in support of your thoughts and frequently send them to our staff. In fact, our campuses have embraced the Fundamental 5 as part of our practice and measure it with classroom walkthroughs.  I usually don’t write a response, but I am passionate about the work and words of the resolution.  
The resolution is not about a Superintendent signing a document to protest standardized testing; it is about a Board supporting the points of the resolution.  The resolution is not against testing; it is against the way test scores are used, the amount of preparation schools spend for a day of testing to ensure that ratings meet the community’s or a realtor’s expectations, it is about engaging students in creative and innovative learning environments, and it is about embracing the tenets of Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas. It supports the beliefs that you wrote in your response for those who are in the middle.  We may have to agree to disagree on this issue, but that is OK.  We are after the same thing – student learning and preparing students for their future.
Howell Wright

SC Response I don’t disagree with you. Those who want to dismantle public education, not improve it, have hijacked our existing school accountability system.  I struggle with balancing the fight against a bad measurement system versus the understanding that holding ourselves accountable is the best thing we can do for our underserved student populations.  My protest is focused on campaigning and voting against our elected officials who by word and deed have demonstrated that funding and supporting public education is less important than getting elected. 

Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
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