Thursday, June 12, 2008

Cave Creek Unified Schools have reportedly lost about 300 students to PVUSD


DSES and the Cave Creek district have reportedly lost about 300 students to Grayhawk and Pinnacle Elementary Schools.


This statement was reported in the recent site council meeting minutes at Desert Sun. You can read it here. There was no time frame given for the loss but it raises some interesting questions. Remember that this year the district’s budget problems stemmed from an underestimation of 125 students, which the district blamed on Applied Economics. Applied Economics was the firm hired to execute the district’s demographics report. You can download this report for 2007 and 2005. If the district knows about these massive numbers of open enrollments leaving, why wasn’t this information shared with Applied Economics. In neither report is open enrollment mentioned as a factor when calculating enrollment projection. Wouldn’t it be vital for Applied Economics to know and understand the rate and trend for students leaving the district due to open enrollment. 300 is only the number of students leaving for 2 elementary schools. How many more parents are choosing other public or charter schools for their children? If the district wants to get accurate enrollment projections, it needs to share this information with its demographer. Maybe the administration is more culpable in the recent budget fiasco than they admit.

As we have pointed out Grayhawk and Pinnacle both have superior test scores to CCUSD elementary schools and we completely understand why one would choose them. Again, we applaud Desert Sun’s choice to move to Core Knowledge, and we hope they choose to implement it fully but we now question why the district so fractured academically. We have E-learning as HTES, language immersion at DWES, and now Core Knowledge at DSES. It is tremendous to offer such choices, but really sucks in terms of vertical alignment.

43 comments:

  1. The Desert Sun site council link isn't working properly.

    Can we separate the wheat from the chaf for a moment?

    1) Applied Economics has performed numerous Arizona school demographic studies. Wouldn't they be aware of open enrollment, private/charter school enrollment options and ask questions about it if it were considered an integral part of their study?
    2)These studies tend to be pretty standardized and are based on overall population trends. While I do not see the report factoring in the any anomaly for the kids that attend other districts/private schools, I also do not see any analysis given to kids attending our schools under open enrollment.
    3) Do you know for a fact that information about open enrollment was hidden from this organization or is this an assumption that you are making?
    4) Population studies for school districts tend to be made by independent organizations. Part of the reason for independence is so that school districts cannot manipulate data. I do not know how involved the district was in any way, shape or form in providing data for the analysis. I would assume (and I admit it is an assumption) that the independent organization pulls data on its own.

    I believe that Grayhawk and Pinnacle are part of a district that also has multiple curriculum offerings spread over various campuses. It may not seem consistent, but it can provide parents with school choice.

    I applaud you for trying to analyze data. But, your desire for anonymity makes it impossible for you to interview and ask questions either of the district or applied economics that would allow you to fully understand their report or the circumstances of the study. And, without answers to those questions you are drawing conclusions about the data based entirely on your assumptions.

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  2. Do you have any factual information about how many students PVUSD has lost to CCUSD?

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  3. Hopefully, CCUSD Watch will answer that question, but I personally know 6 PV zoned kids that attend CCUSD schools that are friends with my kids so I'm sure there are plenty.

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  4. You get what you seem to desire in a Core Knowledge movement at DSES and you question it further. What again is it that you want exactly?

    Are you hoping for every school to do EXACTLY the same thing at the same time in the same way? Kids are ALL different, teachers are ALL different. One size does not fit all in education. To think it so or wish it so is an enormous mistake.

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  5. To anonymous posters 1,2 and 3: even the vague and general conclusions that are made with data like this, while not providing a crystal clear picture of the enrollment situation, give enough of a feel for what is and is not appropriate with regards to facilities and site planning. It is obvious now, understandably in hindsight, that the explosion of growth predicted has not yet arrived if it will at all.

    CSHS is overcrowded and expansions to ease the strain on the school should certainly be made but data like this even in the most general of outlines shows that old plans for expenses like the super high school are definitely unreasonable.

    I am slightly encouraged by the three options now being discussed with respect to the Elementary and Middle School Planning Committee but I still feel as if the district finances are putting the cart before the horse in many respects, with the horse in the metaphor being the students and more specifically a healthy influx of them.

    Let's do whatever it takes to get additional money to be spent on the district. But let's spend that money bringing the district back up to a healthy and respectable level of student and teacher performance and sound financial management before we even begin to think about the pipe dreams that stagnant enrollment has placed, at the moment, beyond our limited reach.

    To anonymous poster #4:
    One size does most certainly not fit all in our educational system, I agree with you there.

    The issue here is not with different programs. It is applying the same maxim the district so often uses for the students to the teachers as well. Teachers should be able to adapt and be willing to consider new programs, but they should also not be under pressure to use a method or instruction system that they do not feel comfortable. Everyday math might work well for one teacher, while the other is able to achieve the same results with the style of method he is able to teach with more confidence and expertise.

    We should, as a community, examine each and every individualized and specialized program the district incorporates into the curriculum and judge it on its merits, cost, and ability to be accessible to all. Those that pass that inspection, and I suspect some wouldn't, would be offered as possible tools for teachers to use as they saw fit.

    The district is, in many ways, a business, and the product being "sold" is a good, well rounded education.

    A marketplace is made better, not worse, by diversity, competition, and the largest number of offerings realistically possible.

    And as much as the district website, Ms. Shafir, and Dr. Ashby all tout the variety of amazing opportunities the curriculum offers but the fact is, and I have firsthand accounts from many, many teachers in CCUSD, including my mother, that this is, in many respects, an illusion.

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  6. Dear Jeff,

    Are there really many teachers that are uncomfortable with EM? My kids teachers seem fine with it.

    A prior poster pointed out that math curriculum is up for review every 6 years. I do not know when that is since we just moved here 3 years ago, but I encourage everyone to look at scores of kids who go through the program and to discuss both the positives and negatives of the program, as well as alternatives.

    We came from a Connecticut School District, Wilton, that was considered by many to be the finest school district in the state (certainly within the top 4 by any standard). My kids were started on EM there and while I would have to check, I believe that both have exceeded on math aims. My son is a Math Olympiad and in the GLO program because of his mathematics ability.

    There are many top school districts in the country, besides Wilton, that use EM successfully. Let's give it the 6 years necessary to be able to properly analyze it and then let's all talk about it with some real measures in hand.

    To the parents who have been in this district for a while, how many years ago did the program start?

    honeymom

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  7. "Do you have any factual information about how many students PVUSD has lost to CCUSD?"

    No, and good luck getting that number out of the district. Just send your FOIA request form to Ms. Shafir and she will get right on it.

    I do remember reading that the entire district had 215 total open enrolled for the most recent school year with around 100 of these in the high school.

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  8. "The Desert Sun site council link isn't working properly."

    I fixed the direct link to the document.

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  9. Here is a study from 2006 for Kyrene from Applied Economics. You find charts and commentary on open enrollment trends, history, and projections.

    Applied Economics Kyrene School District

    So clearly AE understands that open enrollment has an impact on enrollment projections.

    So what can we assume here?

    - Did the district tell AE to ignore open enrollment trends or that they were trivial?

    OR

    - Did AE choose to ignore open enrollment trends on its own and not mention that in its report.

    Let's hope for the next study that AE starts to factor it in so we can avoid the budget fiasco we had this year.

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  10. Core Knowledge is a great program and is the program my kids would have been in if we had not moved here 3 years ago. I may take a look at Desert Sun as a viable option to move my kids to next year. Thank you for that information.

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  11. I agree that AE should start to apply it in the future even if only to show whether it is statiscally significant. Kyrene is definitely impacted by having an additional 12% of its students come from another district and I am not sure (haven't read whole report) if 12% are going out. I think that our overall numbers are much smaller and probably closer.

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  12. All curriculum materials, not just the math, have a regular review/adoption cycle. CCUSD schools have used EM for 6 years. I believe review happens every 7 years.

    The idea of saying to teachers, "here are the materials we approve of, use what you like" seems simple enough. But then reality comes to call.

    Let's say one teacher uses EM, one uses Singapore Math, one uses Saxon, one uses TERC, one uses Harcourt. How does this support vertical or horizontal alignment?

    Assuming parents decide they value materials over teachers, they are locked into picking future classroms based on those materials. OK. But what happens if no teacher at the next grade level decides to use the program the parent desires? Do parents move their kids to another school?

    What happens if you like the materials a teacher selects for math but not for reading or science or social studies? This has the potential to quickly become a mess.

    What happens when all of these kids end up in middle school and high school coming from 5 or 6different prorgams of study?

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  13. Perhaps I didn't make my view clear. A buffet style option of 12 different programs would indeed be ludicrous, but I believe that picking one or two programs and then enforcing them across the board is almost as bad.

    Can't teachers just be given a set of benchmarks through curriculum oriented materials and say please ensure that children have mastered these abilities by the time they have passed the grade?

    Of course not, because then they might be ill prepared for the certain standardize test that determines funding for the entire year that focuses more heavily on one area of a subject over the other.

    As I have mentioned in my earlier posts, I believe that this is a product of the current educational mentality on what children need to know. I believe that children need to know how to /learn/ above all else and that in the long run they are harmed by programs and methods designed to teach concepts that can be checked off on a table. To say that teachers are limited to a few options to do that task limits them in their ability to foster a love for learning.

    I'll start ending my posts with a summary of what then I think needs to be done to take these abstract concepts and apply them to the actual problems facing the district.

    Shorten review times on programs. Seven years? On the off chance that a program reveals itself to be ineffective for one reason or another, rather than address the problem as soon as it is realized, it needs to fester until the next review rolls around? If it isn't broke, don't fix it sure, but if a majority of the teachers and parents are unhappy with a particular program, to allow it to continue for no other reason than arbitrary rules require it to do so ferments resentfulness and stifles enthusiasm.

    Also,
    It's sad that I need to post a disclaimer for what is free speech and intelligent discourse but my views do not necessarily reflect those of my mother, a 4th grade teacher at DWES, her colleagues, or the teachers I have come to call friends from CSHS. I wish I did not have to write that but my outspokenness has in the past got them in trouble and that will not happen again.

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  14. Jeff - I only hope that my kids turn out as involved and concerned as you.

    I don't know that you will know the answer to these questions, but since you raised the issue of program review I will pose them. Hopefully, someone with answers will chime in.How much time is enough time to give a program a chance to work and evaluated properly? We are at seven years. How often are our neighboring districts and top school districts around the country evaluating their curriculum?

    honeymom

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  15. Jeff said: "Can't teachers just be given a set of benchmarks through curriculum oriented materials and say please ensure that children have mastered these abilities by the time they have passed the grade?"

    I believe state standards provide the benchmarks you reference. Mastery of grade level standards is the goal regardless of the materials used to get there.

    What do you propose should happen for those students who don't meet those benchmarks? Retention? How many times? How does this promote love of learning?

    Overhauling curriculum is a costly proposition. Doing it more frequently than every 7 years may be in the best interest of students. But is it fiscally conservative?

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  16. I'll try and look up the answers to your questions honeymom and will ask my mother and some other contacts.

    As to the last commenter, in the other thread I have made a few posts that have firmly established that I believe the educational system right now that focuses on benchmarks, test scores, and statistics as progress is ineffective.

    The post you refer to was my suggesting what should happen with the parameters that already exist. I don't agree with the circumstances but understand that a complete ideological overhaul is not something that will happen over night.

    As to the issue of retention I think it is a practice is that all too often shunned and thought down upon for a variety of biases and misconceptions. My mother has retained a few students in her time and I am friends with families that for a variety of reasons choose to do the same thing.

    What retention produces in many of the instances that I have seen is a more socially, emotionally, and academically mature child than would have otherwise continued on to the next grade level. It allows the child to reinforce the concepts that were obviously lacking with the sense of having seen them before and in many cases contributes to a feeling of self confidence rather than self loathing or low self esteem as seems to be the common mindset.

    Obviously, if a child needs to be retained multiple times it is time to look and see how the system is failing the child, and what other circumstances need to be examined that are beyond his or her control. But I strongly believe that this option is not often discussed for fear of admitting that your child is not the wunderkind you thought or hurting his/her feelings and I think that is sad.

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  17. Jeff,

    Thanks for claifying your position and answering questions. I wish CCUSD Watch would follow your lead. There are many questions, buried in various threads, which remain unanswered.

    I'll bring some of them forward:

    What curriculum materials would CCUSD Watch recommend?

    What research/evidence do you have to support those choices?

    How long will you give the district to use a new curriculum before you judge if it's effective?

    What do you propose to use to measure effectiveness of a new program?

    Were members of this group involved in selecting any of the recently adopted elementary reading, science or social studies materials?

    Do you approve of the new materials?

    On what basis do you propose differentiating classrooms?

    Why separate kids if you believe the curriculum can overcome student variables?

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  18. These are all obviously great questions and to try and answer them based on what little to no experience I have in anything related to teaching would be rather arrogant so I will let others address these more seriously, but I think I will lay out a little bit of an ideological response to each based on my past, present, and future as a student interested in how to most effectively learn, so I'll type something up when I have a bit more time. =)

    Thank you honeymom for your earlier compliment. It also makes me happy to see people involved if it is even at this level. I know we don't all share the same opinions but I think that we need to let the papers, the board, and the rest of district management know that however good of a job they are doing we will always be discussing and pushing them to do better.

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  19. P.S. (If I sign up for a blogspot account can I edit comments then? One of my flaws is a total distaste for proofreading until after my work has been set forth >.<)

    To all of you who have been discussing things with me who are parents, I hope that while we are talking about ways to make the school district better you are all taking it upon yourselves to correct whatever educational shortcomings you feel your child's experience has with your additional help.

    The day that parents (and there are some, believe me) put the entire responsibility for their child's education solely in the hands of any school is one of the saddest ones in that child's life.

    I am who I am today not just because I had some very good teachers in CSHS but also because I was fortunate enough to have two parents very interested in helping me develop a complete and total picture of the world and its peoples, mathematics and sciences, history and technology, etc.

    I wouldn't call it home schooling. My dad just shared interesting things with me, taught me about new concepts, and allowed me to explore certain fields.

    I know that in this day and age we are all extremely busy but I hope that as the students and teachers do their part, you parents take an opportunity every day to teach your child something new or even learn with them in a way that never appears in a traditional classroom.

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  20. Frankly,
    I don't give a damn what a smart ass college student has to say about the state of our district. When he was dealt with at the high school he was far from angelic. To listen to a miscreant and malcontent is comparable to letting the inmates run the asylum. What the hell does he know about helping our high school students? Based on what I have heard about you and your attitude, maybe you should focus on your college studies; and worry less about CCUSD.
    A POP!!

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  21. The college studies are going fine, thanks. Also, I'm flattered by your descriptive alliteration. Miscreant, malcontent, how about malicious and perhaps even megalomaniacal?

    As to what the hell I know about helping high school students, I was one two years ago.

    I thought that it was almost too good to be true to be able to discuss things with people who didn't hold my age or my slightly colorful past (one suspension for writing a satirical letter? Yeah, I'm public enemy number one) against me and I guess it was.

    Still, I've attached my name to this so I can take comfort in the fact that I'm a bit more of a man than you are.

    A wise man once said "youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it is to be young..."

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  22. Dear A POP,

    If you are concerned about communicating with a college student, why aren't you concerned to be participating in a board that provides absolutely no proof as to who is running it? This board is a representation of many personalities and ideologies and he has as much right to post as anybody else. Get down off your self-righteous throne and act like an adult.
    A MOM!

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  23. Your questions seem more hostile than helpful but here are some answers nonetheless...


    What curriculum materials would CCUSD Watch recommend?

    Pay attention we already answered this.

    Math - Mastery
    Science - ANYTHING
    Language Arts - Rigorous phonics, Great Books
    History - Coherent and Systematic

    I am sure with all the brilliant minds in the Teaching and Learning Division could use Google and find many programs that fit the bill.

    What research/evidence do you have to support those choices?

    Every program comes with evidence about its effectiveness or again try Google or you could check with schools that are outperforming CCUSD.


    How long will you give the district to use a new curriculum before you judge if it's effective?

    Well with all the wonderful tools that the district uses to evaluate and monitor the students, monitoring and evaluating the success should be no problem. We can't fathom why they would use some arbitrary 6 year period to reevaluate programs. If results are stagnant or declining then do something now. Don't wait for the 6 years to be up. BTW, hasn't it been 6 years for Everyday Math. Please let us know when those evaluations are taking place. We will be there.

    What do you propose to use to measure effectiveness of a new program?

    Previous question

    Were members of this group involved in selecting any of the recently adopted elementary reading, science or social studies materials?

    Not speaking for everyone but the only recent adoption we saw was for middle school social studies and yes thanks for letting us thumb through the books. We must have missed the meetings where we were invited to evaluate different programs and suggest programs for inclusion. Can you tell us what programs were selected for reading and science since we missed those? What criteria and reasoning did the district use for switching to these new programs?

    Do you approve of the new materials?

    We have no direct experience with social studies curriculum.

    On what basis do you propose differentiating classrooms?

    I would use our fabulous teachers who know each child's ability to make those decisions.

    Why separate kids if you believe the curriculum can overcome student variables?

    Not sure we ever claimed this. As far as the benefits, again Google is your friend.

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  24. Mr. Tully,

    You cannot edit comments even with an account, but you could delete the comment and then repost it corrected.

    The preview button is helpful to use before posting your comment.

    Thanks!

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  25. Dear A POP,

    Feel free to present your opinions but let's refrain from name calling.

    I'd delete your post but since others have responded, I'll leave it.

    Thanks!

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  26. Dear CCUSD Watch,

    I found your answers to the questions a bit smug.

    BTW, I may be an oldster, but I was an early adopter of the internet and am quite good at the google. Please note that you have left quite a clue as to who you are. And, while you might not be in hs as I once suspected, and I don't have the time yet to followup on the clue, it was enough of a clue for me to believe that I was right about one thing - you are young.

    I do not believe in outing people. But, I do think it is time for you to reveal your composition and tell what your true motivation is behind this site. In as much as teachers, parents, staff post to this blog, perhaps your description of it is legal. But, I don't think you have the knowledge or experience with this district that you profess.

    honeymom

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  27. My, my, my I take a few days off and this bulletin board explodes. While I don't necessarily agree with A Pop on their responses to the High School student; a little less name calling might help; I would like to ask Mr Tully and his professors at ASU (I think he said??) Was he adequately prepared for college? Is he lacking skills in Math or Language Arts?? Or any of the key areas? I would say based on his very passionate writing he isn't lacking in verbal or communication skills. (I would also be interested to see what got him suspended. It must have been a doozy.) Aside from that let's hear less about the politics and history of this high school. Since I have lived and worked in the district there have been 4 principals at the High School alone. Let's focus less on the personalities and more on the facts. Are we preparing our students for the job force/education/the service? I understand that this blog seems to think that a massive change in curriculum across the board would help; but where do you want to get the money from? If we want to revamp/retrain our current curricula; we would need to invest in new texts, additional technologies to support them and pay for more training for the staff. If you think parents aren't happy about the number of 1/2days; wait until they have to pay for extra training days either during the year or the summer. While I question the real intent of this blog, there has been some lively and healthy debate. I think that is good, it is what makes our society great. The freedom to participate in discussion and disagree without fear is awesome. Let's try to limit the opinions about personalities. I agree that the board is not doing it's part to help our students. They need to get over their petty feelings for each other and focus on the kids and the staff. The staff needs to stand up and remind them they were elected to make things better for the district, not take it back 20 years. If they made that the focus of their meetings, the meetings would be a lot easier to sit through and help us to keep improving things. I think that still water becomes stagnant and dies. We need to keep moving and striving to do better, but let's make sure that the next plan/system/curricula isn't any worse.

    TDBR

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  28. Hi TDBR,

    Thanks for your excellent feedback!

    As we have posted, instead of swimming pools, new buildings, Smartboards, laptops, etc...we are advocating for the district to focus on things that will improve academic achievement like an improved curriculum, rewarding teachers, and retaining experienced ones.

    Based on your experience why do you think that high school principals depart so soon and are these sudden departures affecting the academics? I believe a recent news article stated that the average tenure of a HS principal in CCUSD is around 1.5 years.

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  29. Hi Honeymom,

    Were those your questions?

    I believe we stated somewhere that we do not have all the answers. Some of the feedback here is greatly expanding and even changing our thinking.

    Keep up the great work everyone.

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  30. People need to realize Tacy Ashby is not the one ruining this district. It's her team of administrators. It's a good thing Sid Bailey is gone. Now get rid of Debbie Burdick and Kent Frison and CCUSD will truly be excelling!

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  31. Hi June 14, 2008 9:43 PM,

    Didn't Ms. Ashby remove the prior HS principal?

    Didn't she have a say in Mr. Bailey's hiring?

    These are serious questions with which we have no information about. Feel free to give us a history lesson!

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  32. Yes, she did. She and Burdick brought in Sid Bailey. Now he's gone. Get rid of Burdick and Frison along with Bailey!

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  33. They weren't my questions.

    Although only in this district 3 years I have witnessed a small purging of employees in my kids schools (either purged or resigned). Pretty much (with the exception of teachers who left to have babies and one other teacher) I've been happy to see them go. I think that my son's elementary school is almost at the point where I would tell people that there are no bad teachers. I believe I will say that I will be happy to see one of the principal's departures although I reserve that judgement until I see who is hired next. Maybe at that time I will share my feelings on why I am not upset with the departure.

    I don't find Kent Frison to be the sharpest tool in the shed. I'd certainly try to move bond writing away from him if we want bonds to pass.

    Despite recent Principal departures, I think that if you look at the district as a whole, there are a lot of teachers with longevity here. Can't be such a bad place to work although I agree that teachers in general and especially in underfunded Arizona deserve to make more money.

    honeymom

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  34. The curriculum questions I posed were not in any way meant to be hostile. They are valid questions that need to be asked (and consequently answered) of any school considering a change in curriculum.

    Your answers do cause me some worry as they show a general lack of concern for specific material titles in many areas. "ANYTHING" works for you for science??? As a parent of kids who love science, I'd want more of an answer.

    Another question: Wouldn't a group, such as your own, have been advocating for the use of something like Everyday Math seven years ago? It was cutting edge, national council of math was saying it was the way to go, big credible districts were lauding it. But now many have turned away from it. Are you sure Singapore Math won't travel down the same road as EM?

    Thanks for the chance to question. I've written before that I appreciate your honesty in saying you don't have all the answers. I'm not sure anyone does. But answers are needed, even if they are hard to come by.

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  35. Dear "June 15, 2008 7:39 PM",

    If you could ID your posts with a pseudonym that would be helpful.

    Not a chance on EM 7 years ago. NCTM made a huge mistake which they essential tried to rectify recently with their Focal Points.

    There was controversy in 2002 about EM...

    "Cave Creek School Board came under harsh criticism recently from parents when teachers began using new math books at the beginning of the school year."

    Source: Arizona Republic, December 12, 2002

    We are not looking for cutting edge, we are looking for mastery not spiral. We are looking for focused not a mile wide/inch deep. We are looking for direct instruction not discovery.

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  36. If you didn't recommend EM six years ago, what was your recommendation at that time?

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  37. Also, will you participate at the next math curriculum review since you are so passionate about it?

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  38. "Also, will you participate at the next math curriculum review since you are so passionate about it?"

    You bet. Will the parents and the community be invited to help evaluate student performance, evalute currently program performance, examine neighboring schools programs, and have access to the financial ramifications to any changes?

    Shouldn't this have happend last school year? We belive has been over 6 years.

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  39. Per an anonymous poster on this topic: All curriculum materials, not just the math, have a regular review/adoption cycle. CCUSD schools have used EM for 6 years. I believe review happens every 7 years.

    Dear CCUSD Watch,

    I really wish that you felt more comfortable about revealing your identity. I don't agree with everything that you are saying on here or the sometimes sensationalistic headlines, but you do have some good knowledge and ideas and I would hate to see them not have any legs behind them due to your anonymity.

    As an active parent, we are always trying to encourage other members of the community to speak up and to help improve our schools. Unfortunately, by not revealing your identity, you are giving readers fodder to question your motives. I am growing to believe that you may be more well intentioned than I first surmised and I think it would be a good thing to have you more involved in the process.

    I could be wrong, I suppose, but I really don't think you have anything to be afraid of.

    honeymom

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  40. According to our PIO...

    Just the Facts

    "New textbooks are reviewed on a 6-year revolving cycle."

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  41. Then perhaps the post that I copied from was incorrect. I don't presume myself to be an educator and have not gotten involved in the curriculum process. I'm no expert, just good at copying and pasting.

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  42. That last post was from me, I sometimes forget to add the pseudo.

    honeymom

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  43. No duh on this one! Pinnacle and Grayhawk are well oiled machines. I live in CCUSD and pulled them out and sent them to PVUSD because CCUSD had no extras...no core knowledge (now they are getting this), no middle school IB, and most of all..too much community unrest and fighting about the school district....the community doesn't appear to support the district? Am I right on this one? How do you expect parents to want to keep their kids in this district with all of the negetive commments and stories that get written about them...This could be the best one out there - low taxes, small enrollment, some great ideas, but people choose to bash each other rather than implementing workable solutions as well as the community needs to get behind the schools and support them. As long as this fighting and unrest continues, parents will continue to leave...this has been going on for years.....Pretty sad!

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