April 2021 Advisor

RE-EXAMINING

10 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2021

NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR HIGH-STAKES TESTS For students reeling from the pandemic, relief from standardized testing is a must

In a widespread  #CancelTheTests campaign, teachers, parents, students, and education researchers are asking the U.S. Department of Education to reconsider its decision to require federally mandated standardized tests this year. Students are navigating the most difficult year of learning in modern history, and the last thing they need is to be forced to take a stressful test that is neither an effective indicator of their needs nor a measure of their accomplishments. “Standardized state tests could threaten the precious instructional time we have been fighting for,” NEA President Becky Pringle says. “We need the U.S. Department of Education and states to grant relief from state standardized tests this year.” Tests administered during the pandemic will not yield reliable results, CEA President Jeff Leake points out, adding that decisions based on unreliable data will likely be flawed. “In addition,” he says, “there is a dire mental health crisis affecting our youth. Anxiety, trauma, food insecurity, and substance abuse are pre-existing conditions exacerbated by the pandemic. Testing will only compound the high levels of stress that children are currently experiencing.” In order to administer testing this year, states are considering measures such as forcing students into school buildings for the sole purpose of test taking and making remote learners take tests at home via virtual proctoring. More than 540 members of the academic research community wrote a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona stating, “Standardized tests also have a long

and add your name to an open letter to the U.S. Department of Education today. Join your colleagues in calling for high-stakes tests to be canceled during the pandemic.

history of causing harm and denying opportunity to low-income students and students of color, and without immediate action they threaten to cause more harm now than ever.” Go to nea.org/advocating-for- change/new-from-nea/cancel- standardized-tests-during-covid-19

PAID STEM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CEA MEMBERS THIS SUMMER, FALL

CEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ROLL CALL VOTE A roll call vote took place at the March 5, 2021, meeting of CEA’s Board of Directors on a motion to recommend the proposed budget of $22,755,755 to the 2021 CEA Representative Assembly for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, resulting in a $12.38 dues increase. Dues would be $515.38 per full-time active member. MOTION: JEDIDIAN/YARNALL TITLE/COUNTY PRESENT YES NO ABSTAIN PRESIDENT Jeff Leake VICE PRESIDENT Tom Nicholas X SECRETARY Stephanie Wanzer X TREASURER David Jedidian X NEA DIRECTORS (2) Tara Flaherty X Katy Gale X ETHNIC MINORITY (1) Sandra Peterkin X CEA-RETIRED (2) Karen DiMenna X Gloria Brown X FAIRFIELD (8) Kristen Record X Joslyn DeLancey X Elaine Gencarelli X Vidi Gupta* X James Allan X Marilyn DellaRocco X Lammia Agoora X HARTFORD (6) Heidi Florian X Kate Dias X Annie Bigley X Lisa Cordova* X Dan Hart X LITCHFIELD (1) Dan Wilbur X MIDDLESEX (1) Joe Holloway X NEW HAVEN (4) Peter Downhour X Tara Little X Diane Marinaro X George Flaherty X NEW LONDON (2) Bruce Yarnall X Seth Galante X TOLLAND (1) Paul Giblin X WINDHAM (1) Nicola Able X STUDENT (1) Sara Azukas X TOTAL 17 13 *Vice chairs were seated as directors. When directors are not in attendance, vice chairs can be seated and then allowed to vote.

High-quality STEM professional development can be expensive, yet opportunities to thrive in science, technology, engineering, and math are vital for every public school student. That’s the rationale behind the Connecticut Educator STEM Leadership Institute, a program made possible by CEA and the CT STEM Academy, thanks to a National Education Association Community Advocacy and Partnership Grant. Project lead Chris Stone is a fifth-grade teacher whose interest in science—and enthusiasm for making it accessible to students underrepresented in STEM fields—was the foundation of Wallingford’s CT STEM Academy, a nationally recognized program offering a wide range of community-based events, including evening and after-school activities, summer camps, family STEM nights, academic bridge programs for at-risk youth, a world- championship-qualifying robotics club and competition team, and STEM leadership institutes. “At the core of this new program offering highly engaging professional development for CEA members,” says Stone, “is creating STEM-proficient preK- 12 educators, with an emphasis on recruiting and retaining educators from underrepresented populations.” Through paid professional development this summer and fall, the institute will

provide teachers at all grade levels the opportunity to sharpen their STEM skills. Program presenters will include local educators, national experts, and NASA educational resources, and additional program support is being provided by Albertus Magnus College. In the coming months, CEA and CT STEM Academy will be hosting virtual information sessions. Learn more by clicking the Connecticut Educator STEM Leadership Institute link at ctstemacademy.org , or email project lead and CT STEM Academy Director Christopher Stone at info@ctstemacademy.org .

Wallingford teacher and CT STEM Academy Director Chris Stone, shown here in 2016, assists students during a CT STEM Academy after-school program.