Is Indiana’s withdrawal from PARCC for real or for show?
Despite Governor Pence and Superintendent Ritz sending letters in June, 2013 requesting to officially exit the federally-funded Common Core testing consortium, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career Readiness (PARCC), Indiana is still formally listed as a governing member. Considering the fact that the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation requiring Indiana to withdrawal from the group, I would hope state law and the official requests would be enough for PARCC to “allow” our departure. However, as of December 10, 2013, Indiana is still a member. What does a state need to do to break up with these people? If a state says no, a state means no. Remember, this is a state-led, voluntary effort, right?
An October report from Education Week stated the following: “Beyond that, it gets less clear. Florida and Indiana are still officially PARCC members, although signals coming from top state officials suggest that might not be true much longer. PARCC has yet to receive clear word of withdrawal from either state, however.”
Hasn’t received word? I thought this was an initiative of the governors, don’t they communicate? Maybe our letters have been lost in the mail for six months. Whatever the situation may be, Pence and Ritz need to answer some questions. The first being if anyone has bothered to check and see if the state received confirmation that this request was acknowledged and fulfilled by PARCC? Speculation is that federal approval is required to leave PARCC, so maybe we are waiting on Arne Duncan, yet again, to tell us how we can govern state education policy. Repeat, state led effort.
The other possibility is that neither Ritz nor Pence really wants to abandon PARCC. Maybe Indiana and PARCC are just taking a temporary separation until the political heat of Common Core blows over. Hopefully these two parties are smarter than that and realize the political firestorm that would ignite.
Call Governor Pence and Superintendent Ritz and ask them to explain why PARCC still has the following webpage for Indiana on its website as of December 10, 2013. Demand they show you, in writing, that Indiana is no longer a member of PARCC.
Indiana is a Governing State in the PARCC Consortium
Superintendent Glenda Ritz serves on the Governing Board. Wes Bruce, Chief Assessment Officer at the Indiana Department of Education, is the K-12 Leads for PARCC in Indiana. Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, serves on the PARCC Advisory Committee on College Readiness. Trish Wlodarczyk, Core to College Alignment Director,Indiana Commission for Higher Education, coordinates PARCC-related postsecondary engagement activities in the state.
State Commitment to College and Career Readiness
Indiana has been active in the American Diploma Project Network since 2005, aligning its standards and graduation requirements with expectations of postsecondary education and employers. The state adopted the Common Core State Standards in August 2010, and became a Governing State in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers in the spring of 2010. Leaders from Indiana’s K-12 and higher education communities were engaged in the development of PARCC’s proposal for common, next-generation assessments.
Postsecondary Commitment to College and Career Readiness
All of Indiana’s public two- and four-year colleges and universities have committed to participate in PARCC, help develop the college-ready assessments, and, ultimately, use those assessments as one indicator of students’ readiness for entry-level, credit-bearing college courses. Together, these institutions educate 100% of the freshman entering public colleges and universities in Indiana. See a full list of participating institutions here.
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Sites That Link to this Post
- Did it just sound good? | Kansans Against Common Core | December 11, 2013
- What States Have Pulled Out of their Common Core Assessment Consortium? | Truth in American Education | January 23, 2014
- Comprehensive list of States that have pulled out of Common Core | Dr. Rich Swier | January 24, 2014
- What States Have Pulled Out of their Common Core Assessment Consortium? | Stop Common Core Illinois | January 24, 2014
Erin,
You and Heather are amazing! No one seems to be connecting the reality that until Hoosiers rid themselves of the Conditions of the Waiver from NCLB…the name may change on the “standards” but the noose remains. As do the Aligned Assessments,Teacher Pedagogy training, tracking of every intervention, IEP, label, incessant realtime Data Current…All based on Student Outcomes, Peer Networks, for Systemic Transformational Change.
Until Hoosiers decide they truly do not want standards, Assessments, philosophical brainwashing, and a love of servitude engendered into their children via public education…meaning being willing to cut the chords of federal funding…Hoosier children will continue to be placed on the conveyor line of social, emotional, group collective labor-force development.
And the few Taxpayers who actually work for “for profit” businesses will foot the entire Redistribution of wealth and Redistribution of intellect until “poof” there exist only the Serfs and The Served. The governed and the those that Govern.
With the addition of Cradle to Corpse mentality, best get out the rice bowls as equality eats away at Hoosier fields of grain, silos and sovereignty.
Ongoing gratitude to you, Heather and your families for continuing to shine the Truth in the dark caves of Indiana education.