According to a recent survey conducted by The New York State Parent Teacher Association (PTA), a vast majority of parent and teacher respondents said that students have been more stressed out over test-related issues than in previous years.
The survey shows that 78 percent of students in grades 1–12 who receive additional educational support as a result of a disability, past test performance or other factors are more stressed out this year than other years. In addition, 75 percent of students who do not receive additional educational support are also more stressed out.
Although the question dealing with student stress does not mention Common Core Standards specifically, the standards -- a new set of controversial education benchmarks that have been adopted in 45 states -- and its associated tests were implemented in a majority of New York classrooms throughout the past two years.
Indeed, last year, there were reports that students were getting sick as a result of anxiety over tests aligned with the Common Core.
Further, 66 percent of the survey’s respondents said they oppose the Common Core and its associated testing either “because of the student testing involved” or “for reasons other than those related to student testing.” And 88 percent of respondents said they think students receive “too much” testing and test-related preparation.
And yet:
Despite this, the PTA said it still supports the Common Core Standards.
“During the past five years, NYS PTA has studied the development of the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), agreeing that they hold great promise for students," the survey's introduction reads. "At the same time, we recognize flaws with implementation and are aware of our members’ concerns.”
The national affiliate of the NYS PTA takes funding from pro-CCSS groups like the Gates Foundation, so it's not a surprise that they continue to support CCSS even as a survey it conducts shows overwhelming opposition to both Common Core and the number of tests given to children.
In fact, unions like the AFT and NEA also take Gates Foundation money and they too continue to support CCSS (though like the NYS PTA, they are critical of the implementation of those standards.)
Many politicians in NY State also continue to support CCSS even as they have grown critical too over the implementation and the testing.
It seems the only groups of people who are opposing the Common Core completely are many students, parents, and educators.
Just when will the politicians in the state, along with the union leaders and the leaders of the PTA join many of the rest of us in opposing Common Core?
