Teachers Stand Ground, Refuse To Administer ISAT Tests Despite Threats From CPS
By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 28, 2014 11:00PM
The Chicago Teachers Union and the Illinois Federation of Teachers are supporting teachers within the Chicago Public School system who are refusing to administer the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) next week despite the threat of discipline from CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett.
The Sun-Times obtained a copy of the letter Thursday sent by Byrd-Bennett to principals after 40 teachers at Maria Saucedo Academy in Little Village unanimously agreed to not administer the ISAT test, which they believe is not an accurate measure of students' aptitude and will be phased out next school year.
“The Chicago Board of Education will discipline any employee who encourages a student not to take the ISAT or who advocates against the ISAT on work time for insubordination and for any disruption of the educational process,” Byrd-Bennett said in the letter.
Teachers who refuse to administer the ISAT or encourage students to not take it could face the loss of their state education certification.
Illinois Federation of Teachers president Dan Montgomery called the ISAT "testing for testing's sake."
“The preparation and administration of this test brings teaching to a halt and robs students of valuable time to learn. The ISAT is not appropriately aligned to curriculum and forces educators to teach to an unnecessary test that is defunct and has absolutely no practical use... (W)e encourage parents to work with their teachers to opt out. We also strongly encourage CPS to reconsider their plans to punish teachers for doing the right thing. IFT members around the state salute and stand with these teachers and parents as they stand up for their students.”
Saucedo's teachers were joined in solidarity Friday by teachers and parents of Thomas Drummond Montessori School. CTU vice president Jesse Sharkey said the boycott "encourages parents to work with their teachers to opt out. We also strongly encourage CPS to reconsider their plans to punish teachers for doing the right thing. IFT members around the state salute and stand with these teachers and parents as they stand up for their students."
“The CTU supports these teachers and calls on the district to stop making threats to parents and educators who are trying to restore some sanity to the education system," Sharkey added.
CPS is set to administer the ISAT March 3. The IFT said parents who wish to pull their children from the testing need only inform school administrators. A grassroots group called "More Than a Score" says that even though this is the last year the ISAT will be administered it will not count toward teacher or principal evaluation, selective enrollment admission, school ratings or promotions.