Have you heard? The governor’s K-12 Statewide Graduation Council has decided to prioritize high stakes, end of course tests created by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and scored by DESE to be the required markers for graduation, making a mockery of all the input from teachers, parents and administrators at “listening sessions” around the state this fall.
Just so you know, the DESE team does not represent the teachers, principals, special educators, paraprofessionals and others serving the children of the commonwealth. It’s time for the state to put funding for schools and more training for classroom teachers a priority over paying more for testing.
Chip Wood, retired teacher, principal, professional education facilitator
Hadley