Common Core Documentary
The Common Core documentary by HSLDA is now online. Please watch and share. You can watch it at http://commoncoremovie.com/ or here:
Replays of March 10, 2014, SF School Board Meeting removed from KLRN
The Sioux Falls School District has a channel, KLRN, channel 20, on our local cable network. On that channel the district runs school programs, informational segments, and video of the school board meetings. It is how I personally keep up with what’s going on as many times I am unable to attend school board meetings.…
Sioux Falls School Board Election, Tuesday, April 8, 2014
On April 8, 2014, there is a school board election in Sioux Falls. There are two candidates on the ballot. The incumbent Douglas Morrison and challenger Roger Russell. If you are unable to vote on election day, absentee ballots (for voters in both Lincoln and Minnehaha County) will be available at the County Auditor’s Office, Minnehaha County Administration…
Federal Government Adds New Student Level Data Points to Collect Via SBAC Assessments
We have been told that the federal government will not be collecting data on children. The state has said it will not be collecting data and sharing with the federal government. Dr. Schopp and education officials from 33 other states penned a letter to Arne Duncan, United States Secretary of Education, saying that they will…
Not With My Child – A Call to Action
TO ALL PARENTS: As I have researched the Common Core, unlike the pro common core propaganda claims, I have read and listened to both sides. For the purpose of this letter, I will not refer to any of the groups I am going to mention here as unions or trade organizations. They are advocacy groups.…
Sioux Falls School District Says No to Obtaining Informed Consent From Parents
On Monday, March 10, 2014, I presented to the Sioux Falls School Board during the 5 minute open comment period, regarding the SBAC Field Test. I simply read the email I had sent to all board members earlier in the day. And I promise, each letter was personally addressed. March 10, 2014 Dear School Board…
SBAC Field Test: South Dakota Students Assisting Taxpayer Funded Consortium
By South Dakota law, schools are required to administer an annual test to measure academic progress in grades 3-8 and 11. South Dakota schools have been doing this since the inception of No Child Left Behind. Because of that federal mandate, South Dakota developed the Dakota STEP test aligned to our academic standards to show…
Common Core Through a Student’s Eyes.
Wow! In this well written, articulate blog, a student from South Dakota has spoken out about what adopting the Common Core has meant for students. Both father and child have given permission to post here. The first rule of education should be “Do No Harm.” A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE COMMON CORE CURRICULUM FEBRUARY…
SB 64 – A Bill Preventing Adoption of Further National Standards Passes House
SB 64, the bill that will prevent the Board of Education from adopting any further uniform national standards for two years, has passed the House of Representatives. You can read the full text of this bill here. This bill also requires four public hearings before any content standards can be adopted. This bill does not…
Action Required on SB 63 and SB 64
I spoke with Representative Bolin a few minutes ago. He too is disappointed in how the HB 1187 vote went, but the pendulum is swinging in our favor from where he started in this battle. And he is encouraged by that. And he wants to encourage you not to give up. The number of emails…
South Dakotans Against Common Core 