Saturday, January 25, 2014

A Call to Action

If you are a parent, teacher, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or anyone who cares about the future of NC and you are concerned about the many problems with Read to Achieve, please contact your local representative.  I have spoken with many parents over the past two days who are unhappy about this legislation and can't believe it is happening.  Unfortunately, complaining to each other and to teachers is not going to change it.

Our children are dealing with this in one way or another every single day.  I'm hearing so many negative stories from parents.  Children are coming home frustrated.  They are asking why they have to take so many tests.  They are already afraid to take the end of grade test.

Please ask our lawmakers to end Read to Achieve as it stands now.  I am providing links and email addresses below. Please stand up for our children!

If you only contact one person, make it your local representative.  To find yours, click here
Senator behind Read to Achieve:
Phil Berger Phil.Berger@ncleg.net
Joint Legislative Oversight committee co-chairs:
Bryan Holloway Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net


Other contacts:
Speaker Thom Tillis Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net
State Board of Education Chair William Cobey william.cobey@dpi.nc.gov
State Board of Ed Co-Chair A.L. Collins al.collins@dpi.nc.gov
State Superintendent of Public Instruction: June Atkinson june.atkinson@dpi.nc.gov

Email makes it so it incredibly simple to contact multiple people.  I would love for you to leave a comment if you contact your representatives.

Teachers and parents, if you have stories or concerns about Read to Achieve that you want to share, but want don't want to publicly identify yourself, please email me or message me on Facebook.  Thank you.





4 comments:

  1. I emailed mine no response...I want to know how our current third grade students can be held accountable when their portfolios are not going to be complete. The required data for k, 1st and 2nd was never completed! This is the second year of Common Core, and now our kids are held accountable for information they have never been taught.

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  2. I totally agree, Sara! It is really hard for me to give words to how ludicrous the entire law/program is. I did get a very good response from my local rep, but I sent my concerns to many individuals. The lack of response is frustrating. It has been suggested that we organize and go to Raleigh and am starting to see why that may be the best course of action. Do you have any thoughts or a willingness to do that?

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  3. Very good point Sara.
    This is producing a tsunami that NC Legislators will not believe.
    I have emailed all of them as well.

    Email I wrote:::::

    PLEASE consider making this year a trial run, and don't retain these children.

    I have a 3rd grade daughter who is dyslexic and also has a learning disability. She can read, but not those portfolios! They are too difficult , ridiculous. THE SCHOOL WON'T LET PARENTS SEE THE portfolio/TESTS!. WHY?

    The teacher should be TEACHING. The kids sit at their desks with the "too difficult" passages, and many cry, They cannot be made to takes tests every day.

    What about the kids who are reading at and above grade level? They are being ignored, they are "fine" and so the teachers do nothing to help them achieve further.

    There is not a plan in place to help these kids that are at risk. THAT is what we need. We need to require the schools to hire READING SPECIALISTS - Reading Remediators.

    PLEASE don't t\let this happen to our children. It is not the right approach.

    We agree that these children need to be able to read. It is of utmost importance.

    The law fails in too many areas.

    Sincerely

    Julie
    Asheville NC

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    1. Thank you for sharing your letter, Julie! I could not agree more about the importance of making this year a trial year. Then, lawmakers need to fund and put in place a program that research shows would be effective, such as the reading specialists you mentioned. I wish you and your daughter all the best in spite of our 3rd graders being dealt such a bad hand this year.

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