PURE's LSC Guide

Public School Action Tuesday - share this call to write a postcard to Michelle Obama on May 29.

Parents, teachers, students, and concerned citizens have initiated a postcard campaign to First Lady Michelle Obama to help end the over-reliance on standardized tests promoted and even mandated by federal education policy.

Here is what Michelle Obama said about the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind program on the campaign trail in Wisconsin on February 28, 2008: “No Child Left Behind is strangling the life out of most schools....If my future were determined by my performance on a standardized test I wouldn't be here. I guarantee that.”

Thousands of us agree with her criticism. We need her help to end the reliance on high stakes standardized tests.

Background: When the Obamas lived in Chicago, their daughters Malia and Sasha attended the University of Chicago Lab School, whose director has stated, "Personal and political agendas are constantly challenging us...Just one of those   challenges, but perhaps the most misguided one, is that somehow the testing of children will restore order, raise accountability, and quite simply raise the achievement level of American children. From my perspective, nothing could be farther from the truth."

The girls' current school, Sidwell Friends, is progressive and focused on the while child. The school's College Counseling Test Guide states   "The school day is not an appropriate time for standardized test prep work."

Unfortunately, President Obama is pushing a different agenda for other peoples' children. We are asking Mrs. Obama to stand with us as we demand for our children the same excellent, well-rounded education with appropriate, quality assessments that she and Preident Obama have chosen for theirs. 

Here's what you can do:

On Saturday, May 29, 2010, get everyone you know to send postcards to the First Lady.

Address the post card to: First Lady Michelle Obama The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington DC 20500

Dear Mrs. Obama:

We want the same high-quality education for our public school children that you provide for Malia and Sasha. Our child is not a test score. [Our children are not test scores. My child is not a test score. My children are not test scores.]. Please encourage the President to end the use of high stakes standardized tests!

Sincerely,

[your name]

Here's PURE's user-friendly, comprehensive Local School Council Leadership Guide.

The Guide includes:

• an introduction including the history of the school reform law   

• Lesson 1, on LSC powers and duties

• Lesson 2, on LSC operations

• a Resources section including policies, models, forms, contact lists, the actual school reform law, and other useful information

We are in the process of translating our Guide into Spanish, but it will take some time. We’ll let you know when the translation is done.