2013 Common Core Parent Survey Results

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Parent Survey

on the States NewCOMMON CORE

LEARNING STANDARDS

March 2013

Research & Educational Services800 Troy-Schenectady Road

Latham, NY 12110www.nysut.org
http://www.nysut.org/http://www.nysut.org/http://www.nysut.org/


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2012 Common Core Parent Survey w/Results 92481 Research & Educational Services 1

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2013 Parent Survey on the States NewCommon Core Learning Standards

In an effort to ascertain how much parents in New York state know about and support the

implementation of the new Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), NYSUT surveyed400 parents of students in the states public schools. Overall, the findings mirror NYSUTsposition on the issue: the state has moved too fast with the implementation, teachers andstudents have not had enough time to prepare for the assessments based on the CCLS andthis years tests should not be used to make high-stakes decisions affecting students andteachers. Independent of the assessments based on the new CCLS, the majority of therespondents say standardized testing has a generally negative impact on learning.

A summary of the findings and the full of set of results follow.

THE RESPONDENTS

All of the respondents are the parent/guardian of a child attending a K-12 public school inNew York state. Respondents have from one to six kids. The average respondent hasapproximately two children attending public school in New York state.

There is some base of knowledge among the respondents regarding the new CCLS. Six inten respondents report they have received information about the new learning standards formath and English Language Arts/Literacy. More than three-quarters of the respondentseither know a little or feel well-informed about the states new Common Core Learning

Standards.

THIS YEARS NEW YORK STATE ASSESSMENTS

Nearly all of the respondents (94 percent) are aware of the state tests in math and ELAadministered in April. A majority, 71 percent, are aware that the tests administered tostudents this April will be based on the new CCLS. Most of the respondents, however, arenot supportive of this change to the testing. Specifically:

91 percent of the respondents say students have not had enough time to work withthe material associated with the CCLS.

81 percent of respondents say students have not had enough time to prepare for thestandardized tests based on the new CCLS.

81 percent of respondents agree that teachers have not had enough time to preparestudents for standardized tests that are based on the CCLS.

87 percent of respondents say the State Education Department should provide moretime to introduce the new standards before testing students.


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Only 14 percent of respondents say the states introduction of the new CCLS ismoving at an appropriate pace.

Just 10 percent of the respondents say the state is not moving too fast in basing thisyears assessments on the new CCLS.

Only 10 percent of respondents say they are comfortable with the way SED isintroducing tests based on the new CCLS.

78 percent of respondents say this years tests should not count.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

Clearly, the respondents are not pleased with the states decision to base this yearsstandardized testing on the new CCLS. While the lack of adequate preparation for studentsand teachers is part of the reason, the respondents are not completely supportive of the

concept of standardized testing for school children. In fact: Only 22 percent agree the level of standardized testing is appropriate. Rather, nearly three-quarters of the respondents say there is too much standardized

testing.

More than half of the respondents, 55 percent, say their child has experienced stressas a result of taking a state standardized test.

Nearly 90 percent say standardized testing leads to teachers teaching to the test. Eight in ten respondents say the state and school districts are spending too much

time on standardized test and 74 percent agree they are spending too much money on

standardized tests.

Eighty percent of respondents agree that there is an over-emphasis on statestandardized testing which means students are not spending enough time on

important subjects such as foreign language, music and the arts.

The respondents recognize that the results of these assessments, where scores are expectedto decrease by up to 30 percent from previous years, can be far reaching. To that end, 88percent of the respondents say the new tests should not be used this year in high-stakesdecision-making affecting students and teachers.

Largely, the respondents are not supportive of the concept of standardized testing. Two-thirds of the respondents say the impact of standardized testing in New York state onoverall learning is generally negative.


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2013 Parent Survey on the States New Common Core Learning StandardsMarch 2013N=400

Benchmark Polling is conducting a survey of parents on the new Common Core Learning Standards andstandardized testing. This is not a sales call of any kind. Do you have a few minutes to answer somequestions about education in New York State?

Yes No Not sure

1. Are you the parent or guardian of a student in a K-12 publicschool in New York State? .............................................................. 400/100% 0/0% 0/0%

Terminate Terminate

2. a. How many children do you have in public school from Kindergarten through grade?Range: 1-6Avg : 1.9

b. In what grades are they? Check All that Apply

i. Kindergarten .... 60/15% vi. 5..................... 77/19% xi. 10 ................... 41/10%

ii. 1 ......................... 57/14% vii. 6..................... 77/19% xii. 11 ................... 33/8%

iii. 2 ......................... 64/16% viii. 7..................... 51/13% xiii. 12 ..................... 24/6%iv 3 ......................... 79/20% ix. 8..................... 53/13% xiv. Not Sure ............ 1/0%

v 4 ......................... 68/17% x. 9..................... 41/10%

Yes No Not sure

3. Have you received information about the new state standardsfor math and English Language Arts/Literacy called the New

York State Common Core Learning Standards, which are newguidelines for what students should know and be able to do at

each grade level? .................................................................................. 238/60% 137/34% 25/6%

4. Would you say you: Choose Only One

a. Feel well-informed about the states new Common Core Learning Standards ..... 124/31%

b. Know a little about the states new Common Core Learning Standards .............. 183/46%

c. Have not heard about the states new Common Core Learning Standards .......... 91/23%

d. Not sure ................................................................................................................ 2/1%

New York State United Teachers

800 Troy-Schenectady Road Latham, N.Y. 12110

518-213-6000 800-342-9810FAX: 518-213-6450


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Yes No Not sure

5. Are you aware that students in grades 3 through 8 are requiredto take state standardized tests in math and English Language

Arts in April? ....................................................................................... 375/94% 22/6% 3/1%

6. Are you aware that the standardized tests administered tostudents this April will be based on the states new CommonCore Learning Standards? ................................................................... 285/71% 110/28% 5/1%

7. As recently as last month, the state was still introducing materials and instruction on how toimplement the Common Core Learning Standards to schools while expecting students to havemastered the new standards by April. According to a statewide poll, two-thirds of teachers say theState Education Department is moving too fast in implementing the new Common Core LearningStandardsPlease tell me whether you agree or disagree with thefollowing statements on this issue: Agree Disagree Not sure

a. Students have not had enough time to prepare for thestandardized tests based on the new Common CoreLearning Standards. .................................................................. 325/81% 29/7% 46/12%

b. Teachers have not been given enough time to preparestudents for standardized tests that are based on thestates new Common Core Learning Standards.................... 323/81% 27/7% 50/13%

c. The State Education Department should provide moretime to introduce the new standards before testingstudents. ..................................................................................... 346/87% 23/6% 31/8%

d. The states introduction of the new Learning Standards

is moving at an appropriate pace. ........................................... 55/14% 301/75% 44/11%e. The state is not moving too fast in basing this yearsstate assessments on the new Common Core LearningStandards. ................................................................................... 40/10% 317/79% 43/11%

8. Two-thirds of teachers surveyed say their students do not have textbooks aligned to the CommonCore Learning Standards. Additionally, middle school math materials based on the Common CoreLearning Standards were not distributed to teachers until last month.Knowing this, would you say you agree or disagree with thefollowing statements: Agree Disagree Not surea. Students have not had enough time to work with the

new material associated with the Common CoreLearning Standards. .................................................................. 362/91% 17/4% 21/5%

b. The standardized tests should not count. .............................. 312/78% 43/11% 45/11%c. I am comfortable with the way the State Education

Department is introducing the tests based on the newLearning Standards. .................................................................. 38/10% 324/81% 38/10%


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9. Please tell me if you agree or disagree with the followingstatements regarding standardized testing in New York State: Agree Disagree Not sure

a. The level of standardized testing is appropriate .................. 86/22% 250/63% 64/16%

b. There is too much standardized testing ................................ 290/73% 82/21% 28/7%c. My child has experienced stress as a result of taking a

state standardized test .............................................................. 220/55% 142/36% 38/10%d. Standardized testing leads to teachers teaching to the

test............................................................................................. 353/88% 27/7% 20/5%e. The state and school districts spend too much time on

standardized testing .................................................................. 320/80% 50/13% 30/8%f. The state and school districts spend too much money

on standardized testing ............................................................ 294/74% 38/10% 68/17%g. There is an over-emphasis on state standardized testing

which means students are not spending enough time onimportant subjects such as foreign language, music and

the arts ........................................................................................ 318/80% 53/13% 29/7%

10. SED Commissioner King and Secretary of Education ArneDuncan have both said they expect student scores on thesenew tests to go down significantly, by about 30 percent.Meanwhile, the state is requiring these scores to be used aspart of teacher evaluations. It also requires that students whoscore poorly on these tests be labeled "in need of academicservices". Do you agree or disagree with the statement:a. The new tests should not be used this year in high

stakes decisions affecting students and teachers. ................. 351/88% 39/10% 10/3%

GenerallyPositive

GenerallyNegative

Notsure

11. Based on what you know about standardized testing in NewYork state, would you say the impact on overall learning is: 86/22% 261/65% 53/13%


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Documents

2013 Common Core Parent Survey Results