Parents wanting to refuse the SBAC test for their children are running into push back from their school superintendent. Why? The School Performance Index (SPI). By South Dakota Public School Accountability Index, for elementary schools, 80% of the SPI is based on the SBAC results. For high schools, it’s 50%. …
What do you say when people tell you their child is doing great with the Common Core? In this video, Professor Nicholas Tampio of Fordham University, explains why everyone, including those who say their child has no problem with the Common Core, should refuse the Common Core. If Common Core is so wonderful, why aren’t…
According to the South Dakota Accountability Workbook, the school, not you, can make a request for medical exemption from statewide accountability exams. What are those medical exemptions? Students with very serious, chronic, and fragile medical conditions can and do participate successfully in statewide assessment. However, there are rare and unique situations in which a student is unable…
On March 18, 2015, Gov. Daugaard announced who will serve on the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Teachers and Students. PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard today announced initial appointments to the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Teachers and Students. The task force, which was announced by the Governor and legislative leaders last month, will…
The SBAC testing season is upon your children. Those who are getting paid to promote this agenda tout the benefits of Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT). We are told that the test adjusts to each child. The test will adjust the next question depending on how the child answers the first question. When “selling” this concept, we…
SB53, the bill that moves the cost of state assessments, technology and sparse schools to the general fund was changed back to it’s original form. SDACC is deeply disappointed that technology, which is in all reality being mandated by the South Dakota Department of Education (SD DOE), the State Assessments, Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC),…
When HB 1223, a bill to remove Common Core from South Daktoa, was being heard in the House Education Committee, we were given a limited amount to time for both sides to present. I just read a comment from a South Dakotan on another website that caused me to realize that people need to hear…
SB 53 was debated in the House of Representatives March 10, 2015.. This bill would have given school funding not only it’s 1.5% increase in per student state funding, but would have added another .5%, bringing total increase in state funding to 2%. In exchange for that .5% this year, schools would have been required…
The South Dakota Board of Education will hold public hearings on proposed standards to be adopted on March 16, 2015, in Sioux Falls. This meeting will include the fourth of four required public hearings to adopt the: South Dakota Proposed K-12 Education Technology Standards South Dakota Proposed K-12 Fine Arts Standards South Dakota Proposed K-12…
South Dakotans Against Common Core 