A third-party firm called “2Revolutions” is now in SAU 16, and someone needs to provide the public with the “cost” to taxpayers. When I filed a Right to Know Request to determine the cost, I was provided a sum of $16,000.00. That figure may have changed since that request was sent.
One of the most important components in public education is academic achievement. There are certainly other important criteria for a good public school but, one of the most important for parents is academic achievement.
But no board member asked for the peer-reviewed independent data that shows using 2Rev, in the school improves academic outcomes.
At the Joint Board SAU 16 meeting on June 14, 2014, a presentation by 2Rev was made to those in attendance. Many angry parents were there because of other problems that plague the district, but even they noticed a lot of fluff and little substance.
How would this 2Rev help their children academically? Who knows, that topic was pretty much absent from the presentation.
2Rev does have a page dedicated to research. You would think they would offer a Superintendent some peer-reviewed, independent studies on how well students perform academically after implementing their program.
2Rev refers to research, but it is authored by 2Rev. That’s kind of like saying Ford has the safest cars. But, instead of providing actual scientific data or studies from an independent research firm, they use a marketing material developed by Ford. Not exactly independent.
Essentially, there is no proof that the money taxpayers will spend will positively impact academic outcomes.
I encourage you to try to figure that out yourself.
I encourage you to look for anything that focuses on academic achievement or improving literacy. Parents noted during public comments that no one even brought up the core subjects during the presentation.
They didn’t mention math, Language Arts, Science, History, etc. Many parents wondered what exactly they would receive for their tax dollars.
With the last year a complete disaster for many of these kids academically, parents are interested in how the district will help their children catch up.
2Rev is in many schools in different states. You would think they’d be able to provide their customers with some data on their performance. Why don’t they show you the academic progress in the schools where they are working?
There is a reference to personalized learning. That’s code for “your child sits in front of a computer.” Nothing is personalized when everything is Common Core. You can see it in this video posted on the 2Rev website.
DSISD – What’s Radically Different from 2Revolutions on Vimeo.
This is about teachers becoming facilitators in the classroom instead of instructors.
Eventually, they will be eliminated since a less expensive facilitator can walk around the room. If the student is learning from the computer program or a teacher in another state, there is no need for one in the classroom. That ended up as a disaster for many students this year.
SAU16 parents got a glimpse of this when their kids were sent to the YMCA during the pandemic but weren’t allowed to return to the classroom.
It’s all spelled out in this document: Education Reimagined. Scroll down to page 10, look under “current paradigm,” then “learner-centered paradigm.” Scroll down to “roll of adults.”
Under the current paradigm, it says: “Individual teachers expected to serve as content deliverers, curriculum developers, data assessors.” Then look next to that column under “learner-centered paradigm,” where it says: “Network of qualified adults facilitating learning and development.”
The future goal is to eliminate the teacher in the classroom. The YMCA may be where your kids go to learn from a teacher in another state, with 100’s of kids tuning in for some instruction.
Companies like 2Rev are then tasked with implementing, not what is directed by parents and school board members, but by national groups that have no track record of improving academic achievement.
According to 2Rev, they’ve been around since 2008. There are no data and no studies that they successfully improve academic achievement in the school district. But they are now receiving taxpayer dollars for what? To data-mine more information on your kids?
Finally, the presentation included the kind of data they will mine on children in the district.
They want to track students all through school and beyond graduation. What for? What can they do for your child after graduation? Point to the dumbed-down Common Core-based curriculum in the schools right now?
There is enough evidence that Common Core has done nothing to improve academic outcomes, but they never address that anywhere. So if your child lacks proficiency in the core academic subjects, it looks like you are on your own.
Some of the audience members brought up critical thinking skills. Based on this presentation and the lack of a critical analysis of the 2Revolutions by this administration, they were right to point to the lack of critical thinking skills after listening to the Superintendent and others involved.
When that is lacking, it denies the board members and community a factual analysis of their performance. What they did receive was a sales job with crafty marketing tools.
What do education advocates focused on quality public education and academics call this?
SNAKE OIL.
