Opinion: There is time to share information about education in New York State

Dear Editor,

Nov. 6, 2018 represents an opportunity for voters to select 213 legislative and three administrative individuals of the group of 234 who are responsible for the educational situation in New York State. 

The legislature approves and appoints the 17 members of the Board of Regents (BOR), who select the Commissioner of Education. The Board of Regents is responsible for managing the Public Schools and the State University system. 

What is the basis for moving to Computer based Instruction and Computer based testing? To facilitate this change, a contract (CO 12427), with Questar Assessment was entered in 2015, expiration Nov. 2020. This contract contains a confidentiality statement requiring written authorization from NYSED to address certain aspects of the educational process. 

Why out of State and the need for confidentiality? An Administrative manual contains the instruction that the students are not to be told which questions count and which ones don’t. The math curriculum contains 16,310 pages with 2,274 pages devoted to the 3rd grade. 

Evaluation may lead to profiling of students based on psychometric characteristics, academics, aptitude and psychology. 

Should the candidates have information available to them to make an informed choice of those with the responsibility for the managerial process? The understanding may be important to the voting public. 

Tests are scheduled for April and May 2018. The Legislature convenes in January. 

There is time to share information relating to EDUCATION in New York State. Who is interested and how to proceed?

Sincerely,

J. Albrecht

Owego, N.Y.