A Superintendent Writes... Changing Tires Doing 75 m.p.h.

A LYS Superintendent shares the following:

I don’t think the changes to the Texas math standards are getting nearly enough attention. I have heard complaints from math teachers all year about how convoluted and confusing the entire situation is. If you are late to the game, let me catch you up.

Some high school math standards (TEKS) are going to middle school and some middle school math standards (TEKS) are going to elementary school. Now, we need to keep in mind that the TEKS are not a curriculum. The TEKS are a scope, but include no sequence, and certainly no resources. Districts are struggling to keep up with the changes, adapt their scope and sequence, and find appropriate instructional resources. This is a daunting task for a large district with a full time C&I department. For small districts, the situation is almost unmanageable, especially since the resources available in CSCOPE were removed. I find this situation analogous to attempting to change a flat tire on a car while doing 75 m.p.h. down the interstate. It’s just not a good idea. But there are other concerns more pressing than timing, adapting, and finding resources.

If a high school principal were short a math teacher and could only find a middle school certified math teacher that would essentially be a no-go. The teacher would not hold the proper certification, would likely not have the needed college course work, and would not be considered highly qualified in many cases. The principal would have to send notice to parents, corrective action plans would be put in place, etc.

Why?

Because the state has deemed a middle school certified teacher is not educated, certified, or qualified to teach the high school math TEKS. Should a middle school principal attempt to hire an elementary certified teacher to teach middle school, the same scenario would unfold, because once again the state has deemed an elementary certified teacher is not educated, certified, or qualified to teach middle school math TEKS. So, please explain to me, what is the difference if the state sends the TEKS to the teacher without the education, certification, and qualification to the teacher? In one scenario we were placing the teacher in a situation in which she would not be able to properly address the TEKS; in the other scenario the state moves the TEKS to teachers who are not properly able to address the TEKS. All of this as if the bureaucratic wave of a wand suddenly gives teachers the education, certification, and qualification to teach the more advanced TEKS. The net effect on the child is the same whether you move the teacher to the TEKS or the TEKS to the teacher: the child loses. I now have to find ways to teach my TEACHERS some of the math they need to know in order to be able to teach the children!

I would encourage all superintendents to bring their Boards up to speed on this issue quickly. We need to respond with Board resolutions directed to our SBOE and legislative representatives. Given that the next legislative session starts in a few weeks, the timing is perfect and the timing is now. I am more and more convinced that we are not witnessing the failure of Texas public education. Rather, we are witnessing the failure of Texas public education POLICY, and only our elected officials can remedy the situation.

Mike Seabolt

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of February 23, 2014

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us.  To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of February 23, 2014.

1. The greatest challenge for school leadership is to break down boundaries created by comfort, complacency, and personal agenda. (By @djakes)

2. Wait, you mean that CSCOPE talk was nothing more than fear mongering? (By @MattFoster)

3. The purpose of structure is to provide stability and predictability. This is how you leverage effort and brainpower. (By @LYSNation)

4. Students who change schools 3+ times before the 8th grade are at least four times likely to drop out of school. – U.S. Gov. Accounting Office (By @tgrierhisd)

5. New study suggests kids are getting hurt on the playground more often—because they never really learned how to play. (By @anniemurphypaul)

6. Negative people should be uninvited from your campus! (By @tra_hall)

7. Structural people-we aren't bossy, we just know what you should be doing. (By @kimbarker25)

8. Students take notice of those educators who are in the stands at ballgames, plays, concerts, etc. vs. those who sprint from school at 3:00. (By @BluntEducator)

9. Weekend Quote: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  Except for bears.  Bears just kill you.” (By @DrRichAllen)

10. The largest party in America... is neither the Democrats nor the Republicans. It's the party of non-voters. - Robert Reich (By @ForwardTX)

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Superintendent Writes... An Attempt at Meaningful Dialogue - Round 2

A LYS Superintendent shares the following:

SC,

A teacher (with a known agenda) sent a mass email to a bunch of superintendents. As you know, I love reasoned and spirited discussions so I responded. And in return, I received a second round of “questions.” See below for the new questions and more of my responses.

Thinly Veiled Questions Mass Emailed to Texas Superintendents:

Questions again... Do schools fear excellence as well as failure?  

If all of your students could be achieving at or above levels similar to those of the students of Jaime Escalante in the movie, Stand and Deliver, would you implement a program that would achieve those levels... above the norm?  

If you knew of a program that produced elevated success and mastery at an exceptional level for any interested student, would you want it (as an administrator) knowing that it would upset the structure of the system?  

Exceptionalism requires flexibility and that would upset the design of “the apple cart.” Mastering material at exceptional levels wouldn't appear to work with CSCOPE because, as you said, the scope and sequence is important and vital to CSCOPE.  “Accelerated mastery” would allow the option to break out of that timeline.   Is it possible to have two programs running side by side?

This Superintendent’s Response:

I don't know if schools fear excellence, but it is certainly true that excellence comes at a price, and it is also true that most schools are not willing to pay that price.  As Jim Collins writes, “Great is the enemy of good.” 

As soon as you start pushing, people start screaming for balance.  The problem is the physics of balance. To get a balance you have to take away from one side to add to another.  In the terms of education, to get a "balance," you have to take away from children.  In essence we are saying, we could do a better job for kids, but that would require that adults give up something else (and this is not pointed at educators: Politicians – All revenue increases aren’t bad; Voters – Infrastructure has to be built, maintained and paid for). So as long as it is someone else’s child, the adults in our state overwhelmingly choose mediocrity instead of sacrifice.

As to programs, I have NEVER seen a school “program” itself to success.  The path to success is perfecting tradecraft, in our case, instruction.  The never-ending hunt for excellence in instruction has to be pursued with vigor should we want to become truly excellent for our children.  Escalante was a legend.  He was also rare. I would guess there is not 1 teacher in a 1,000 like him. This is neither a critique nor an indictment. Consider this, there are a lot of good NBA basketball players.  But a Dr. J, Magic, Jordan and LeBron show up once a generation.

Exceptionalism requires flexibility.  That may be true.  And it may not.  For example, the greatest athletes on the planet have very inflexible training programs.  Certainly I think you can be exceptional AND flexible, but I think it also very possible to be excellent OR flexible, which in a logic statement would also be excellent AND inflexible.  It is also possible, and perhaps most likely, to be neither excellent NOR flexible.  

Certainly CSCOPE is not perfect, but you are targeting the result and not the cause.  CSCOPE is a school response to the state's push for rapidly and constantly changing accountability, as I have discussed before.  As long as high stakes testing and accountability exist in their current forms, there is no choice but to have something like CSCOPE.  So the driving force that destroys creativity, flexibility, and exceptionalism is accountability and high stakes testing.  CSCOPE is merely a tool.  

Is it possible to have two programs running side by side? Certainly.  But most schools can't even get the basics down, much less run two systems. It would be nice if schools could walk and chew bubble gum, but most can't.  The sad reality is accountability does indeed destroy some excellence; no doubt about it.  BUT, it is easy to get into a circular argument on the issue.  You see, if the Escalante's of the World were 900 out of a 1,000 instead of 1 in a 1,000, there would have never been an outcry for accountability and high stakes testing.  It is enticing and satisfying to believe that the vast majority are chasing down excellence for all of their students, but the reality and the data don't support that argument.  Indeed adults seek a "balance," and in most cases the adult balance that is found is an unfavorable imbalance for children. There are many people who have the strong belief that if you take care of teachers they will take care of kids. I wish that was a 100% truism, because it would make my job much, much easier. 

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: NASSP National Conference; TASSP State Conference (Multiple Presentations); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Superintendent Writes... What Do You Really Think - Part 4

In response to the 3/19/13 post, “What Do You Really Think,” a LYS Superintendent writes:

SC,

Amen, Sean. CSCOPE is a tool and a tool that we had to find in order to align the three curriculums Fenwick English identified: the written curriculum (TEKS with SEs); the taught curriculum (scope and sequence tools with lessons like CSCOPE); and the tested curriculum (STAAR/EOC). If these are not aligned... Student success suffers and teachers spin wheels with lots of effort but little to show for it. In Texas, the written and tested are decided. We have to align the last item or our campuses fail with big gaps between disaggregated groups. CSCOPE is not perfect, but it was born out of a politically highlighted need. It's still a work in progress. Try to write scope and sequence with pacing guides and lessons and units on your own as a small district... This might have been possible with adequate funding and unlimited time.  Neither of which our state provides. The ESCs just tried to fill that tall order, on an accelerated timeline, on a limited budget, without state aid help. So no wonder it has gaps and is still developing. But it's an aligned start.

DK

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A New Principal Asks.. We Think We Do Enough

A new LYS elementary school principal asks the following:

SC,

As you know, my instructional experience is at the secondary level, but saying, “No” to a leadership opportunity was never an option.  I recently met with two teachers on my new (to me) elementary campus.  They were so glad to hear I am CSCOPE expert, which I am not, but that is the word on the street.  But I am very familiar with it and recognize it as a powerful instructional tool.

The teachers on my campus had been using a (commercial product) for math instruction but it is now painfully clear that this “TEKS aligned” curriculum is not aligned to STAAR success. So they wanted to know the "trick" of CSCOPE.  They had some familiarity with it, but hinted that CSCOPE just took too much time to prepare for.  Then the revelation hit, they want to be given permission to not plan and prepare.  I sort of skirted the conversation after that, told them to keep their chins up, but it is was clear they have made their case that they are doing enough, and being asked to do more is unreasonable.

Given the fact I have never dealt with elementary teachers and the elementary did meet state standards (which these teachers interpret as exceeding expectations) what is a good course of response for dealing with these teachers?

SC Response

Recognize that ANYONE attempting to feel you out this early has an agenda.  In this case their agenda is “We already do enough, so leave us alone.”  Typical behavior when a new boss shows up.

They are attempting to define the expectations of the organization.  This happens when there is a leadership vacuum.  What you need to do, and do quickly, is publically lay out your expectations for the campus, along with goals, targets and milestones. Make your case, discuss your standards and start building and implementing your system. Now; not later.  The “sit back and observe” advice given to many (if not most) new campus leaders is at best counter-productive.  On its own, an organization slows down.  Waiting only allows the slower tempo and lower expectations to become entrenched.  Comfortable for adults, devastating to students. 

Meeting state standards is the floor of expectations (especially this past year, when passing often meant answering less than 50% of the questions correctly).  I know you want more for your students and so do almost all of your teachers.  You just have to refocus them and accelerate their adoption of the tools of success.  That is the role of campus leadership.   The teachers that are in it for the students will stick with you (maybe not in the Teachers’ Lounge, but in the classroom where it really counts).  Those that aren’t in it for the right reasons will quickly self-identify themselves either by leaving or sabotaging.  Don’t sweat the vacancies, it gives you a chance to get hire someone more student focused and you have dealt with saboteurs many times before.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Writes... Assessments vs. Benchmarks - Part 2

In response to the 11/17/2011 post, “A Reader Writes... Assessment vs. Benchmarks – Part 1,” an old school LYSer writes:

SC,

I completely agree with your comments on November 17, 2011 about Assessments vs. Benchmarks.  While our superintendent wants benchmarks at mid-term across the district for STAAR and EOC/TAKS, we are only using the unit assessments (inclusive of CSCOPE assessment questions) to monitor our progress.  We will create a mid-term assessment (CSCOPE does not have a mid-term nor a final which we could use as pre-assessments as well as post) to monitor what has been learned and relearned as it applies to the current course.  Of course, for high schools that is a challenging proposition because in many cases so much prior material has not yet been mastered that remediation swallows up accelerated learning.  We have to find the gear for accelerated learning and get our students and faculty into it or two birds will be killed with multiple stones. 

I believe it would be valuable to have a true pre-assessment given before the school year begins and develop schedules based on what students will need to learn in the upcoming curriculum instead of blunting their educational spirit by duplicating what is known in order to glean what is not yet mastered.  If students are going to be held accountable for current course curriculum without supporting standards mastered at a high level then how will they be able to grasp sufficiently the readiness standards? 

As I run this over in my head, the same rigorous monitoring of teachers we are advocating should also include a similar model for students (and accompanying stakeholders.)  I still like to promote that each classroom is like a mini-school.  Teachers are administrators of instruction teaching students how to be instructional leaders on their own as peer tutors.  Students teaching students (proficiently) could be the most valuable assessment of all.  If you can't teach it then you don't know it.

I can’t wait to see you again.  I really need to pick your brain on an administrative issue.

SC Response

Again, there is gold in the archives.

First, the pre-assessment for a given year is the state test taken at the end of the prior year.  Though not perfect, the results give us a significant head start in determining the instructional needs of our incoming students.  Sadly, I can count on one hand the number of schools that actually use this data for effective pre-planning at the individual classroom level for an upcoming year.  The schools that do so, do it for the very purpose you describe.  The result of this significant brainwork? Campus performance that outpaces peer campuses.  Meaning at the very least, this work provides meaningful intrinsic rewards.

If I don’t see you before the end of September, make sure you get to the Fundamental 5 National Summit in October. Not only will I be there, the entire LYS team be holding office hours.  

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Principal's Petition

This post highlights a petition created by LYS Principal, Sammy Wyatt.  A petition that exposes Sammy to the wrath of the Anti-CSCOPE zealots, meaning that this is a case of courageous leadership. This is because Sammy isn’t just arguing for his school, he is advocating for every school district to retain the power to select the instructional tools that best meet the needs of its staff.

By taking this action, Sammy even got a little TV time to present the argument for effective instructional tools.  You can view this by clicking to the link:

http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=45547

If you are interesting in signing the live petition can be accessed thru the following link

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/let-texas-schools-keep-the-exemplar-cscope-lessons/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

THE PETITION

Dear Senator Dan Patrick, 


My name is Sammy Wyatt and I am the principal of a high school in a little west Texas community near Midland/Odessa. You do not represent my area, but what you do affects me greatly as an educational leader. 

The abolishment of the CSCOPE lessons is not good for the students and educators of this state. Sure not all CSCOPE lessons are perfect, but they are much better than anything we have used before in Texas schools. These lessons are more than just activities that are used to teach students. These lessons also present a variety of progressive teaching strategies for teachers to use and learn from. Why "throw the baby out with the bath water?"

I am speaking for nearly every superintendent and principal in the West Texas area. Schools such as: Rankin, Crane, Fort Stockton, Fort Davis, Alpine, Andrews, Midland, Odessa, Kermit, Balmorhea, Monahans, McCamey, Big Lake, Irion County, San Angelo, and others served by the Region 18 Service Center.  This week I will be attending the Texas Association of Secondary Schools conference in Austin from June 11th-14th. About 90% of the 1,500 administrators at this conference will be joining together against your recent action because it ultimately hurts the education of students in Texas. I am formally starting a petition and will get as many signatures on it as possible. I have made many phone calls in the last several days including calls to Senator Duncan and Congressman Pete Gallegos and shared these opinions. 


CSCOPE is not perfect, but it is an exceptional system for the education of students in Texas. It is developed by teachers in Texas, it is transparent, it is ever-changing, it is better than a textbook, it has systematic curriculum-based assessments along the way, it provides Texas schools with an aligned curriculum, it provides example lessons for teachers to experiment with to improve their own teaching, and it is good for the students of this great state.

Lastly, this should not be a decision the Texas legislature is making on behalf of schools. Let teachers teach in the way that best fits them. Let local districts and schools determine which curriculum and instructional programs meet their needs in teaching the TEKS. I hope this recent move to abolish CSCOPE exemplar lessons is not political in nature, but I fear it is. I feel that politics has prevailed at the expense of education in Texas. It would make much more sense to just change the lessons that are questionable in content and presentation, rather than abolish all of the lessons. The hand of our Texas government is truly overextending. It is time to pull it back!  If you agree, please support this petition. 


Sammy Wyatt


Principal


Rankin High School

Again, if after reading this, you are interesting in signing you can access the live petition thru the following link

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/let-texas-schools-keep-the-exemplar-cscope-lessons/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Writes... Best Tweets From the CSCOPE Debate - Part 1

In response to the 8/27/2013 post, “Best Tweets From the CSCOPE Debate,” a reader writes:

OK, let's just face it; a good teacher doesn't need CSCOPE. The real question is the money trail to a few at the ESC's that profit from this.

SC Response

It amazing how wrong you are able to be in so few words.

It is the good teacher who most needs CSCOPE.  There are three basic instructional decisions: 

A. What to Teach. 

B. When to Teach It. 

C. How to Teach It.  

Provide the good teacher with the “What and the When” (the scope and sequence) and that frees up time to get better at the how.  This actually gives that teacher the very real opportunity to build true expertise.  Experts narrow their focus, not broaden it.  To not provide a good teacher with a tool such as CSCOPE is either misguided, ignorant, or both.

There is no surprise that the ESCs profited from CSCOPE. Their mandate from the legislature was to create products that the districts would be willing to pay for to compensate for the lack of legislative will to adequately fund and support education. CSCOPE is the direct result of the Governor and legislature robbing Peter to pay Paul in order to remain elected. And as long as the electorate is brainwashed into believing that “Every Tax = Bad,” then this will remain the case.  Public infrastructure isn’t free, no matter how much you want that to be the case.  I’m sorry that your Social Studies teacher failed in teaching you this basic fact.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Exposing the Idiocy of the Anti-CSCOPE Zealots

I have brushed my teeth twice a day, almost every day for 45 years.  During that time I have purchased and used scores of toothbrushes, miles of floss and gallons of toothpaste.  Because of this experience, I now consider myself to be an expert in dentistry.  And due to this expertise I will now determine what practices and tools YOUR dentist will use when he/she is working on YOUR mouth.  And don’t try to convince me that my passion to fix dentistry is misguided.  My opinion is all that matters....

Welcome to the twisted logic / worldview of the Anti-CSCOPE loony. You would think that these people would be ignored and they would crawl back to their bunkers and re-adjust their tin foil hats.  That is what has always happed in the past. But now thanks to social media and a group of ambitious, pandering politicians, these people have had their craziness reinforced.  So in the interest of reason and truth (which evidently in Anti-SCOPE Loony worldview, is no longer the American way), I will address some of their most compelling “facts,” presented in their own words. Ginger and Stacy, you are up.

StaceinTexas: Common core operatives in the U.S. Department of Education are actively pursuing CSCOPE as a way around the Texas legislative process.

Cain: I don’t even know how to respond to this. Common Core Operatives? Exactly, who are these people? Over the past twenty years, I have worked in Texas education from the classroom to the policy briefing rooms.  I have met only one USDOE representative, Secretary of Education, Dr. Rod Paige (a Texas educator and mentor).  He will be the first to explain to you that the USDOE has no real power.  I’m going to trust Dr. Paige on this one.  As for CSCOPE being groomed as the vehicle to implement the Common Core, don’t let the fact that CSCOPE predates the Common Core and the Common Core is less inclusive than the TEKS get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

Gingerdr: Why would tax money be used to create a product then sell it back to the taxpayers (school districts)?

Cain: Blame your elected Republican representatives for this one.  They not only cut funding to the Educational Service Centers, they then told them if they expected to survive, they had best adopt a business model and products that districts would be wiling to purchase.  CSCOPE is just one of those products.  Back when these decisions were being made, I was advising that CSCOPE should be state funded and provided to districts free of charge.  But that would have required the adequate funding of education, and we haven’t voted for anyone who believes in that into state level office in Texas for the past 15 years. Also, to further illustrate that government entities selling services is not a radical, far left, education only idea... See every contract deputy program in effect in affluent communities across the state and state park admission fees.

Gingerdr: Where is the millions of missing money on this venture (CSCOPE)?

Cain: The “profit” from CSCOPE goes into the general budgets of the ESC’s to pay for such frivolous expenditures as electricity, water, paper and staff.  Wasteful, I know.  But what are you supposed to do, when the State does not provide adequate funding and support?

Gingerdr: have not heard anyone stanch supporter of CSCOPE voice concern of the parents who are pulling their students out of public school.

CAIN: Public school is only one education option available to parents.  The choice to not educate your child in public school is driven by four primary reasons. 

1.  The desire for a morality-based instructional delivery model for your child - I both respect this choice and will defend your right to make it. 

2. The desire for an “improved” peer group for your child - If you wish to cloak your fear and/or racism by calling it something else, fine. But we both know why you have really opted to not send your child to public school. 

3. You want to avoid a consequence of your poor parenting - Again call it whatever you want, but we both know the “curriculum” is not the real issue.

4. Convenience - A non-public school is more assessable to your commute, home, etc.    

Gingerdr: CSCOPE doesn't even align with the TEKS. 

Cain: This is where we cannot agree to disagree.  Because you are wrong. In fact, it is the TEKS alignment that is the primary strength of CSCOPE.  The lack of alignment occurs when teachers deviate from CSCOPE. When you bend a nail when attempting to drive it into a 2X4, this is not the fault of the hammer, it is a user error.

Gingerdr: this is worth the millions of dollars texas taxpayers are spending??

Cain: Yes. Take a random 3,000-student district.  To provide this vertically aligned, TEKS correlated scope and sequence, with assessments and lesson resources (CSCOPE) will cost $21,000.00.

For the district to provide and support a lesser in-house product would require, at minimum, four content specialists and a secretary.  This would require a minimum personnel expenditure of $350,000.00.

So as both a steward of taxpayers money and a taxpayer myself, I chose CSCOPE ten times out of ten.  Which is why your paranoid delusions are so infuriating.  By attacking CSCOPE, not only are you making the job of teachers exceedingly more difficult, you are costing me, and the state, money. Money that you and your ilk are unwilling to provide in the first place.  At this point I don’t care where you go, as long as it away.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Best Tweets From The CSCOPE Debate

This past Saturday night, State Board of Education Member Thomas Ratliff and Senator Dan Patrick debated CSCOPE.  The debate was streamed live and it was fascinating viewing.  Both men did something that is rare in today’s political world.  They engaged more in argument and discourse than scripted made for TV sound bites.  And for those who think this was a Left vs. Right fight, both men are Republicans, so it was a Right vs. More Right fight.  Also note, for both men, there was more political downside than up side to agreeing to meet as they did. I appreciate this and want to thank both men for presenting and defending their sides in a format that I hope other candidates embrace in the future.  Now to the best tweets from the debate, as selected by the students from a Texas 9^th Grade business class (an inside joke for those who watched).          

In chronological order from my Twitter timeline 

Imagine your thrilling first day at the NSA, then finding out your job is scanning CSCOPE scores for terror threats. (By @PatrickMichels)

CSCOPE works cheaper than any other entity; saving taxpayer money deserves a medal, not a witch hunt. Compare with Pearson's prices. (By @EdDarrell)

Dan Patrick in full spin mode and not answering the question. (By @txschoolsupe)

Asking a question about CSCOPE is a different thing than bullying the CSCOPE Board as a Senator. (By @tra_hall)

Senator Dan Patrick: "I can only base it on what people had to testify." Umm... no. You could actually look at CSCOPE materials before slandering them. (By @TFN)

Teachers, when you are up until midnight building your own scope & sequence, remember that Senator Patrick is proud to have given you that gift. (By @LYSNation)

I want my Senator to weigh testimony based on credibility, not voter blocks. Sadly, my Senator does not operate in this way. (By @LYSNation)

Fun Fact: Dan Patrick’s senate district does not contain ANY CSCOPE school districts. (By @Slothfornix)

When I taught 3rd grade, not once did a parent ask for a lesson plan. (By @emayfarris)

And now the crux of the matter. Do we ask our students to think for themselves or tell them what to think? (By @mikeyjsize)

Mary Anne Whitaker reinforcing what I said earlier: Senator Patrick bullied the TESCCC. (By @txschoolsupe)

Senator Patrick now describing how he bullied the TESCCC. (By @txschoolsupe)

If Ratliff personalized this, Patrick certainly politicized it.  Which is worse???? (By @txschoolsupe)

Senator Patrick made the amateur mistake of listening to a vocal minority.  Is this someone we want for Lieutenant Governor???  (By @txschoolsupe)

It's not about freedom about what to teach!  It's about having support to teach everything in the TEKS!!! (By @CabidaCain)

So Senator Patrick used the veiled threat to shut down the whole ESC system to get rid of CSCOPE. Interesting Senator... (By @LYSNation)

Senator Patrick: “Pull down the lesson plans or we close the regional service centers.” The truth comes out. (By @txschoolsupe)

CSCOPE created a business-like model to protect state assets from being raided by private interest. (By @LYSNation)

How come I can get a hold of CSCOPE employees and management by phone any day? Senator Patrick, you need a better secretarial staff. (By @LYSNation)

CSCOPE is not on-line learning. (By @CabidaCain)

Irony abounds. CSCOPE lessons are the least important part of CSCOPE yet Senator Patrick acts as if they are the engine that drives CSCOPE. (By @michaelsclifton)

When parents talk to teachers they are overwhelmingly satisfied - with the curriculum, the relationships, and the learning. (By @CabidaCain)

Thomas Ratliff explains what happened in Llano ISD. Someone ran for school board on anti-CSCOPE platform and got beat. Then raised lawsuit. (By @mattprewett)

Interesting that the Attorney General, a Republican running for Governor, wrote a letter expressing CSCOPE concerns. (By @LYSNation)

CSCOPE charges $7.00 per student.  Pearson charges $29.00 per student for a lesser product. (By @LYSNation

Senator Patrick doesn't answer questions. Just rants. (By TXSilentMajority)

Thomas Ratliff says Texas State Comptroller reported $4.5M savings by those districts that implemented CSCOPE. (By @DonnaHowardTX)

Maybe CSCOPE would be more popular with politicians if it too contributed to re-election campaigns. (By @LYSNation)

Do you know how long it takes to write on really good lesson plan? Every teacher has a right to have a resource to use, adapt, or exchange. (By @sharonkamas)

When I was a teacher, I often had my students consider the perspective of the British when teaching American Revolution. Perspectives differ. (By @DrJerryRBurkett)

Hey, if Pearson owned CSCOPE, would this debate even be happening? (By @DrJerryRBurkett)

Anyone know how to contact the 9th grade class mentioned tonight? I may contact them for help when I start my dissertation! (By @tjadams105)

Senator Patrick, could you get Pearson to make their lesson plans transparent next? Teachers would love to see those too as public domain. (By @iTexasPrincipal)

I knew John Wayne. John Wayne was a friend of mine. Senator Patrick, you're no John Wayne. (By @TheTexasHoss)

CSCOPE is not perfect... It is merely a tool for districts to use to ensure that we teach the TEKS... Senator Patrick worries me. (By@carlingrammer)

Here is an interesting fact: Senator Patrick looked into CSCOPE due to parent concern. He failed to mention it was a home-school parent. (By @PaulaKelm)

With Thomas Ratliff's opening statement, CSCOPE debate comes down to why Senator Patrick is wasting taxpayer millions on a bungled, unnecessary witch hunt. (By @EdDarrell)

Irving ISD Fact: CSCOPE cost them roughly $189,000. The new curriculum will cost them $1.3 MILLION. (By @MattMFoster)

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Multiple Presentations); NASSP National Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook