Why I Called the Governor

There always seem to be a lot of bills regarding education that come up during the legislative session.  About a month ago, I called Governor Herbert's office to ask him to veto one bill.  Here are my reasons behind my opinion.
SB 257 seemed great at first- a 15 member panel made up of parents that would help with evaluating SAGE questions as well as dealing with parent complaints on curriculum.  But I asked Governor Herbert to veto it.  What?  You thought I supported parental involvement, so why would I ask him to veto the bill?  There were a couple of potential problems I saw.  I think that a parent panel is essential.  But I am concerned that these individuals are appointed by politicians.  I have no idea of the qualifications of these parents and it makes me nervous that a politician might stack the parent panel only with individuals who will vote the ways the politician wants.  I also was concerned that every parent complaint about curriculum went to this State level parent panel, when I see resolving curriculum issues at a local level.  And 11 of the 15 parents on the current panel actually asked for this bill to be vetoed.
I will below a letter that a parent on the panel sent to Governor Herbert.  You can see news articles about the veto of SB 257 below.
Alean Popa Hunt I am a member of the Sage parent review panel, I served with 14 other parents. One who was very vocal against the common core and she too has requested a veto of this bill. I am going to include a copy of my letter to the governor. This bill does not say anything about the "core", it does not provide specifics for when, where how many questions would be reviewed? Utah has 42 districts and 100 charter schools they all can use their own currriculum, yet we are supposed to be reviewing complaints on all of it? Who does the research? No fiscal note attached? GRAMA laws and lawsuits without legal protection for us, the "volunteers". Also, this bill didn't go through an education committee. Senator Stephenson sent it through taxation committee which he sits on to avoid debate. If you watched the e cig bill also when this bill was passed the e cig nill jumped from 5th to 1st on the reading calendar. There was a deal made. 11:40 at night last night of the session as is his standard, just like last year with school grading. By the way PTA looks out for the children. 

March 17, 2014

To: Governor Gary Herbert

cc: Tami Pyfer

Re: SB257

Governor Herbert,

I am a mother of 6, a public education advocate and continue to be a daily volunteer for hours each day and have been in the schools for the last 13 years. It was my pleasure to serve on the Sage Assessment parent review panel, and I would happily serve on any committee I was asked but there needs to be a common sense approach.

I have spoken to my representative, Ed Redd and am including his response to my disappointment in his vote. 

Dear Mrs. Hunt:

I am so sorry. I honestly did the best that I could based on the information that I had after a limited debate at 11:40 PM which obviously was not enough. I thought by voting on this bill that I was giving parents additional input on curriculum review which apparently is not the case. 
I will certainly not take offense if the governor vetoes it. I am so sorry.

Ed Redd

I have had a telephone conversation with Senator Stephenson which was very disturbing. It solidified my belief that he had not thought this bill and its consequences through. I have spoken with the curriculum director for Cache County, Curt Jenkins, and I echo his concerns that implementing this bill could cause a tremendous problem for districts when they have purchased textbooks and then a parent panel decides that there is something not appropriate and that can cause a firestorm. We are a small district and are getting ready to purchase math materials at a cost of $600,000.00-what do we do if someone with an agenda, and there is always an agenda makes this their target?

I am a firm believer in local control. I have been a very vocal parent and have never had a problem that could not be resolved at the local level. When there have been concerns over school grading or standardized testing I did speak to Tami frequently as she was my state board representative and I felt she could be the most helpful in making a permanent change. When a parent has a problem with curriculum or instructional materials it is my belief that they should have a conversation with the teacher. If that does not resolve the problem, visit with the principal, then the curriculum director, superintendent, local school board, state school board representative. At no point do I see a need to involve 15 parents from around the state who are not familiar with that particular school district or charter school's curriculum. As you know Utah has 42 districts and 100 charter schools; they all have the option of choosing their own curriculum. This is how it should be!

Last night on a conference call with Senator Stephenson we were able to ask him several questions. One thing that really stuck out was that he kept using Common Core and Curriculum interchangeably. They are not one and the same, and he should know this. We asked him when we would we review these complaints? How many complaints would we review? Who would do the research? I took notes. Here is his response- "You can review as many or as few complaints as you like. You won't be sequestered. You can do it on your own time from home or at work, whenever you like. You will be like the Supreme Court without any authority. You will shine a bright light on the common core. Wouldn't you like to know every complaint about our core? I would! The USOE will have to do all of your research and provide you with all of the information you need. They will have to log each complaint and then you can decide which complaints you will hear, it will all be up to you." 

To me it sounded a lot like make up the rules as you go!

There is no fiscal note attached to this bill. When we asked him about this he said it was because the USOE had said that they could do it within their existing budget. When we asked him if he had told them they would be doing all of our research, which would be lengthy as we would know nothing about the curriculum in all the areas of the state, he admitted that he had not discussed that with them. Again, he kept referring to this as the 'common core complaint' review. That is not what his bill says at all.

Please consider the consequences and veto this bill. If more transparency is needed might I suggest appointing parents to the already existing Instructional Materials Commission. Our education dollars are too few and too valuable to put at risk the curriculum in the hands of parents who are not trained nor elected to make these decisions.

Sincerely,

Alean Hunt
http://fox13now.com/2014/04/02/governor-vetoes-3-bills-passed-by-the-utah-state-legislature/
http://video-static.clipsyndicate.com/zStorage/syndicaster2/226/2014/04/03/21/08/533dcda911cd.mp4
The next bill that was up was SB 122.

PTA and Where I Stand

There has been some confusion about my beliefs as I am a member of the PTA.  The National PTA has supported Common Core.  I do not support Common Core and I am a member of the PTA.  I am currently serving as the PTA treasurer at Riverview Elementary as well as the Westlake Council President-Elect in addition to being a PTA member at Vista Heights Middle School.  I have been a member of the PTA for years because I support my children and their schools.  I have worked locally with several PTAs and always been impressed by the parents, teachers, and other volunteers who work so tirelessly to advocate for children.  I am proud to volunteer with some of the most amazing parents as they work to make our schools better.  I love PTA and the friends I have made while volunteering.
That doesn't mean that I agree with everything the PTA does.  Just because I am part of an organization does not mean that organization thinks for me.  And I also don't mind making waves.  Last year at the Utah PTA Convention at BYU, I attended a class taught by Otha Thornton, the National PTA President.  I questioned him about Common Core as well as telling him that I did not support the PTA's stance on the issue.  I served as the Utah Delegate for Mom Congress in 2012 and also told Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education that I saw serious flaws in the Common Core and was opposed to its implementation.
So, what is the answer?  It is easy to shoot down Common Core, but what do we do instead?  I am a believer in finding solutions, not just pinpointing problems.  The Fordham Institute (which has been a large advocate of Common Core) assessed math and ELA standards by state.  The math we were using previous to Common Core?  We received an A-, the same grade given to the Common Core State Standards and Fordham actually stated that Utah math standards were more concise and more coherent than Common Core.
What solutions do you see in making sure our children receive an excellent education?

SAGE Parent Meeting

SAGE Parent Meeting:

Harvest Elementary

March 31, 2014

There were 10 parents in attendance as well as Karl Bowman who did the presentation.  Mark Pew and Paula Hill (she came in late) were there as well, but left 15 minutes into the presentation to go to Hidden Hollow for their SAGE presentation.

Mr. Bowman presented a PowerPoint about SAGE testing.  Mr. Bowman stated that about 12 different states were looking at creating a test together, but Utah decided to develop their own.  Students who opt out of testing will automatically be assigned a 1 (non-proficient) as per the State School Board requirements.  Students who have opted out will still be counted toward the 95% participation requirement.  SAGE is a computer adaptive test, which means that when a student answers a question correctly, they are given a harder question.  When they answer a question incorrectly, they will be given an easier question.  There is a belief that this will more accurately evaluate a child’s abilities more than a multiple choice test.  This is the pilot year and test scores are expected to drop about 20%.  (This was not discussed in this meeting, but at the ASD school board work session a few weeks ago where SAGE was discussed, the district will not be loading the non-proficient scores for those who opt out into Skyward.  They will not be a part of your child’s educational history.)

These are some of the questions that were asked:

Can students use a paper and pencil for the test?

Yes, the test is done on the computer, but students are given paper and pencil for the writing as well as the math sections.

Who decides how often to administer the SAGE?

The district wants it administered in the fall as well as the spring.  It can also be administered in the winter and Mr. Bowman indicated that he would leave that up to grade level teams.

Why was this meeting scheduled after SAGE had already started?

Mr. Bowman said he considered it just another end-of-year test that they administer every year and did not schedule it in advance.  There is also a window of time for the test to be administered and they had to look at getting all of the students into the computer lab to take the test during that window.

How much time have students spent practicing?

There has not been a lot of time set aside at Harvest for this and it is something they hope to improve on next year.  Also, there was some concern expressed about 3^rd graders and their typing abilities as far as speed.  Mr. Bowman said that he is aware of that issue and there has been discussion about having more keyboarding in second grade so that when kids start taking the SAGE in 3^rd grade, they will be more proficient on the keyboard.  The school has also been making sure there are enough headphones as well as computer mouses (or mice?).

Can teachers help with computer issues with the test?

There was some concern from parents that the test was counter intuitive in sections, like grabbing a star and repeatedly dragging it into various boxes.  Instead of typing the number answer, students grab the number from a vertical number line.  Mr. Bowman said that teachers would be able to assist in questions regarding the computer, but not content.

What Do You Think About Common Core?

I had a friend contact me today and say that someone had told her I was pro-Common Core.  I want to respond to that and let you know where I stand.

So, here is what it really comes down to.  No, I do not support Common Core.  I have had kids in schools for 10 years-8 schools during that period in 2 different states.  During that time, I have noticed a pattern in education.  Every 2-3 years, the new shiny thing comes along which will save education.  What we actually end up doing is spending millions of dollars, pulling teachers out of classrooms to train them on how to implement the new shiny program, and in the end, my children and your children lose out.  For me, the solution is simple.  We put phenomenal teachers in the classroom and then get out of their way.
I want local control for my children. I want a voice in their education and that is a large part of why I am running for school board.  I want to hear your voices.  How do you want to improve our schools in Alpine School District?

Letter To Board Members Regarding the Self-Administered Medications Policy

The following is a letter I sent to ASD board members on March 18, 2014 regarding the updated policy they were presented for self-administering medications:

Dear Board Members-                                                                                                                               

I appreciate your willingness to examine and update your policy regarding Epi-pens and other life-saving medications.  I do have some concerns that I would like to share with you before the board makes a final decision on the updated policy that has been presented.  I understand that you consulted your attorneys as well as the Utah County Health Department in updating this policy.  I do believe that not including parents was a mistake.  While I appreciate and value the input of these professionals, parents of children who are living with life-threatening conditions have important and essential insight as to how to treat these conditions.

My first concern is with 1.1.6 that states that “a district employee may not administer hypodermic syringe injections or “shots” without express written permission of the Director of Student Services.”  I am concerned that this policy would prevent teachers and other ASD employees from administering life-saving epinephrine should my daughter go into anaphylactic shock and be unable to self-administer her medication. 

I also see potential problems with 2.4, 3.4, and 4.4.  The new policy eliminates parents from having a say in how and where their child’s life-saving medication is stored.  While I appreciate the valuable work that administrators and nurses provide, placing this decision solely in their hands can lead to major problems.  A high school principal may have 2,500 students and school nurses in Utah are one for every 4, 952 students.  To assume that these individuals will fully comprehend the needs of students with life-threatening conditions is incorrect.  I believe that the decision about where and how life-saving medication can be stored should be done “in consultation with parents.” 

I know my child best.  I know what it looks like when she goes into anaphylaxis.  Every time my daughter has ingested a tree nut, she has gone into anaphylactic shock.  I have a friend whose daughter has a peanut allergy.  Her allergy has been treated successfully with Benadryl.  But an administrator or school nurse may not understand the ways our two daughters should be treated differently.  The other issue associated with this is that as a parent, whenever I have signed a field trip permission form for my daughter, I have always written at the bottom, “Please remember to bring her Epi-pen.” An administrator or school nurse may not remember this, but I always do.  Storing these medications in the nurse’s office may seem like a simple solution, but the situation is more complicated than that.

We have actually encountered problems more than once when we have turned in Epi-pens to schools.  Twice when I have gone to retrieve the Epi-pen on the last day of school, the medication has been missing.  One was found at the beginning of the following school year, but the other was never recovered.  While a missing Epi-pen has been an annoyance since they are so expensive, it could have been the difference between life and death if my daughter had gone into anaphylaxis.  We have always provided elementary school teachers with an Epi-pen to be kept in the classroom as well.  I have never had a teacher misplace my daughter’s life-saving medication.  Humans err.  I feel it is better for a teacher to keep this medication in her classroom than in a nurse’s office.  Time is of the essence in treating medical emergencies and precious moments can be lost figuring out who has the key to the medication box in the nurse’s office.  A teacher who has one or 2 children in an elementary class with life-threatening issues will be more likely to keep track of these medications than a nurse who may not know the child.

The other policy I see as having potential problems is 3.6 where it states that “no student is permitted to sell, share, or otherwise give to others any medication, prescription or non prescription.”  Epinephrine does not give you a “high,” it is simply adrenaline.  But it can mean the difference between life and death.  The way I read the policy is that if my daughter has a friend having an anaphylactic reaction and her friend does not have her Epi-pen, my daughter is violating the district’s drug policy if she chooses to give her Epi-pen to her friend and save her life.  Epi-pens only come in 2 doses-Jr. and Adult.  While this may seem like an unlikely situation, with 1 in 13 children being diagnosed with food allergies, it is all too possible that during my daughter’s school career, she may witness another student having an anaphylactic reaction and be in a position to assist.  Epi-pens actually come in a twinpack because if the anaphylaxis symptoms have not started subsiding within 15 minutes, another Epi-pen must be administered.  It is very possible that a child would have an Epi-pen and need another Epi-pen injection, but not have a second pen.  In my experience, children with life-threatening conditions generally have a higher level of maturity than their peers.  They are all too aware of their own mortality.  I am not suggesting that students should be given a free-for-all to trade out and share medications, but I also think there is a basic common sense that in life-threatening situations, there should be exceptions.

My last concern is about policy 3.2 which states that the parent “authorizes the student to have and use the epinephrine auto-injector while acknowledging that the student is responsible for and capable of self-administering the medication.”  I want to clarify that while my student is fully capable of self-administering her Epi-pen, anaphylaxis means that her airway shuts down and she can pass out, rendering her unable to self-administer her Epi-pen.  With her being “responsible” for self-administering, I want to make sure that if she becomes unable to administer her medication, that it does not relieve the school of the responsibility of injecting her.

I appreciate your time and your willingness to hear my concerns so that we can all work together to keep the children of ASD safe.

Julie King