>> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE
POSSIBLE IN PART FROM FUNDING
FROM EDUCATIONS NEXT HORIZON,
STATEWIDE NONPROFIT DEDICATED
SOLY TO IMPROVING PREK-THROUGH
12 EDUCATION, LEADING ADVOCATE
FOR POLICIES ENSURING COLLEGE
AND CAREER READINESS.
EXXON MOBIL BATON ROUGE,
FOCUSING ITS ENERGY ON SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND
MASS -- MATH EDUCATION.
THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE
IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING.
>>> HELLO, WELCOME TO A SPECIAL
TOWN HALL EDITION OF "LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE."
I'M BETH COURTNEY, PRESIDENT OF
LPB.
>> I'M KIRBY GOIDEL.
THE TEACHING STANDARDS THAT
BEAR THE NAME, PART OF AN
INITIATIVE, COMMON BENCHMARK
FOR MATH AND -- WHILE LOUISIANA
ADOPTED THE STANDARDS IN 2010,
THEY WON'T TAKE FULL EFFECT
UNTIL THE 2014 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> WELL, IT -- IN LOUISIANA,
COMMON CORE HAS NOT BEEN
WITHOUT FALLOUT.
OPPONENTS HAVE TAINTED COMMON
CORE AS AN ATTEMPTED FEDERAL
TAKEOVER OF EDUCATION AND
PUSHING FOR ITS REPEAL.
COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY
THE STANDARDS WERE BEING
IMPLEMENTED LED TO A TWO-YEAR
POSTPONEMENT OF TEACHER
EVALUATIONS TIED TO THEM AND
MANY PARENTS AND STUDENTS FEEL
LOST, CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A
MAJOR TRANSFORMATION WITHOUT
ENOUGH INFORMATION.
WELL OVER THE NEXT HOUR,
"LOUISIANA PUBLIC SQUARE" WILL
HOPEFULLY BRING SOME CALM AND
CLARITY TO THE ISSUE AS IT
ATTEMPTS TO DECODE COMMON CORE.
SO, THIS IS WHAT THREE FOURTHS
LIKES LIKE.
THIS IS WHAT 1 1/2 WOULD LOOK
LIKE.
SO, WHO ATE MORE PIZZA?
DETRON OR LEBRON.
>> 5th GRADE MATH TEACHER
KEISHA FLEMING IS WORKING
THROUGH A WORD PROBLEM TO TEACH
THE ADDITION OF FRACTION WITH
UNLIKE DENOMINATORS.
BEFORE THE COMMON CORE
STANDARDS WERE ADOPTED BY THE
STATE, FLEMING'S EXPECTATIONS
MAY HAVE BEEN JUST THE ANSWER.
NOW STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE
ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THAT ANSWER
IS CORRECT.
>> WITH COMMON CORE, YOU
CAN'T -- YOU HAVE TO KNOW MORE
THAN JUST THE SURFACE.
YOU HAVE TO DELVE -- YOU HAVE
TO KNOW THE DEPTH OF IT.
I THINK ONCE STUDENTS ARE ABLE
TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY'RE DOING,
THEN THEY'RE COMFORTABLE IN
MATH.
>> FLEMING HAS SEEN THE
CONSEQUENCES OF STUDENTS BEING
UNPREPARED TO THINK
INDEPENDENTLY.
>> I USED TO WORK IN A DISTRICT
WHERE THE MAJORITY CHEMICAL
PLANT -- BECAUSE STUDENTS WERE
NOT ABLE TO BE PRECISE WITH
MATH OR EXPLAIN THE
MATHEMATICAL THINKING, THEY
WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE PLANT
JOBS.
>> LET'S REACH HIGHER.
>> THE DESIRE FOR A BETTER
EDUCATED WORK FORCE PROMPTED
INDUSTRY GIANT EXXON MOBIL TO
FINANCE PRO COMMON CORE ADS
DURING THE MASTER'S GOLF
TOURNAMENT LAST YEAR.
THE COMPANY PARTICIPATED ON A
PANEL ON INITIATIVE SPONSORED
BY THE LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN
OCTOBER.
KEN MILLER IS THE ENGINEERING
SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE BATON
ROUGE REFINERY AND CHEMICAL
PLANT.
>> THIS REALLY IS ALL ABOUT
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS,
REASONING SKILLS, THE KINDS OF
THINGS THAT ALLOW INDIVIDUALS
TO TAKE THE LEARNING FROM AN
ACADEMIC SETTING INTO A WORK
SETTING, AND BE ABLE TO
FUNCTION AND BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
>> STATE EDUCATION
SUPERINTENDENT JOHN WHITE SAYS
THAT THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS
ARE NEEDED TO KEEP ALL OF
AMERICA COMPETITIVE.
>> WE'RE SLIPPING TO A POINT
WHERE WE ARE IN THE 20s IN
TERMS OF RANKED NATIONS IN
TERMS OF MATH AND ENGLISH
SKILLS FOR OUR ADULTS, TO A
POINT WHERE WE HAVE FEWER HIGH
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATES
THAN WE DID A GENERATION AGO.
>> WHAT EXACTLY IS COMMON CORE?
A RECENT GALLOP POLL FOUND THAT
62% OF RESPONDENTS AND 55% OF
PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS DIDN'T
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE NEW
ACADEMIC STANDARDS.
>> BASICALLY, THE COMMON CORE
STANDARDS ARE STANDARDS THAT
BASICALLY DESCRIBE WHAT
STUDENTS AT VARIOUS GRADE
LEVELS OUGHT TO KNOW AND BE
ABLE TO DO.
>> BARRY ERWIN PRESIDENT FOR
THE COUNCIL OF BETTER
LOUISIANA, WHICH SUPPORTS
COMMON CORE.
ERWIN SAYS THE STANDARDS
REVOLVE IN A REQUIREMENT IN
PRESIDENT BUSH'S NO CHILD LEFT
BEHIND ACT.
THAT APPROACH, ERWIN SAID,
RESULTED IN AN UNEVEN
ASSORTMENT OF BENCHMARKS WITH
VARYING DEGREES OF RIGOR.
>> SO, WITH THE NATIONAL
GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION,
ASSOCIATION OF STATE
SUPERINTENDENTS, THEY GOT
TOGETHER AND BASICALLY CREATED
A SET OF VOLUNTARY STANDARDS,
CAME UP WITH THEM THEMSELVES.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DIDN'T
CREATE THEM, DIDN'T MANDATE
THEM, DOESN'T REQUIRE THEM.
THEY CAME UP WITH THEM
THEMSELVES, AND THAT IS
ESSENTIALLY THE COMMON CORE.
>> STANDARDS APPLY TO MATH AND
ENGLISH IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH
12th GRADE.
45 STATES, INCLUDING LOUISIANA,
HAVE ADOPTED THEM.
ERWIN SAYS THAT LOUISIANA'S
PRIOR BENCHMARKS WERE LOW WHEN
COMPARED TO OTHER STATES.
>> OUR STANDARDS WERE ABOUT A
GRADE LEVEL BEHIND IN WHAT YOU
SEE IN SOME OF THE HIGHER
PERFORMING STATES.
IN QUESTION WE NEED TO ADD MORE
RIGOR AND INCREASE OUR
STANDARDS.
>> THE GOALS THAT HER 10th
GRADE STUDENTS BE ABLE TO READ
LITERARY NONFICTION
INDEPENDENTLY AND EFFICIENTLY
BY YEAR'S END IS UNREALISTIC.
>> THEY DON'T HAVE THE
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE, THEY
DON'T HAVE THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
NECESSARY IN ORDER TO THINK
CRITICALLY ABOUT THE TEXT.
>> SCHNEIDER OBJECTS TO WHAT
SHE SEES AS A BROADER MOVEMENT
BY REFORMERS PUSHING COMMON
CORE TO STANDARDIZE THE
NATION --
>> IF STAND ARDIZATION WAS --
WE ARE ON COMMON CORE AND WE
ARE GOING TO GIVE STUDENT TESTS
TO MEASURE THEIR KNOWLEDGE
BASED ON COMMON CORE.
I CHALLENGE -- TO FIND A HIGH
END
>> DIRECTOR OF THE LOUISIANA
SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
HE HAS POOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
COMMON CORE BY LOUISIANA'S
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND LACK
OF A STATE CURRICULA HAS CAUSED
FRUSTRATION AMONG TEACHERS
STATEWIDE.
>> ALL OF THOSE THINGS COUPLED
WITH THE EDUCATION REFORM
LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN 2012,
TEACHER EVALUATIONS, LETTER
GRADE LABELLING, ALL OF THOSE
THINGS COUPLED TOGETHER HAVE
CREATED AN EDUCATIONAL TSUNAMI
IN LOUISIANA.
>> DUE TO PUSH BACK FROM
EDUCATORS, THE EVALUATION OF
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS TIED TO
COMMON CORE ACHIEVEMENT HAS
BEEN DELAYED BY THE STATE FOR
TWO YEARS.
PLANS TO MEASURE STUDENT'S
COMMON CORE ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH
ONLINE TESTING IS A FINANCIAL
CONCERN.
ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER RURAL
DISTRICTS.
>> TO PHASE IN AND MOVE TOWARDS
AN ONLINE TESTING ENVIRONMENT,
AS REALLY CREATED SOME
CHALLENGES FOR DISTRICTS TO
PRIORITIZE THOSE DOLLARS FOR
TESTING.
AND TO ASK LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO DO THAT WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL FUNDING, MANY
DISTRICTS ARE LOOKING AT IT AS
AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
>> MOVE TO ABOLISH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMON CORE
DIED IN THE SENATE LAST YEAR,
SOME HAVE VOWED TO -- SOMETHING
>> I THINK LEGITIMATE CONCERNS
HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT HOW
COMMON CORE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
AND IMPLEMENTED.
SO I THINK THE CONVERSATION
NEEDS TO CONTINUE.
>> ANY ACTIVITY THAT GETS MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT COMMON CORE
OUT TO THE PUBLIC IS A GOOD
THING --
>> MOST EDUCATORS CERTAINLY
AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
PARENTS NEED TO BE INFORMED,
LEADERS NEED TO BE INFORMED,
BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERY
CITIZEN IN THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
>> HELPING TO GET THE WORD OUT
ABOUT COMMON CORE IS OUR
DISTINGUISHED PANEL OF EXPERTS
WE HAVE HERE IN THE STUDIO.
KEN MILLER, ENGINEERING SERVICE
MANAGER OF EXXON MOBIL BATON
ROUGE.
EXXON MOBIL SUPPORTS THE COMMON
CORE STANDARDS.
LEE BARRIOS, RETIRED EDUCATOR,
PUBLIC EDUCATION ACTIVIST
OPPOSED TO COMMON CORE.
KEN BRANFORD, ASSISTANT
SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE
LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION'S OFFICE OF CONTENT.
HIS AGENCY OVERSEES THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON
CORE STANDARDS.
AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRETT
GEYMANN IS A REPUBLICAN FROM
LAKE CHARLES WHO HAS DRAFTED
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW
LOUISIANA TO OPT OUT OF COMMON
CORE.
MAYA BENNETT, READING
INTERVENTIONIST, AND SERVES AS
A COMMON CORE TEACHER LEADER
AND ADVISOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION.
WE WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE
STUDIO.
WE HAVE I'M SURE LOTS OF
QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
BUT FIRST, KIRBY, YOU HAVE
INFORMATION ABOUT A SURVEY,
RIGHT?
>> YEAH, I HAVE SOME AMAZING
INFORMATION ABOUT A SURVEY DONE
BY THE LSU PUBLIC POLICY
RESEARCH LAB.
THEY ASK OVER 160 LOUISIANA
RESIDENTS ABOUT TONIGHT'S
TOPIC.
AMONG THE FINDINGS, WHEN ASKED
ABOUT THE RIGOR OF CURRENT
ACADEMIC STANDARDS IN LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MAJORITY OF
RESPONDENTS, 63%, THINK THEY
ARE NOT DEMANDING ENOUGH.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RIGOR OF
THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS, 49%
SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT
DEMANDING ENOUGH.
YET WHEN ASKED HOW FAMILIAR
THEY ARE WITH THE MATH AND
ENGLISH COMMON CORE STANDARDS
THAT LOUISIANA HAS ADOPTED, A
TOTAL OF 76% OF THOSE SURVEYED
ARE NOT AT ALL OR NOT VERY
FAMILIAR WITH THOSE STANDARDS.
LUCKY FOR US, WE HAVE SOMEONE
IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, WHO
HAS -- IS ON A FACT-FINDING
MISSION.
AND SHE IS HERE TO ASK THE
OPENING QUESTION TO OUR PANEL.
WOULD YOU STAND UP AND TELL
THEM WHO YOU REPRESENT.
>> GOOD EVENING.
I REPRESENT THE -- CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, A CEO.
AND OUR QUESTION IS AS MOST
CHAMBERS, WE SERVE AS THE VOICE
OF BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF OUR
1,000 MEMBERS.
AND I AM HERE ON A FACT-FINDING
MISSION BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD
VERY DIFFERING OPINIONS FROM
BUSINESS LEADERS AND CITIZENS,
PARENTS, TEACHERS, ON COMMON
CORE.
SO, I AM HERE AS PART OF THAT
MISSION AND WOULD LIKE TO ASK
THE -- ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF
THE PANEL WHY SHOULD WE OPPOSE
OR SUPPORT COMMON CORE PRIOR TO
THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE
SESSION?
>> WE CAN START WITH YOU,
MR. MILLER.
>> THANK YOU, LACY.
APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO LPB AND
EDUCATION'S NEXT HORIZON FOR
ENGAGING WITH THIS IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION THIS AFTERNOON.
TO DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION, WE WOULD SAY YES, WE
DO SUPPORT HIGHER EDUCATION
STANDARDS AND FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE, THOSE ARE REQUIRED
TO BE ABLE TO DRAW THE CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS AND HIGHER
CAPABILITY IN MATH AND SCIENCE
THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO
COMPETE EFFECTIVELY IN THE WORK
FORCE AND POSITION THEM FOR THE
BRIGHTEST POSSIBLE FUTURE.
JUST A QUICK PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL
GAS, VERY ECONOMICALLY
ADVANTAGED SITUATION HERE
DOMESTICALLY THAT WILL CREATE
POTENTIALLY 46,000 JOBS IN THE
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY, ANOTHER HALF
A MILLION JOBS IN RELATED
INDUSTRIES.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE
PROPERLY PREPARED TO COMPETE
FOR THOSE JOBS AND WE BELIEVE
THE HIGHER STANDARDS WILL LET
THEM DO SO EFFECTIVELY.
>> MS. BARRIOS.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS
THAT.
A COUPLE OF POINTS I WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE.
FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T BELIEVE
THE CHAMBER OR PUBLIC IN
GENERAL SHOULD BE SUPPORTING A
SET OF STANDARDS THAT HASN'T
BEEN RESEARCHED, TESTED,
CREATED BY K-12 EDUCAEDUCATORS, AND
PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE.
AS WE ALL KNOW NOW, INTRODUCED
FAR TOO QUICKLY.
TEACHERS WEREN'T PREPARED AND
WEREN'T PROVIDED WITH THE
RESOURCES.
THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT
COMPONENT IS THAT IN
PARTICULARLY WITH BUSINESS
INTEREST IN MIND, AS YOU HAVE,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR CHILDREN
TO BE CREATIVE AND
ENTREPRENEURS.
THE UNITED STATES IS KNOWN FOR
THAT.
AND THE LACK OF THE ABILITY OR
THE USE OF DIVERGENT THINKING,
CREATIVE THINKING IN THESE
COMMON CORE STANDARDS DOES NOT
LEND ITSELF TO DEVELOPING THAT
SORT OF STUDENT.
>> MR. BRADFORD.
>> YEAH.
I JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY ON MS.
BARRIOS COMMENTS.
THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS
WERE DEVELOPED BY TEACHERS,
EDUCATORS, COLLEGE PROFESSORS
AND CONTENT EXPERTS.
THEY ALSO WENT THROUGH A
VALIDATION COMMITTEE,
VALIDATION PANEL WITH THE
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS,
AND WHEN THEY CAME TO THE
STATES, THEY WERE RELEASED,
THEY WERE VIEWED BY TEACHERS IN
LOUISIANA, EDUCATORS IN
LOUISIANA, AND THE LSU STEM
CENTER FOR LITERACY.
THEY HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
TO YOUR POINT THOUGH, YOU KNOW,
IN THE WORK FORCE COMMISSION
HAS RELEASED DATA THAT SAYS
THAT BY THE YEAR 2020, THERE
WILL BE 2.25 MILLION NEW JOBS
IN LOUISIANA.
50% OF THEM WHICH WILL REQUIRE
EITHER A TWO OR FOUR-YEAR
DEGREE.
IN THE 2012 REPORT, FIRST TIME
FRESHMAN REPORT, ONE THIRD OF
LOUISIANA STUDENTS THAT WOULD
GO ON TO COLLEGE HAD TO TAKE A
REMEDIAL COURSE.
SO, I THINK THAT IN ITSELF SAYS
THAT WE NEED TO RAISE THE RIGOR
OF THE STANDARDS.
>> REPRESENTATIVE GEYMANN.
>> I THINK IT IS A GREAT
QUESTION.
NOBODY ACROSS THE STATE DOESN'T
WANT TO THE BEST FOR THEIR
KIDS, STUDENTS IN THE STATE.
I HAVEN'T TALKED TO ANYONE WHO
DOESN'T WANT TO RAISE
EXPECTATIONS.
THE QUESTION IS WHO IS GOING TO
DETERMINE WHAT THE STANDARDS
ARE?
THIS WAS DONE BY TWO NONPROFIT
GROUPS, NO PUBLIC MEETINGS NO
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THOSE ARE
THE THINGS THAT CONCERN ME.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE SHIFTED
AWAY LOCAL CONTROL AND GIVEN IT
OVER TO MORE OF A FEDERAL
INTRUSION INTO OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM THROUGH THE COMMON CORE
STANDARDS.
WE CAN DO THIS RIGHT HERE IN
LOUISIANA.
WE CAN RAISE OUR EXPECTATIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE A PART OF A
GLOBAL UNITED STATES COMMON
STANDARD WHERE EVERY STATE IS
TEACHING THE EXACT SAME
CURRICULUM.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
WE CAN RAISE OUR STANDARDS HERE
IN LOUISIANA AND WE CAN DO THAT
RIGHT HERE.
I THINK THE CONTROL NEEDS TO BE
MORE LOW WHERE PARENTS HAVE
INVOLVEMENT.
WE HEAR ALL OF THE GREAT
TALKING POINTS, WE ALL WANT
WHAT IS BEST, WANT TO COMPETE,
PREPARE OUR KIDS TORE THE JOB
FORCE, COLLEGE, ABSOLUTELY WE
WOULDN'T TO DO THAT.
WHY ARE PEOPLE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH
COMMON CORE.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, SAID THEY
ARE GOING TO GET OUT.
WE HAVE PROBLEMS ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
HITTING THE KITCHEN TABLE.
PARENTS ARE SEEING IT AND
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE SOME
ISSUES HERE.
WANT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
THEY HAD NO INVOLVEMENT ON
THIS.
TWO PEOPLE DID NOT -- MATH
CONTENT EXPERT AND LANGUAGE
ARTS EXPERT DID NOT SIGN OFF ON
IT.
THIS IS NOT AS ROSY AS WE PAINT
THE PICTURE TO BE.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE IT BACK
OVER AND DO IT AT THE STATE
LEVEL AND RAISE THE BENCHMARK
AND EXPECTATIONS AS HIGH AS WE
WANT TO RAISE THEM AND DO IT
RIGHT HERE IN LOUISIANA.
THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO OPPOSE
THE IMPORT OF COMMON CORE.
>> I BELIEVE IT IS A MORAL
IMPERATIVE TO SUPPORT THE
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS.
UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR
COLLABORATION, STATE HEAD
EFFORT TO CREATE STANDARDS TO
PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR
COLLEGE CAREER SUCCESS.
NOW IN OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY,
GRADUATE FOR NOT ONLY GLOBAL
CITIZENSHIP BUT GLOBAL
LEADERSHIP.
OUR THINK OUR STUDENTS DESERVE
OF THE VERY BEST AND COMMON
CORE STATE STANDARDS -- AS A
TEACHER IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY, I
CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OUR KIDS
ARE READY.
IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TEACHERS
AND OUR COMMUNITY BEING READY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
IS OUR COMMUNITY READY.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MEMBER
HERE.
BUSINESSMAN.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION, RIGHT?
>> I'M EDDIE, CHAIRMAN OF THE
INDUSTRIAL -- CONSTRUCTORS.
ELECTRICAL AND IMPLEMENTATION,
ENGINEERING, SPECIALLY COUNTRY.
WE WORK ALL OVER THE UNITED
STATES, PREDOMINANTLY THE GULF
COAST.
WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT, I HAVE
BEEN INVOLVEDED IN WITH THREE
DECADES, AND THE LOUISIANA WORK
FORCE INVESTMENT COUNCIL WHEN
WE FORMED IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
ABOUT TWO DECADES AGO, AS
CONTRACTORS AND AS OWNERS
AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE REALIZED
WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT
CURRICULUMS FOR TRAINING CRAFT
PERSONS.
SO, MANY ORGANIZATIONS CAME
TOGETHER AND FORMED WHAT THEY
CALL THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH.
AND DEVELOPED A CURRICULUM, AS
WELL AS AN ASSESSMENT, THAT
COULD BE USED FOR CRAFT
TRAINING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND
STANDARDIZED IT.
WE CAME TOGETHER TO DO THAT.
AND NOW OUR CRAFT PERSONS CAN
BE TRAINED ANYWHERE IN THE
COUNTRY, ANYWHERE IN THE STATE,
AND WE CAN COMPETE ANYWHERE IN
THE STATE AS WELL AS AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.
>> YOUR QUESTION.
>> MY QUESTION IS,
REPRESENTATIVE, WHY WOULDN'T
WE, AND YOU AS A BUSINESS
PERSON, WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND
HAVE OUR CHILDREN COMPETE BOTH
THROUGHOUT OUR STATE,
THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY, AND
AROUND THE WORLD WITH HIGHER
STANDARDS?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
I AGREE WE NEED TO RAISE
EXPECTATIONS AND WE CAN HAVE A
SET OF STANDARDS.
TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO -- TO DO
THAT IN THE WORK FORCE, THAT
COULD POSSIBLY BE A VERY GOOD
THING.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO STANDARDIZE
LOUISIANA WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE,
CALIFORNIA, FINLAND, POLAND,
CHINA.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT SETS OF
VALUES HERE IN LOUISIANA THAN
PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
I LOVE NEW HAMPSHIRE.
I'M GLAD THEY'RE PART OF THIS
COUNTRY.
I DON'T WANT TO TEACH MY KIDS
LIKE THEM.
I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ONCE WE TURN AWAY THAT CONTROL
AND GIVE IT TO THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, WE'RE DONE.
WE HAVE NO INPUT ANYMORE AT THE
PARENT AND LOCAL LEVEL AND I
THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN FOUNDED
ON.
AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM --
LOOK, I WANT TO RAISE THE BAR.
RAISE IT AS HIGH AS YOU WANT TO
RAISE IT.
MAKE IT A REACHABLE GOAL AND
LET'S GO DO THAT.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT.
I DON'T WANT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TELLING US HOW TO DO
THIS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL SAY
THEY HAVE NOTHING DO IT WITH IT
AND IT IS NOT A FEDERAL
CURRICULUM.
WHEN YOU HAVE TO -- THAT IS A
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT.
EVALUATION, TEACHER PAY,
EVERYTHING BUILT ON STUDENT
PERFORMANCE.
YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TEACH
TO THAT.
YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
PASS THE TEST AND BY DEFAULT IT
WILL BECOME MORE NATIONAL.
>> REPRESENTATIVE, LET'S GET
THIS CLEAR THOUGH.
KEN BRADFORD, IT ISN'T A
NATIONAL CURRICULUM, IS IT?
>> THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A STANDARD AND A
CURRICULUM.
A STANDARD IS A TASK THAT A
STUDENT MUST ACHIEVE BY THE END
OF THE COURSE OR THE END OF THE
SCHOOL YEAR.
THE CURRICULUM ENCOMPASSES THE
TEXTBOOK, THE RESOURCES THAT GO
ALONG THAT THE TEACHERS ARE
USING, ETC.
AND WE WOULD AGREE WITH THE
REPRESENTATIVE THAT WE DO NOT
WANT A NATIONAL CURRICULUM.
WE BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL.
AND THERE IS A STANDARD
ATTACHED THAT THE STUDENT MUST
ACHIEVE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
THE SCHOOLS HAVE THE
FLEXIBILITY TO IDENTIFY THE
APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM THAT
THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE AND THE
TEXTBOOK.
THE EXAM, ITSELF, IS ALSO NOT A
NATIONAL EXAM.
THE POCK EXAM IS A -- STATES
THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER THAT WE
WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP AN
ASSESSMENT TO MEASURE COMMON
CORE -- LOUISIANA ONE OF 25
STATES PARTICIPATING IN THE
PARK EXAMS.
THOSE EXAM ASSESSMENT ITEMS
HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN UNISON
WITH ALL OF THE 25 STATES, AND
INCLUDE LOUISIANA EDUCATORS AND
TEACHERS.
>> YOUR SIDE, KIRBY.
>> WOULD YOU ASK YOUR QUESTION?
ARE YOU CONVINCED?
>> NO.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL, I'M A
RETIRED EDUCATOR.
AND I WRITE A BLOG FOR
EDUCATORS AND FOR PARENTS.
AND IN MY RESEARCH FOR THE
BLOG, I FOUND THAT OUT OF THE
25 PERSONS WHO WERE APPOINTED
TO WRITE THE STANDARDS, THERE
WAS NOT A SINGLE PRACTICING
CLASSROOM TEACHER IN THAT
GROUP.
LATER ON, TEACHERS GOT TO LOOK
AT IT BUT THERE WHETHER OR NOT
MANY CHANGES MADE.
MY QUESTION TO THE EXXON
REPRESENTATIVE IN PARTICULAR
IS, IF YOU WERE GOING TO REVAMP
YOUR PROCEDURE FOR ONE OF YOUR
PLANTS, WOULD YOU CONSIDER
DOING IT -- WOULD IT BE WISE TO
DO THAT WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH
THE OPERATORS, PEOPLE
EXPERIENCED ON THE JOB AND WHO
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT
WORK?
WOULD THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?
>> VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND
THANK YOU.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE WOULD
CERTAINLY CONSULT WITH THE
OPERATORS AND THE PEOPLE THAT
OPERATE THE PLANT.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE THE ENGINEERS
AND THE HIGHER SKILLED FOLKS
ACTUALLY DEVELOP THE STANDARDS
AND FROM WHAT -- AND, AGAIN,
I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL
EDUCATOR, BUT I DO KNOW THAT,
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CANE
CENTER HERE, A NUMBER OF
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS FROM THE
CANE CENTER THAT WERE INVOLVED
IN ACTUALLY DEVELOPING THE
STANDARDS AND THEY WERE
REVIEWED BY TEACHERS LATER.
AT LEAST FROM WHERE WE SIT, IT
SEEMS TO BE A VERY SIMILAR
PROCESS TO ONE THAT WE WOULD
FOLLOW.
>> MS. BARRIOS, WHAT IS YOUR
VIEW OF THIS?
>> AS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR,
I -- I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE
TIME TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC FROM
AN EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE COMMON
CORE STANDARDS.
I KNOW WE HEAR IT IS ONLY A SET
OF STANDARDS.
IF IT WERE ONLY A SET OF
STANDARDS, WHICH ALL OF THE
STATES HAVE HAD FOR QUITE
SOMETIME, AND LOUISIANA'S WAS
CONSIDERED TO BE QUITE GOOD,
TEACHERS WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM
WITH IT.
IT IS A BENCHMARK.
THESE STANDARDS OF ATTACHED TO
A HIGH STAKES, MEANING STUDENTS
WILL PASS OR FAIL BASED ON IT,
TEACHERS WERE LOSE THEIR
EMPLOYMENT OR BE DEEMED HIGHLY
EFFECTIVE BY VIRTUE OF IT, AND
SCHOOLS CAN BE CLOSED BECAUSE
OF IT, AS A RESULT OF IT.
IT IS A HIGH STAKES
STANDARDIZED TEST.
WE HAVE MOVED FROM STANDARDS TO
STANDARDIZATION, TWO VERY
DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
IN ORDER FOR THAT TEST TO BE
USED AS HIGH STAKES ACCORDING
TO POLICY OF US ED AND
RESEARCH, IT HAS TO BE ALIGNED
WITH A CURRICULUM.
SO, THE CURRICULUM WILL BE
STANDARDIZED BASED ON THE TEST
AND THE TEST IS BASED ON THE
STANDARDS.
>> MAYA, YOU ARE A TEACHER AS
WELL.
TELL ME, ARE YOU WORRIED THAT
YOUR STUDENTS -- THEIR PARENTS
WILL BE OUTRAGED AND THEY WON'T
BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD AND PASS
THESE TESTS, THESE STANDARDIZED
TESTS?
>> NO, I'M NOT WORRIED AT ALL
ACTUALLY.
FOR YEARS BEFORE COMMON CORE
WAS INTRODUCED, I YIELDED LOTS
OF CONCERNS FROM PARENT
REGARDING THEIR CHILD'S
PREPARATION, AND THEIR LACK
THERE OF.
WHEN COMMON CORE CAME ABOUT AND
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
WITH PARENTS AND SHOW THEM WHAT
IT LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE, THEY
HAVE BEEN WELCOMING IT WITH
OPEN ARMS AND OUR STUDENTS HAVE
RISEN TO THE OCCASION.
IT IS REMARKABLE THAT THE
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS,
EMPHASIZE SPEAKING AND
LISTENING, AN IMPORTANT
SKILL -- I HAVE RECEIVED
STUDENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE NEAR WHO WERE NONVERBAL AND
BY VIRTUE OF CREATING A
VERBALLY RICH CLASSROOM,
LANGUAGE, QUESTIONS, SEMINARS,
THOSE STUDENTS LEAVE ME ABLE TO
SPEAK AND ENGAGE IN WAYS THAT
THEY WEREN'T BEFORE.
COMMON CORE IS INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL AND I FEEL LIKE MY
PARENTS ARE READY AND MY KIDS
ARE, TOO.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS HERE.
SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK A
QUESTION.
GIVE US YOUR NAME.
>> BRIAN ADAMS, TEACH FOR
AMERICA, SOUTH LOUISIANA.
TEACH FOR AMERICA IS A
NONPROFIT THAT BRINGS TEACHERS
AND LEADERS INTO SOME OF THE
HIGHEST NEED SCHOOLS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
MY QUESTION RELATES TO IF YOU
LOOK AT LOUISIANA, IT RANKED
NEAR THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE
EXAM RESULTS AND HAS CONTINUED
TO LAG BEHIND EDUCATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT AT LEAST IN PART
BECAUSE OUR STANDARDS HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY LOWER THAN THE
STANDARDS OF OTHER STATES.
COMMON CORE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO
BASICALLY GET OUR STATE -- OUR
STUDENTS TO A POINT WHERE THEY
COULD BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER
STATES.
MY QUESTION IS TO THE PANEL, DO
YOU BELIEVE THAT ALL OF
LOUISIANA STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO
ACHIEVE AT THESE HIGHER
STANDARDS, AND IF SO, WHAT IS
IT GOING TO TAKE?
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE LOUISIANA
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AT
THESE STANDARDS, WHAT WOULD YOU
SUGGEST THAT STANDARD THAT
SHOULD BE IN PLACE?
>> ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS A PRETTY TOUGH
QUESTION, BUT I'M SURE, YES,
LEE.
>> FIRST OF ALL, STANDARDS
DON'T SET THE BAR FOR THE
CLASSROOM.
THE TEACHER SETS THE BAR BASED
ON HER CLASSROOM, THE
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS IN IT.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD FOR YEARS AND
LEARNED HOW TO INDIVIDUALIZE
LESSONS FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE
THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT, LEARNING
DIFFERENT LEVELS AT DIFFERENT
SPEEDS.
SO, STANDARDS -- YOU CAN RAISE
THE BAR FOR STANDARDS ALL YOU
WANT.
THE TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM
DETERMINES HOW TO PRESENT THAT
MATERIAL AND WHAT HER STUDENTS
AT ANY GIVEN TIME CAN ACCEPT.
THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE DIRECT
CORRELATION BETWEEN
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND HOW
STUDENTS PERFORM AND
STANDARDIZED TESTS, BOTH WITH A
AN INTERNATIONAL TEST AND A
TEST IN THE UNITED STATES.
LOUISIANA IS I BELIEVE, SECOND
TO THE LAST, HIGHEST POVERTY IN
THE UNITED STATES.
THEREFORE, THAT HAS A LOT TO DO
WITH THAT CORRELATION.
AND INTERNATIONALLY, IF YOU
AGGREGATE STUDENT SCORES FROM
THE UNITED STATES AND SEPARATE
THOSE IN POVERTY FROM THOSE WHO
ARE NOT AND COMPARE THEM TO SAY
FINLAND WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE
AT THE TOP AND HAS BASICALLY
ZERO POVERTY, WE ARE RIGHT UP
THERE TOWARD THE TOP WITH THOSE
NATIONS.
>> YOU ARE SAYING THEN THAT
POOR STUDENTS CAN'T ACHIEVE.
>> NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT.
>> THAT IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
>> I'M SAYING THEY NEED A
DIFFERENT PRESENTATION, THEY
NEED TO BE WORKED WITH MORE
INTENSELY AND IN DIFFERENT
WAYS.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO JUMP IN
ON THIS ONE.
YEAH, KEN.
>> AS A FORMER SCHOOLTEACHER
NORTH BATON ROUGE HIGH
SCHOOLTEACHER FOR SEVEN YEARS
MYSELF, AND CURRENTLY HAVING
THREE CHILDREN IN A RURAL
LOUISIANA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM,
GRADES THREE, FIVE, AND NINE, I
WILL SAY THIS.
I WILL SUPPORT WHAT MAYA WAS
SAYING ABOUT THE STANDARDS.
BUT AS FAR AS THE EXAMS -- SHE
IS CORRECT, WE'RE RANKED 47th
IS OUR BEST RATING AND THAT IS
ON OUR EIGHTH GRADE MATH FOR
THE NAPE RATING.
AND WE DO NEED TO RAISE THE
STANDARDS.
AND WE WOULD AGREE THAT EVERY
STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF
SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS SHOULD HAVE
ACCESS TO A RIGOROUS
CURRICULUM.
WE WOULD AGREE THEY ALL SHOULD.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING, THERE ARE
DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT
SHOULD BE TAKEN.
THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?
>> RIGHT, AND ALSO THAT A
STANDARDIZED TEST, WHICH IS THE
MEASUREMENT THAT WE'RE USING --
IT IS A QUANTITATIVE TEST USED
TO MEASURE A QUALITATIVE -- THE
QUALITY OF LEARNING.
YOU CAN'T MEASURE QUALITY WITH
QUANTITATIVE MEASURES.
A STANDARDIZED TEST DOES NOT
SHOW HOW MUCH A STUDENT HAS
LEARNED.
IT SHOWS HOW MANY QUESTIONS
THEY ANSWERED CORRECTLY ON THAT
TEST.
>> WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM SOME
OF THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, PEOPLE
ARRIVE AND THEY'RE NOT
PREPARED.
>> YES, WE ARE SEEING A HIGHER
DEGREE OF APPLICANTS FOR JOBS
NOT QUALIFIED TO FILL THE JOBS.
WE ARE SEEING HIGHER DEGREE OF
DIFFICULTY.
WE DO TEST OUR APPLICANTS FOR
MATH AND SCIENCE CAPABILITY
BEFORE THEY COME IN THE DOOR,
AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE
SEEING A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE
THAT ARE NOT PASSING.
WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER
FOR THE REASON THAT WE'RE
SUPPORTING GOING FORWARD WITH
THE STANDARDS.
>> AND THAT MAKES SENSE SINCE
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND INSTITUTED
STANDARDIZED TESTING, WAS IT
13, 14 YEARS AGO.
THAT THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH
STANDARDIZED TESTING.
NARROWING THE CURRICULUM,
FOCUSING ON A TEST.
>> ONE THING THAT SEEMS TO BE
MISSING OUT OF THIS
CONVERSATION, THERE IS NOTHING
PROHIBITING US FROM DOING THIS
NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE TO JOIN COMMON
CORE TO RAISE OUR EXPECTATIONS
AND TO CHANGE THE STUDENT
LEARNING HERE IN LOUISIANA AND
TO MOVE FROM 47 UP.
IT HAS BEEN 47, 49 AS LONG AS I
CAN REMEMBER.
NONE OF US LIKE THAT.
I DON'T THINK -- NOBODY HAS
BEEN PROUD THAT WE'RE 47th.
OKAY.
BUT A RADICAL CHANGE IN
EDUCATION -- BY THE WAY, IT WAS
NOT STATE LED.
STATE LED MEANS THAT ALL OF THE
LEGISLATIVE BODIES ACROSS 50
STATES GOT TOGETHER HAD
DISCUSSION, OPEN FORUMS, PUBLIC
MEETINGS, TESTIFYING AND
SOMEBODY VOTED AND WE CAME TO
THIS CONSENSUS.
THIS WAS NOT STATE LED.
STATE LED IS IF SOMEBODY IS
HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
AND SO WHY -- WHY DO WE WANT TO
GIVE THAT UP SO THAT -- SO THAT
IN THE NAME OF HAVING A BETTER
QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE?
WE WANT THEM TOO.
I WANT BETTER QUALIFIED
EMPLOYEES TO SHOW UP AT MY DOOR
AS WELL.
WE CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
OUR TEACHERS ARE WONDERFUL.
RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS, PROVIDE
THE RESOURCES WE NEED AND WE
CAN DO THAT.
FORGET JOIN COMMON CORE.
>> THE STATE LED BY WHOM?
>> STATE LED BY THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, PRIVATE
GROUP.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STATE LED,
PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU DISCUSSED
THE ISSUE, PARENTS AND TEACHERS
AND EXPERTS HAVE COME AND
TESTIFIED.
YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED PROBLEM
AREAS AND YOU HAVE TRIED TO
SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS.
WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT.
WE ARE IN IT AND NOW WE HAVE
ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS.
YOU CAN'T FIX IT.
IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN, IT'S DONE,
AND WE'RE IN.
AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU HAVE 25
STATES DOING THE PARK TEST, HOW
IS IT COMMON ANYWAY.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER 25 STATES
DOING?
THIS WHOLE THING IS BAFFLING TO
ME.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM
SOMEONE, FORGIVE ME IF I
MISCHARACTERIZE YOUR OPINION,
STARTED OFF SKEPTICAL AND IS
NOW MAYBE MORE CONVINCED, IS
THAT A FAIR REPRESENTATION?
>> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT.
MY NAME IS RYAN, AND I AM A
MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN STATE
CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND A
CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL
ACTIVIST.
AND I'M ALSO A FORMER PUBLIC
SCHOOLTEACHER IN BATON ROUGE,
TAUGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH FOR
THREE YEARS IN THE BATON ROUGE
SYSTEM.
AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
STANDARDS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A
FEDERAL TAKEOVER.
REPRESENTATIVE GEYMANN SAYS
THAT THEY ARE AND SAYS THAT
THEY MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE.
HE KNOWS THERE IS NO FEDERAL
ROLE, CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT
THERE MIGHT BE A FEDERAL
TAKEOVER LATER I DON'T SEE ANY
BASIS WHATSOEVER FOR THAT
EXCEPT FEAR AND I DON'T THINK
THAT IS A GOOD MOTIVATION FOR
POLITICS.
AS A FORMER TEACHER, I SUPPORT
THE STANDARDS BECAUSE THE OLD
STANDARDS WERE NOT GOOD.
TEACHING 6th GRADE MATH, ONE
FIFTH OF THE STUDENTS KNOW THE
TIME TABLES, AND TRYING TO --
LOUISIANA'S OLD STANDARDS WERE
SO BROAD, A MILE WIDE, AN INCH
DEEP, AND KIDS DID NOT LEARN
THE ESSENTIAL FACTS THAT THEY
NEEDED TO LEARN.
THOSE ARE REASONS THAT I
STRONGLY SUPPORT THE STANDARDS.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE GEYMANN,
WHAT ABOUT LOUISIANA STUDENTS
DO YOU THINK IS SO DIFFERENT
THAT THEY SHOULD NOT LEARN
THEIR MULTIPLICATION TABLES IN
THIRD GRADES.
IN -- YOU ARE PROPOSING TO GO
BACK TO THE OLD STANDARDS,
UNLESS -- I DON'T SEE ANY
PROPOSAL FROM YOU THIS IS HOW
WE CAN RAISE OUR STANDARDS
SEPARATELY, AND I WOULD ASK
AREN'T YOU REALLY SAYING THAT
LOUISIANA STUDENTS SHOULD BE
HELD TO A LOWER STANDARD?
>> YOU WILL SEE A PROPOSAL,
SIR, AND I THINK IT IS A GREAT
QUESTION.
I HAVE 12 LEGISLATIVE
INSTRUMENTS DEALING WITH THIS
TOPIC.
YOU WILL SEE A GROUP OF US IN
THE LEGISLATIVE BODY PROPOSING
AN ALTERNATIVE TO COMMON CORE.
WE WILL RAISE THE -- IT WILL
RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS, THERE
ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD ABOUT
COMMON CORE.
THE CONSPIRACY THING -- A LOT
OF PEOPLE LIKE TO LOOK AT THE
OPPOSITION, YOU ARE A BUNCH OF
YOU KNOW WHAT OFFER, CONSPIRACY
THEORY GOING ON.
TEXAS DID NOT JOIN IT.
I BELIEVE EXXON IS LOCATED IN
DALLAS.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH
TEXAS NECESSARILY.
LET'S NOT GET INTO THE
CONSPIRACY THEORY ISSUE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE
WANT TO CONTROL OUR EDUCATION
IN LOUISIANA, OR DO WE WANT TO
TURN IT OVER TO A NATIONAL
AGENDA OF COMMON STATE
CURRICULUM, AND IT WILL, BY THE
WAY, IT HAS TO BE A NATIONAL
CURRICULUM IF YOU ARE PASSING A
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT.
LET'S DO THAT LOCALLY HERE IN
LOUISIANA WITH EXPERTS.
NOTHING PROHIBITING US FROM
DOING THAT NOW.
>> BETH, YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
PLEASE, STAND UP.
YOU ARE NOT SO HAPPY WITH IT,
RIGHT?
>> NO, I'M NOT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> I AM A FORMER EDUCATOR.
I TAUGHT COLLEGE BOUND
STUDENTS.
SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
COMMON CORE IN MY DISTRICT,
THIS YEAR, I AM NOW A HOME
SCHOOL MOTHER.
I HAVE PULLED MY CHILD FROM THE
SYSTEM.
AND I HAVE SEVERAL REASONS I'M
CONCERNED ABOUT COMMON CORE.
ONE OF THEM IS THE CURRICULUM,
ESPECIALLY THE CONTENT, AND THE
OTHER IS THE INSTRUCTION, AND,
THIRDLY, IS THE DATA SHARING.
SO THOSE ARE SOME MAIN CONCERNS
THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE COMMON
CORE.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS MY
QUESTION TO MS. BENNETT, AND
THEN TO MS. BARRIOS.
ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE
COMMON CORE STANDARDS, IF YOU
READ THEM IN DEPTH, YOU WILL
NOTICE THAT THERE IS A
PARTICULARLY HEAVY EMPHASIS ON
A 1930s LITERARY THEORY CALLED
NEW CRITICISM.
IN THAT, YOU WILL FIND THE
GUIDELINES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
CURRICULUM NOT BEING AFFECTED.
THE GUIDE BOOK FOR BEING COMMON
CORE ALIGNED THAT WAS WRITTEN
BY TWO OF THE PEOPLE THAT WROTE
THE STANDARDS INDICATES THAT
THERE IS GOING TO BE AN
EMPHASIS.
IN FACT IT SAYS IN THERE,
QUOTE, HEAVY PRIORITIES ON THE
COMMON CORE BASED ON THIS NEW
CRITICISM.
I SAW IT IN MY SON'S OWN
TEXTBOOK.
IT WAS NOT GOING TO GET HIM
COLLEGE BOUND.
IT WAS NOT GOING TO PREPARE HIM
FOR COLLEGE.
MS. BENNETT, WHAT DO YOU
CONSIDER MIGHT BE THE LONG TERM
EFFECTS OF USING A SET OF
STANDARDS AND ANNUAL
ASSESSMENTS BASED HEAVILY UPON
ESSENTIALLY ONE LITERARY THEORY
TO THE EXCLUSION OF
APPROXIMATELY 12 OTHER THEORIES
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT
LITERACY, PARTICULARLY THE
COLLEGE-BOUND KIDS WHEN THEY GO
TO COLLEGE AND THE EXPECTATION
IN COLLEGE IS THE ABILITY TO
ADDRESS TEXT IN MULTIPLE WAYS
AND FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES, NOT
ADDRESSED BY THE NEW CRITICISM?
>> THAT IS INTERESTING.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF READING AND
I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT.
DO YOU WANT TO REACT TO THAT?
>> CERTAINLY, THAT IS NEW
INFORMATION FOR ME.
TO YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE
LONG-TERM VISION FOR WHAT
COMMON CORE MEANS FOR OUR KIDS,
I SEE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
STUDENTS OF LOUISIANA TO RISE
TO THE TOP OF THE NATION IN
TERMS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM.
I ALSO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ANNIHILATE POVERTY.
I REALLY THINK BY HOLDING ALL
STUDENTS IN OUR COUNTRY TO
STANDARDS THAT ARE
INTERNATIONALLY BENCHMARK,
LOGICAL IN PROGRESSION AND
THOUGHTFUL IN TERMS OF THEIR
INTENTION TO PREPARE STUDENTS
FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS,
THAT WE CAN TRANSFORM OUR STATE
AND OUR COUNTRY AND OUR
CHILDREN'S LIVES, WHICH IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ALSO
DISCUSS THE LITERACY COMPONENT
OF COMMON CORE.
I THINK IT IS REMARKABLE THAT
WE ARE NOW MOVING INTO AN AGE
WHERE WE HAVE A BALANCED
EMPHASIS ON INFORMATIONAL TEXT
AND LITERATURE.
TAKE COMMAND OF THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE, THEY CAN SPEAK THE
LANGUAGE OF POWER, GOING BACK
TO LISTENING AND SPEAKING
STANDARDS, AND COMPETE GLOBALLY
FOR CAREERS AND THE AMERICAN
DREAM REALLY.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT COMMON CORE.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH
IMPLEMENTATION, WE HAVE TO BE
SENSITIVE AND KIND TO ONE
ANOTHER RECOGNIZING THAT THERE
WILL BE MISTAKES MADE ALONG THE
WAY.
COMMON CORE -- IT WILL TAKE
TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT, SO
WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF LAX THE
WAY WE HOLD SCHOOLS
ACCOUNTABLE.
>> TAKE TIME TO GET IT RIGHT.
THAT'S CERTAINLY TRUE.
>> WELL, GO BACK -- TO GO BACK
TO THE QUESTION.
I THINK WHAT BETH WAS REFERRING
TO IS THE IMBALANCE THAT IS
BEING CREATED AND IN THE
CURRICULUM.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A SET OF
STANDARDS, IT HAS REACHED OVER
INTO THE CURRICULUM, AND
REQUIRING OR STATING THAT 70%
IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, I BELIEVE
IT IS 7th, 8th, THROUGH 12th,
ARE TO FOCUS 70% OF THEIR
LITERATURE ON INFORMATIONAL
TEXT AS OPPOSED TO LITERATURE
SAY, FICTION, CLASSICAL
LITERATURE, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THE NEW CRITICISM
FOCUSING -- CLOSED READING.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS TAKE A TEXT
AND IT ASKS THE STUDENT TO
FOCUS ON THAT TEXT WITHOUT
CONSIDERING HISTORICAL CONTEXT
OR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, ALL OF
THOSE, AND TO ANALYZE THAT TEXT
BASED ON THAT.
NOW, THAT IS ONE METHODOLOGY.
AND EVIDENTLY IT DOES HELP
STUDENTS THAT ARE SLOW LEARNERS
OR THAT ARE BEHIND IN THEIR
LEARNING TO GET THEM
JUMPSTARTED.
BUT BY NO MEANS SHOULD BE
FOCUSED ON IF A STUDENT IS --
ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE GOING TO
COLLEGE AND THEY NEED THE
BACKGROUND OF THAT LITERARY
ANALYSIS.
ELA TEACHERS -- HAVE COMBINED
THEIR STUDY OF CLASSICAL
LITERATURE WITH ALL OF THE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND
HISTORIC AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
PERFECT EXAMPLE "TO KILL A
MOCKINGBIRD."
>>> WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS HERE
AND I WILL GET THEIR OPINIONS
HERE IN A MOMENT.
THAT IS WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO
SHOW YOU HOW YOU GOT TO THE
ANSWER.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT IN THE WHOLE MATH
AREA.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW ALL OF THE
STEPS.
ISN'T THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE
WERE LOOKING AT?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM OVER
HERE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR
ORGANIZATION.
>> KEITH WITH THE ASSOCIATED
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS OF
LOUISIANA.
I WANTED TO SAY THAT BY
LISTENING TO THE PANEL I'M A
LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.
OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING SO
HARD, DAY AND NIGHT, LESSON
PLANNING, WRITING THEIR OWN
CURRICULUM, ON THE PANEL, WE
HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
ENTERTAINING THE IDEA OF SOME
SORT OF MYTHICAL FEDERAL
CURRICULUM.
MY QUESTION TO THE PANEL,
SPECIFICALLY REPRESENTATIVE
GEYMANN AND MIS-BENNETT, WHY
HAVE ALL OF THE CATHOLIC
DIOCESE ACCEPTED THE COMMON
CORE AND IMPLEMENTING IT AND
WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT THE SAME
OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL
AS WE HAVE THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL?
>> I WOULD SAY WHY DID THE
PROFESSOR FROM NOTRE DAME, AND
CATHOLIC PROFESSORS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, HIGH LEVEL
UNIVERSITIES, STANFORD AND SO
FORTH, COME OUT WITH A LETTER
TO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ASKING THEM
NOT TO GET INTO COMMON CORE,
AND IF YOU ARE IN IT, GET OUT.
IF IF IS WORKING SO GOOD, WHY
DO WE HAVE THIS ISSUE ACROSS
THE NATION WITH THESE CONCERNS.
I WILL TELL YOU WHY BECAUSE IT
IS NOT STATE LED.
YOU DID NOT GET TO HAVE YOUR
INPUT.
WE DID NOT GET TO ADDRESS THESE
ISSUES AND WORK THROUGH THEM
BEFORE WE SIGNED OFF ON THIS
CURRICULUM OR SET OF STANDARDS
DEVELOPED BY TWO NONPROFIT
GROUPS.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S WHERE I'M HERE TONIGHT
TO TELL YOU THAT I'M GOING TO
TRY TO ADDRESS THAT IN THE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND BRING
IT BACK HERE TO THE STATE WHERE
WE CAN DEAL WITH THE ISSUES.
>> I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE
PROCESS ON THE ADOPTION.
STATE LED INITIATIVE,
GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION, SCHOOL
OFFICERS COORDINATED AND
FACILITATED THE DEVELOPMENT.
IT WAS -- IT WASN'T REQUIRED BY
THE STATE.
STATE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION IN
LOUISIANA IS REQUIRED BY LAW
EVERY SEVEN YEARS TO REVIEW AND
ADOPT AND REFRESH STANDARDS.
AND THAT'S REQUIRED IN STATUTE,
IN LAW.
WHEN THEY WERE RELEASED, THEY
WERE OPEN FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
THAT WAS BACK IN MARCH OF 2010,
AND THE EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS
IN THE STATE, THE LOUISIANA
COUNCIL FOR TEACHERS OF
MATHEMATICS, LOUISIANA COUNCIL
FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENT'S ASSOCIATIONS,
TEACHER UNION ASSOCIATIONS,
THEY ALL WEIGHED IN ON THE
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS AND
WERE EVENTUALLY ADOPTED BY THE
STATE BOARD.
>> THERE WAS NOT A VOTE HELD
PRIOR TO BESSY -- IT WAS
VOLUNTARY -- THERE WAS AN
INCENTIVE FOR US TO DO THIS.
ON THE COVER, IT LOOKS GOOD.
THE POINT IS WE DID IT
WITHOUT -- IT WAS NOT STATE LED
BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE NOT
INVOLVED.
A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE
WERE INVOLVED.
BESSY -- THERE WAS A VOTE
TAKEN -- ALREADY DEVELOPED.
UP UNTIL THAT, BESSY DEVELOPED
ITS OWN SET OF STANDARDS AND
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK
TO --
>> SEVEN YEARS IS A LONG TIME
THESE DAYS AS I LOOK AT
COMPUTER SOFTWARE.
THEY MAKE ME UPGRADE IT IT
LOOKS LIKE EVERY SIX MONTHS.
IT IS PROBABLY THREE YEARS NOW.
SEVEN YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO
SEE WHETHER SOMETHING WORKS
WELL OR NOT.
ONE THING THAT I -- AS I'VE
READ AND MAYBE YOU ALL REACT TO
IT AND I HAVE A STUDENT HERE,
SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
ADOPTING IT AND DONE THE
TESTING, EVIDENTLY A LOT OF THE
CHILDREN ARE FAILING AND
PARENTS THEN GET VERY EXCITED
AND COME AND COMPLAIN ABOUT IT.
AND THAT IS A PROBLEM, IS IT
NOT?
>> ANY TIME YOU RAISE
STANDARDS, ACHIEVEMENT WILL
DECLINE.
HOWEVER, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT
NOT AS A DECREASE NECESSARILY
BUT A NEW BASELINE.
WE ARE GETTING A FRESH START
HERE WITH COMMON CORE.
AND OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE
HIGHER STANDARD, ALONG WITH
TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS AND
OUR COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS
LEADERS AS WELL.
>> WE ARE TALKING THEORY.
HERE IS A STUDENT WHO MIGHT
HAVE TO TAKE SOME TESTS AT SOME
POINT.
WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION?
>> I'M WALLACE, AND I REPRESENT
THE LEGISLATIVE YOUTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL, AND I ATTEND BETHEL
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, A JUNIOR.
HOW DOES COMMON CORE AFFECT
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS,
CONSIDERING THEY HAVE TO TAKE
THE SAME STANDARDIZED TESTS --
ALSO, LIKE THE REPRESENTATIVE
SAID, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG
WITHHOLDING OUR STUDENTS TO A
HIGHER EXPECTATION, BUT SOME
PROBLEMS I -- WE HAVE NOTICED
IS STUDENTS THAT DO NOT EXCEL
AS WELL ARE GOING TO BE LEFT --
WILL THEY BE LEFT BEHIND
BECAUSE OF THIS?
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS
WITH TEACHERS IN -- THAT HAVE
SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT GOT
THEIR PROPER TEXTBOOKS AND
CURRICULUM FOR THE COMMON CORE
UNTIL A WEEK BEFORE TEACHING.
AND HOW IS A TEACHER SUPPOSED
TO PROPERLY TRAIN HERSELF A
WEEK BEFORE TEACHING TO MAYBE A
CLASS OF 30 STUDENTS.
>> OKAY.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT?
>> BECAUSE I SPENT FOUR HOURS
TODAY IN ST. TAMMANY WITH
PARENTS FROM THE PARISHES AND
LOCAL LEGISLATORS DISCUSSING
EXACTLY THE PROBLEMS THAT
SPECIAL ED -- SPECIAL NEEDS
STUDENTS ARE FACING, NOT ONLY
WITH COMMON CORE, BUT
PARTICULARLY WITH THE
STANDARDIZE TESTING REGIME THAT
WE HAVE.
IT IS -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THE TESTING IS BEING NARROWED
DOWN TO ONE TEST.
WE DID HAVE TWO.
ONE FOR STUDENTS WHO HAD MORE
EXTENSIVE NEEDS THAN OTHERS,
AND NOW IT'S BEING NARROWED
DOWN TO ONE.
AND THESE PARENTS KNOW THEIR
STUDENTS AND THEIR CAPABILITIES
QUITE WELL, THEIR SPECIAL
NEEDS.
A BROAD SPECTRUM OF SPECIAL
NEEDS.
THEY WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO BE
ABLE TO GET A HIGH SCHOOL
DIPLOMA SO THAT THEY CAN
ACTUALLY GO OUT INTO THE WORLD
AND BE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
AND THEY HAVE THIS -- BECAUSE
OF THE STANDARDIZED TESTS AND
INABILITY OF THEIR STUDENTS TO
PASS IT THAT THEY WON'T BE ABLE
TO ACHIEVE THAT DIPLOMA.
>> I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE WANT ALL STUDENTS TO
HAVE ACCESS TO A HIGH SCHOOL
DIPLOMA.
AND RELATIVE TO THE TESTING,
YOU KNOW, STUDENTS HAVE
INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS,
IEPs, WHERE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE
MET.
THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE
ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH
SEVERE COGNITIVE DISABILDISABILITIES,
AND THE LOUISIANA ALTERNATIVE
ASSESSMENT.
THERE ARE MEASURES IN PLACE FOR
STUDENTS WHO NEED AN
ACCOMMODATION THAT CAN'T TAKE
THE EXAM.
>> OVER TO YOU.
>> A QUESTION FROM SOMEONE WHO
CAME EARLY AND GOT IN THE FRONT
ROW SO THAT SHE CAN ASK THIS.
>> I AM AN EDUCATOR, AND I'M
SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
BUT I DID TALK WITH SOME
COWORKERS BEFORE I LEFT.
THE CONCERN IS, OF COURSE,
WASHINGTON POST POSTED IN
NOVEMBER, THAT MASSACHUSETTS
AND LOUISIANA, WE ALL DISCUSSED
THAT ALREADY, AND SO IF WE'RE
DELAYING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT
REALLY READY YET, WHEN, HOW,
AND WHERE WILL YOU TRAIN OUR
TEACHERS TO BE READY?
AS THE YOUNG MAN SAID, HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENT THAT IS A
JUNIOR.
HOW WILL THE TEACHERS BE
PREPARED?
I MEAN, FROM ONE DAY TO THE
NEXT THINGS CHANGE, ESPECIALLY
IN -- WE WANT TO KNOW WHETHER
YOU ARE GOING TO DO THAT,
BECAUSE IT GREATLY AFFECTS
INSTRUCTION AND WE'RE DOING ALL
THAT WE CAN.
THANK YOU.
>> SO, LET ME TAKE THAT
QUESTION.
SO, WE HAVE BEEN TRAINING AND
WE HAVE BEEN TRAINING SINCE
2010 WHEN THE STANDARDS WERE
ADOPTED.
AND THERE WAS, AT FIRST, THERE
WAS A TRANSITIONAL CURRICULUM
THAT CAME OUT THAT TOOK THE OLD
STANDARDS AND TRANSITIONED TO
THE COMMON CORE STATE
STANDARDS.
DEPARTMENT REALIGNED ITSELF
INTO NETWORK TEAMS AND THERE
ARE NETWORK TEAMS THAT ARE
SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
THAT ARE OUT IN THE FIELD.
AND, THIRD, MS. BENNETT IS A
MEMBER OF ONE OF THESE, AND
THAT IS OUR TEACHER LEADERS.
WE HAVE IN STATE OVER 2,000
TEACHERS, ONE REPRESENTING EACH
SCHOOL SITE IN THE STATE THAT
HAS ATTENDED FOUR-DAY TRAINING
SESSIONS AND THEN THEY GET
MONTHLY FOLLOW-UP FROM THE --
FROM THE DEPARTMENT, FROM THE
NETWORKING, AND THESE ARE OUR
TEACHER LEADERS IN THE SCHOOL
CYST TRIM RIGHT NOW.
WE PROVIDED A TEACHER SUPPORT
TOOLBOX, WHICH HAS BEEN
DEVELOPED.
IT'S RESOURCES AND THINGS TO
ENHANCE THE CURRICULUM, WHICH
LOCAL DISTRICTS DEVELOP FOR THE
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ON
THE DEPARTMENT WEB SITE THAT IS
CONTINUALLY BEING UPDATED AND
ENHANCED.
AND MAYBE MS. BENNETT WANTS TO
SPEAK ABOUT THAT, HOW THE
TEACHERS IN YOUR SCHOOL ARE
LEARNING THE COMMON CORE STATE
STANDARDS.
>> CERTAINLY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION SO
MUCH.
I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE
PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY THAT
COMMON CORE PROVIDES IN GIVING
DISTRICTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHAPE THE EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR STATES AND
COMMUNITY.
I HAVE BEEN TRAINED WITH OTHER
TEACHER LEADERS ACROSS THE
STATE DIRECTLY BY STATE IN
TERMS OF THEIR VISION FOR
COMMON CORE AND I HAVE TANGIBLE
THINGS THAT I CAN TAKE BACK TO
MY SCHOOL.
MY DISTRICT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB
AT ACTIVAING TEACHER LEADERS,
AND PUTTING THEM IN POSITIONS
TO TRAIN THEIR COLLEAGUES.
A -- IN CLASSROOM SUPPORT.
IT IS A TRANSFORMATIVE WAY OF
THINKING ABOUT EDUCATION, AND
OUR STATES IS DOING A
TREMENDOUS JOB PROVIDING
GUIDANCE ON THE WEB SITE AND
PRACTITIONERS IN THE FIELD ARE
ELEVATING AND RISING TO THE
CHALLENGE AND SUPPORTING EACH
OTHER.
>> I WOULD SAY THERE ARE A LOT
OF PEOPLE AS WE SAW IN THE
SURVEY BEFORE THAT DON'T FEEL
LIKE THEY HAVE ENOUGH
INFORMATION.
BECAUSE TEACHERS MAY BE GETTING
SOME INFORMATION, BUT
PARENTS -- YOUR QUESTION IS
ABOUT PARENTS.
>> RIGHT.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AN
OUTREACH PROGRAM -- ALSO A PART
OF EXXON MOBIL DIALOGUE GROUP.
MY QUESTION IS WE TALKED ABOUT
KIDS IN THE CURRICULUM.
WE TALKED ABOUT TEACHERS IN THE
CURRICULUM AND HOW THEY ARE
LEARNING AND SOME OF THEM ARE
NOT, BECAUSE I HAVE DONE THE
RESEARCH WITH MY PEOPLE, AND
ALSO I HAVE SOME EDUCATORS IN
MY CHURCH.
THEY DO THE SAME THING.
MY THING IS, ALL OF THOSE
PEOPLE GETTING MOST OF THE
INFORMATION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO
THEIR PARENTS, BECAUSE THEIR
PARENTS IS THE ONE AT HOME THAT
HAS TO HELP THE KIDS WHEN THEY
COME HOME WITH THE SAME
CURRICULUM -- A LOT OF THEM
DON'T KNOW, CLUELESS.
WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME FOR THE
PARENTS TO LEARN?
>> OKAY.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT
ONE?
PARENT INFORMATION.
>> SURE, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
>> GREAT QUESTION.
>> AND IN MY SCHOOL, WE HAVE
HAD SEVERAL FAMILY NIGHTS, AND
SO WE OPEN OUR DOORS TO THE
COMMUNITY TO INVITE THEM IN TO
SEE WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE
CLASSROOM TO EDUCATE THEM ON
OUR STANDARDS AND OUR NEW
EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT.
WE HAVE A VERY OPEN DOOR
POLICY.
I THINK THAT MORE CERTAINLY
COULD BE DONE.
I KNOW THAT STANFORD CHILDREN
IS LAUNCHING UNIVERSITY FOR
PARENTS, AN EXCELLENT
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO
BECOME ENGAGED AND LEARN HOW TO
SUPPORT THEIR CHILD AT HOME
WHICH I THINK IS POWERFUL.
BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT,
AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS DIALOGUE
IS HAPPENING.
IT IS LIKE A TWO-WAY STREET TO
RE-ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN THIS
PROCESS.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM
SOMEONE WITH THE CANE CENTER.
>> BRENDA NIXON, AND I AM A
FORMER CLASSROOM TEACHER.
I HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES
WITH EVERYONE THAT IS INVOLVED
HERE AS WELL.
WE ARE RUNNING RIGHT NOW A
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM, MATH SCIENCE
PARTNERSHIP.
AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT LOOKING AT
PREPARING OUR TEACHERS -- WE
HAD A THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE
GRANT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION, AS WELL AS AN
EIGHTH GRADE GRANT TO PROVIDE A
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THIS
SUMMER.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WAS
LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME.
I HAVE SEEN A TRANSFORMATION IN
OUR TEACHERS THAT TOOK PLACE IN
THE SUMMER AND WHEN THEY WENT
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEGAN
TO IMPLEMENT AND REALLY
UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANT.
HOW CAN WE REALLY PROVIDE
TEACHERS WITH THE TOOLS THAT
THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT THIS
PROGRAM CORRECTLY AND THESE
STANDARDS CORRECTLY?
>> IMPLEMENTATION -- MS.
BARRIOS.
>> SEVERAL THINGS.
AND ONE OF THE HUGE PROBLEMS
WITH COMMON CORE WAS THE
IMPLEMENTATION.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY,
INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF ED,
SEES THAT NOW WHICH IS WHY THEY
PULLED BACK A LITTLE BIT.
BUT TEACHERS -- FIRST OF ALL,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CURRICULUM
IN ORDER TO TEACH YOUR
CURRICULUM.
IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH, I KNOW
THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN
WORKING TO KEEP UP FROM MONTH
TO MONTH IN DEVELOPING THAT
CURRICULUM ALIGNED WITH THE
COMMON CORE.
BECAUSE IT WAS PUSHED UP A
YEAR.
IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE FULLY
INSTITUTED UNTIL NEXT YEAR AND
IT WAS PUSHED UP A YEAR.
ALSO PARENTS NEED TO BE A PART
OF THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT FIRST OF ALL, TEACHERS NEED
TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE AN
ESTABLISHED CURRICULUM BEFORE
THEY CAN DO THAT WITH PARENTS.
SO, THE STATE DEPARTMENT RATHER
THAN PROVIDING THE TEACHERS
WITH WHAT THEY THINK THEY NEED,
IT REALLY NEEDS TO WORK THE
OTHER WAY.
TEACHERS NEED TO BE BROUGHT
INTO THAT PROCESS MORE, AND
THEY NEED TO BE -- TO DISCUSS
WHAT STUDENT NEEDS ARE.
I THINK ONE OF THE -- I'M NOT A
MATH TEACHER.
BUT I HEAR UNIVERSALLY FROM
EARLY EDUCATION MATH TEACHERS
THAT ONE OF THE HUGE PROBLEMS
WITH THE NEW COMMON CORE MATH
AND THE WAY IT IS PRESENTED,
EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOUNGER
STUDENTS, AND THAT EXPECTING
HEM TO BEGIN THE ALGEABRIC
CONCEPTS EARLY, FRUSTRATING TO
THE STUDENTS WHO DON'T THINK
ABSTRACTLY AND IT REQUIRES
ABSTRACT THINKING.
THAT IS THE KIND OF THING THAT
EDUCATORS NEED TO INPUT --
>> THE DEPARTMENT WOULD AGREE
WITH MS. BARRIOS THAT WE NEED
TEACHER-DRIVEN RESOURCES AND
NOT DEPARTMENT-DRIVEN
RESOURCES.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
DOING.
WE ARE PROVIDING RESOURCES TO
TEACHERS THAT ARE DEVELOPED BY
LOUISIANA TEACHERS.
>> AND WE HOPE ALSO THAT
PARENTS WILL LEARN SOME MORE
FROM TONIGHT'S PROGRAM,
CERTAINLY.
IF THEY DIDN'T GET THE WHOLE
ANSWER.
THERE IS LOTS OF INFORMATION ON
THE WEB SITE AS WELL, AND LPB
WILL BE COVERING SOME MORE.
THAT IS ALL OF THE TIME THAT WE
HAVE FOR THIS PARTICULAR
PROGRAM.
KIRBY, THANK YOU FOR COHOSTING.
I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS,
MR. MILLER, MS. BARRIOS,
MR. BRANFORD, REPRESENTATIVE
GEYMANN, AND MS. BENNETT.
lpb.org/PUBLIC SQUARE, TAKE THE
SURVEY, LOOK FOR COMMON CORE
RESOURCES, AND COMMENT ON
TONIGHT'S SHOW.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AND KIRBY, TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING A
GREAT AUDIENCE.
TUNE IN NEXT MONTH AS LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE EXPLORES ENERGY'S
ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT.
GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY.
>> GOOD NIGHT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> FOR A COPY OF THIS PROGRAM,
CALL 1-800-973-7246, OR GO
ONLINE TO lpb.org.
>>> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE
POSSIBLE IN PART BY FUNDING
FROM EDUCATION'S NEXT HORIZON,
LOUISIANA'S ONLY STATEWIDE
NONPROFIT DEDICATED SOLY TO
IMPROVING PRE-K THROUGH 12
EDUCATION, AND LEADING ADVOCATE
FOR POLICIES THAT ENSURE
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
AND EXXON MOBIL BATON ROUGE,
INVESTING IN A BRIGHTER FUTURE
FOR TODAY'S STUDENTS BY
FOCUSING ITS ENERGY ON SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND
MATH EDUCATION.
>>> SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM
ALSO PROVIDED BY THE FOUNDATION
FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA
PUBLIC BROADCASTING.