Resilient Ready Relentless
The Education Trifecta: English, Math/Science, and History.
You can bet on these three (math and science are comparable in curriculum and unfortunately lumped together) subjects are at the top of every state requirement for graduation. In high school English= 4 years; History/ Social Studies= 3-4 years; Math= 3/4. Science- 2/3. All other electives =7-8. Although some states differ slightly in required hours of study, they all align with the same hierarchy.
So who or what is directing this curriculum gambit?
School Boards. State school boards approve or disapprove curriculum.
Who are on State Boards? (In Colorado there are 179 school districts, each with a school board; Eight members head Colorado’s State Board of Education). Members deciding changes in graduation include:
K-12 education representatives, including rural and charter schools - local school board members, administrators, teachers, counselors, and parents
Business and community leaders
Community college and higher education representatives
Department of Labor and Employment experts
Military personnel
*Translation- money and government. Schools (want to guess who is ‘invited’?). Businesses/ the labor market. Military.
What have these school boards been doing?
Since 2013- Colorado’s board has been ramping up requirements and partnering with AP, SAT, ACT and IB businesses.
How?
“The Graduation Guidelines Council, a representative group of educators and community members established in statute, met beginning in June of 2012 to draft and refine requirements for high school graduation. The state board of education adopted the menu of college and career ready demonstrations in May 2013.”
Who is on the Graduation Guidelines Council? (I bet you can guess. A link of members is included below).
What are these rascals up to now?
Why the CASB Convention of course! The Colorado Association of School Board members(ever heard of it? Me neither) is at a convention: https://www.casb.org/casb-convention
That’s right! December 2-4, 2021. Colorado’s 81st convention was this weekend at the luxurious Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs. For $900 to $1750 members and non-members can participate in “Resilient Ready Relentless” for Colorado students. (I’m not making this up).
Brought to you by The Colorado Association of School Boards. Which is brought to you by partner, McPherson & Jacobson, LLC. A Superintendent recruitment and development agency. Brought to you by Platinum CASB sponsor Johnson Controls- an international multi-conglomerate operated from Cork, Ireland; which also brings Open Blue “connection solution and services” (whatever that means?).
Bronze and Gold members of the CASB include: BEST- a health care plan; SCDSIP- insurance; multiple construction sponsors- for maintenance, hand sanitizers and other nebulous companies helping to profit from schools. “Friends” of CASB are numerous and have discounts on booths for each convention. Ideally, the NRA, metal detector companies, bullet proof backpacks and other bp accessories will have readily available booths for upcoming conventions.
We are sorry, but this year was sold out. Try the 82nd.
“Resilient Ready Relentless.” Resilient- to become stronger after something bad happens; Ready- prepared for immediate use; Relentless- showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace, as in pursue of prey. (MW)
I have nothing against any persons on any school board. I don’t know you. I can, however, see a conflict of interest. I hope parents, teachers and students can see it too. What is being taught, and for whom?
Is the education trifecta, approved by school boards, benefiting kids or exhibitors? More or Less?
Starting in 2022- watch Live School Board Meetings- (oooooooh!)
https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeboard
https://www.cde.state.co.us/postseco.../graduationguidelines
https://nces.ed.gov/pro.../digest/d14/tables/dt14_234.30.asp
http://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/grad-background
https://www.nytimes.com/.../the-conservative-school-board...