Levi Cavener

Charter schools are public and open to all students regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or disability. Yet, in instance after instance, charter schools’ student demographic makeups are outrageously imbalanced in comparison to the communities’ demographics that they operate in.

ISEE/Schoolnet has been a colossal failure and the Albertson Foundation is responsible for funding nearly half of it, highlighting the dysfunction caused when outside interest groups dabble in education policy.

So here’s the deal, and it’s one that is tempting to swallow: Teachers in Idaho, you are being bribed to give up rights that you are entitled now in order to receive a rise in your compensation. It is tempting.

The state is changing the name of next year’s standardized test from SBAC to ISAT 2.0. Why? It’s not useful to imply that they are equivalent in an atmosphere in which excessive confusion and misinformation already exists regarding the transition from one exam to another.

Tying federal dollars to the test results of special education students is reckless and will not improve learning. “It puts our most vulnerable students in the crosshairs of political brinkmanship.”

I am deeply concerned that the Value Added Model will cause an exodus of special educators leaving our most vulnerable students behind.

TFA is a step toward the de-professionalization of the teaching profession. We can do better. Every child with a disability deserves a world-class education. TFA does not fulfill this mandate, especially for Idaho’s special education students.

Idaho won’t launch this new assessment until the 2014-2015 school year. Make sure we are advocating for best practices for all students, special education students included, as we march closer to the new exam.