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AELP Parents Organization - Ankeny CSD - Ankeny, IA
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The Branstad/Reynolds Blueprint for Iowa Education Reform is a package reform
proposal that will be debated in the legislature throughout this year. A few
things in this proposed package I think may directly affect ELP kids and
parents are:
1. Increased emphasis on the fine arts and foreign
languages as means of adding creativity and problem solving skills and
languages, 21st century skills.
2. Added options for online classes,
not just for college credit but possibly for students wanting to "fast track"
high school or other non-traditional high school options other than seat time
in the classroom.
3. The state paying for all high schoolers to take
the ACT test to ensure college preparedness. I doubt this will pass due to the
cost. Another intent of this is to increase the pool of test data on our
students in order to (potentially) determine areas of strength and weakness in
schools.
4. There is also a proposal for screening all kindergarteners.
This would be in an effort to determine incoming student strengths and
weaknesses and address academic needs accordingly. Again, if the local desire
is not there for acceleration options for children this young and the funding
is not in place, nothing will probably change too much for higher achieving
students based on this screening. I perceive this screening more for the
purpose of red-flagging students who skills may be behind and therefore may
qualify for federal programs offering intervention and remediation at a younger
age than they may qualify without the early screening.
5. Proposes
requiring students to have a 3.0 GPA to enter the teaching program (many do not
agree with this as students are still finding their way - some suggest a
requirement of a 3.0 upon completion?)
6. Proposes holding students
back in 3rd grade if they don't meet the minimum reading requirements. (There
is much discussion on this.)