COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU! Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups

Posted on May 28, 2014 by kansansagainstcommoncore

Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups as Search for New Education Commissioner Begins

The Kansas State Board of Education will host focus groups across the state to gather constituent input as the search for Kansas’ new Commissioner of Education gets underway. Former Education Commissioner Dr. Diane DeBacker submitted her resignation in April to accept a position as the Advisor to the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council.

In the preliminary phase of the search process, a series of focus groups will be conducted in several State Board Districts to gather constituent feedback as to what they believe to be the most critical educational issues in Kansas, and the experiences and skills they feel are essential for this leadership position.

There are upcoming opportunities for YOU to participate in public focus groups being held by the Kansas State Board of Education. We apologize for the short notice, but hope you will make an effort to attend and invite friends and family. It is so important that we all become active and engaged on the local level, and PARTICIPATE…. you can’t change things if you don’t.

THURSDAY, MAY 29th at 7pm – SHAWNEE MISSION
THURSDAY, MAY 29th at 6:30pm – WICHITA, KS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4th at 6:30pm – CHANUTE, KS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4th at 7pm – COLBY, KS
THURSDAY, JUNE 5th at 7pm – GREAT BEND, KS
*Details for each event below.

Here is the information from the Kansas State Department of Education website:

THURSDAY, MAY 29th at 7pm – SHAWNEE MISSION

Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups as Search for New Education Commissioner Begins
The public is invited to a forum to discuss the criteria for the next Commissioner of Education in Kansas. It is sponsored by local public schools of northern Johnson County — USD 229, Blue Valley Schools; USD 232, De Soto Schools; and USD 512, Shawnee Mission Schools, is the host for the forum. The event is also sponsored by the Kansas State Board of Education. Anyone can attend.

Steve Roberts will facilitate the event. As a member of the State Board, he has a vote in who the next commissioner will be.

The Public Forum begins at 7 p.m., scheduled for 90 minutes, at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.

THURSDAY, MAY 29th at 6:30pm – WICHITA, KS

Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups as Search for New Education Commissioner Begins

In Board Districts 8 and 10, Board members Kathy Busch and Jim McNiece will together conduct a focus group:

Thursday, May 29, 2014

6:30 pm

Christa McAuliffe Academy

2055 S. 143^rd Street East

Wichita, Kansas

The session is free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4th at 6:30pm – CHANUTE, KS

Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups as Search for New Education Commissioner Begins

Board Chair Jana Shaver, representing District 9, will conduct a focus group:

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

6:30 pm

Memorial Auditorium, Alliance Room

101 S. Lincoln

Chanute, Kansas

The session is free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4th at 7pm – COLBY, KS

Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups as Search for New Education Commissioner Begins

Mrs. Cauble will also conduct the following focus groups.

All sessions are free and open to the public.

THURSDAY, JUNE 5th at 7pm – GREAT BEND, KS

Kansas State Board of Education Invites Public to Participate in Focus Groups as Search for New Education Commissioner Begins

Mrs. Cauble will also conduct the following focus groups.

All sessions are free and open to the public.

OKLAHOMA!

Posted on May 27, 2014 by kansansagainstcommoncore

In case you missed it, the Oklahoma legislature passed HB3399 – REPEAL/STOP COMMON CORE – last Friday, May 23rd.

As Gretchen Logue, Missouri Education Watchdog, writes…
Oklahoma Goes Where No State Legislature Has Gone Before
It’s astounding when concerned citizens have to celebrate a state legislature reclaiming control of what is rightfully theirs to control: the educational development and delivery of their standards. State legislatures should NEVER have had to spend time in session undoing what is illegal. Governors overstepped their authority to sign their states on to the concept of national standards (they weren’t even written) and give away their state’s right to set educational standards and assessments to private companies. It is astounding that a state legislature has to pass legislation to thwart the plans of private organizations to take over the control of public education and bypasses voters and legislators.

Read the entire press release from Restore Oklahoma Public Education HERE:

Bill To Repeal And Stop Common Core Passes Oklahoma House and Senate May 23
If signed, HB3399 would be the most thorough removal of Common Core from any state of adoption in the nation to date. The bill:

Repeals Common Core from state law, creating a framework for standards to be written by Oklahomans over a two year time period.
Directs a return to the state’s previous standards and tests during the interim.
Requires the “mastery of the “standard algorithms in math” – the “most logical, efficient way of solving a problem that consistently works”, in attempt to curb the concept of ‘fuzzy math’.
Requires Oklahoma’s new standards be compared against the Common Core State Standards to ensure they are NOT in alignment.
Provides legislative review and approval of finalized standards as created through the State Board of Education.
Prohibits the state Board of Education from entering into any agreements that would in any way cede control or authority of Oklahoma standards or tests.
Directs standards and tests to be developmentally appropriate.
Creates a paper and pencil test option in the event online testing creates issues for students.

And the question now…
Nation Waits on OK Gov. Fallin: Will She Repeal Common Core Standards?

“The citizens of Oklahoma have achieved an astounding victory. Armed with the facts, they demanded that their legislators defend their rights and the constitutional structure that protects those rights,” said Emmett McGroarty, APP’s Education Director, in a press release. “They did so in the face of an aggressive federal government, the elitists in both parties, and the powerful education industrial complex hellbent on exploiting our children.”

“The issue now is whether Governor Fallin will stand with the moms, dads, and other citizens in Oklahoma, or will she stand with the federal government and corporatists,” McGroarty said.

What can you do to help support the Oklahoma legislation and our friends in Oklahoma?
HERE ARE TWO SIMPLE THINGS:

1. Restore Oklahoma Public Education has made it easy to send a letter to Governor Fallin. They have put together letters (one for in state and one for out of state) with instructions for you to copy, paste and submit!

DETAILS HERE: Letters To Copy And Paste For Governor Fallin – PLEASE SIGN HB3399
As many of you know, HB3399 (the repeal and replacement of Common Core) passed from both the Oklahoma House and Senate by an overwhelming majority Friday the 23rd. Shortly thereafter, the legislature went Sine Di. Governor Fallin has until June 2 to sign HB3399 to sign the bill into law. If she chooses not to act, the bill will die by pocket veto.

2. PLEASE SIGN and share this letter by the American Principles Project to Governor Mary Fallin, NGA Chair:

Over 5000 Americans have now signed our ‪#NGAEndCommonCore‬ letter telling NGA Chair Governor Mary Fallin to ‪#StopCommonCore‬!

http://ngaendcommoncore.com/

American Principles Project :
Join American Principles Project, Eagle Forum, HSLDA, Pioneer Institute, Michelle Malkin and others urging Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, Chair of the National Governors Association, to end the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Through this initiative the NGA has enabled corporations and other private interests to drive education policy which has compromised the power of parents. So we are asking parents, educators and concerned citizens to add their names with ours in order to stop the Common Core State Standards.

THANK YOU!!!

Time’s up!

Posted on May 5, 2014 by kansansagainstcommoncore

As you may already know, the Kansas Legislature has finished the session Unfortunately, Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards were not repealed and replaced. We still have “Kansas College and Career Ready Standards”.

What’s next?
Please continue to share and speak out about Common Core with friends, family, neighbors, teachers, etc. Be factual and concise. Common Core IS more than standards, and this can make it very easy to get lost in the weeds. Start with the basics. Here are several good places to start:

Be involved in your local community! Speak with others, distribute literature, write an editorial for a newspaper, host an event, have an information table at a community festival or event, walk in a parade, attend local board meetings, run for the school board, attend town halls, contact Governor Brownback, contact your legislators, contact those running in the upcoming election cycle and know where they stand on Common Core, consider running for a position, contact your KS State Board of Education member, attend a KS State Board of Education meeting, consider running for the board…

BECOME INVOLVED!!!

Thank you all for the absolutely amazing amount of personal time and investment you have given to the fight to reclaim Kansas education. The session may be over, but the opposition to Common Core is only growing.

Kansans Against Common Core

Let your voice be heard!

Posted on May 1, 2014 by kansansagainstcommoncore

The session is not over yet, and it is still very important to let the Kansas Legislature and our Governor know that Common Core (Kansas College & Career Ready Standards) is NOT good for Kansas! We need their leadership and support to do what is best for Kansas children and their education – STOP COMMON CORE!

We would like to ask you to take time, once again, to make a phone call or send an email to…

your Kansas Representative and Kansas Senator

FOR CONTACT INFORMATION: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/

the Speaker of the House, Representative Ray Merrick

Phone: 785-296-2302
Email:ray.merrick@house.ks.gov

the President of the Senate, Senator Susan Wagle

Phone: 785-296-2419
Email:Susan.Wagle@senate.ks.gov

the Governor of Kansas, Sam Brownback

Office of the Governor

Capitol, 300 SW 10th Ave, Ste 241S
Topeka, KS 66612-1590

Toll Free: 877-KSWORKS (877-579-6757)
Local: 785-296-3232
For the Hearing Impaired: 800-766-3777
Please tell them to STOP Common Core in Kansas!
(Kansas College and Career Ready Standards)

As always, it is best to convey a concise, factual, and personal message. Please include your name and address in the subject line of an email, and please be courteous and respectful in all forms of communication.

And if you need to listen to something inspiring for a little motivation, may we suggest…
Advice from several of the experts in this short Q&A video from part of the series from Ohioans Against Common Core (http://ohioansagainstcommoncore.com/) – Common Core 101.

Jane Robbins – starting at 7:40
Dr. Terrence Moore – starting at 12:40 and at 14:52
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKUDxdSYTDo

And for a real WAKE UP to your day…
Dr. Terrence Moore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRBwshWn1lA

THANK YOU!
and have a wonderful day.