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Friday, January 25, 2013

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Superintendent's Press Conference on MAP

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Superintendent's Press Conference on MAP:

Superintendent's Press Conference on MAP

It was interesting to be sure.  The Superintendent was accompanied by Michael Tolley, Interim Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning and Eric Anderson, head of Assessments.  The room was packed with reporters, several of which were student reporters from Hale and Garfield.

Unless otherwise noted, these are Superintendent Banda's answers and not all the questions were mine.

Q- If teachers boycott MAP, what about those suspensions?
A.  He said "We have to focus on solutions but let them (teachers) know potential consequences."

Now what was confusing here is that Communications staff had just passed out the two statements - on to the teachers from HR on outcomes and one about the Assessment Taskforce - and yet the Superintendent seemed reluctant to admit that the district had taken a stand.

Q. Is MAP a flawed exam?
A. It's not perfect, I know that.

Q.  I asked about why the letter to the teacher referenced state law:
A. State law requires that teachers implement a course of study in accordance with District directives.  '