Jim Windham

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  • Jim Windham, 11 years ago

    “Testing” 4-years olds will not be the same as the assessments we administer to older children. But we do need diagnostics to determine the needs of the child and efficacy of the methodologies being used. There have been a number of normed Pre-K assessments that evaluate vocabulary and fluency very easily.

    Jim Windham, 11 years ago

    Common Core standards are optional and Texas has opted out, rightfully, in my opinion. However, some school districts are being enticed to go around the state and adopt similar curriculum. This shouldn’t matter as long as the districts are being evaluated based on their achievement for the students under the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards. The problem here is the rollback of assessment of achievement as with House Bill 5 in the last session.

    Jim Windham, 11 years ago

    The benchmark tests are initiated and administered by the schools at their discretion under no requirement from the state. They are not STAAR tests.

    Jim Windham, 11 years ago

    Well, he is off to a good start with his plan for Pre-K–3. The plan represents the right priorities for early childhood development, primarily in literacy, and has the right approach to determining what methods are working. We absolutely must get all children to reading at grade level by the 3rd grade and this plan is a good first step to this commitment.

    Jim Windham, 11 years ago

    Testing required by the state assessments is not out of control, as some would have us believe. What is out of control is the constant practice and “benchmark” testing in the schools supposedly to get ready for the state assessments, none of which is a requirement. The rollback of end of course exams in high school during the last session as a result of the firestorm over testing was a mistake. 12 end of course exams plus 3 writing exams over three years was not excessive. The reduction to a total of 5 exams, particularly since none of them tests material past the 10th grade, does our kids a disservice.

    Jim Windham, 11 years ago

    Ultimately I generally support universal Pre-K, but our priority should now be the intervention with at-risk populations, and we have a lot of work to do in upgrading the current offering before we are ready for universal expansion.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)