Monday, September 30, 2013

Cockroft Weekly Column: Common Core data collection a real thing; a real concern.

I have written and shared my concerns about the implementation of Common Core Standards in our education system many times before, but I wanted to touch on one more area that I researched this week. Concerns of less local control, less strict standards, and outlandish spending while Common Core Standards is being implemented in Oklahoma are all viable and real. On top of all that, issues of data collection by state and federal government on our students should be distressing for all of us.

In a recent publication in the Federal Register, the US Department of Education put out a notice for public review detailing this so called “data mining”:

“…The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011), sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), is a survey that focuses on children's early school experiences beginning with kindergarten and continuing through the fifth grade. It includes the collection of data from parents, teachers, school administrators, and non-parental care providers, as well as direct child assessments…. the ECLS-K:2011 is exceptionally broad in its scope and coverage of child development, early learning, and school progress, drawing together information from multiple sources to provide rich data about the population of children who were kindergartners in the 2010-11 school year….”

Proponents of Common Core Standards state there is no data collection dictated in the standards. They proclaim, “They’re only standards.” But the standards allow for common coded data sets to compare children. If there were not “common” standards and assessments, then the tracking of children via a common data set would not be possible. The standards do set up the procedure to track students.  Common Core provides the framework for common “direct child assessments.” It’s not much of a conspiracy theory when the government tells you what personal data it needs to track your children and publishes it in the Federal Register.

The NCES came out with more than 400 data points that Common Core proponents said would never be used to gain data, including points that don’t pertain to quality of education like bus stop location, immunization status and healthcare plan, religious beliefs, voting status and nickname. A complete list of data points can be viewed on my blog. However, based on this proposal by the federal government, it sure seems as if that data set could be put in place and data gathered from parents, teachers, school administrators and non-parental care providers.

Once again, I cannot see how implementation of these “standards” could be good for our local school districts all across Oklahoma. I encourage you to share your thoughts and concerns with me and your local school administrations. Whether you are for or against putting Common Core in place, your elected officials need to hear from you to move Oklahoma in the right direction. We can’t do it without you.


Please call my office anytime at: 405-557-7349. Email me at: Josh.Cockroft@okhouse.gov. Follow me on my blog: www.RepJoshCockroft.blogspot.com, Facebook: Representative Josh Cockroft, and Twitter: @VoteCockroft27.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

List of National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) information for Common Core Data Collection

Ability Grouped Status
Absent Attendance Categories
Academic Honors Type
Activity Code
Activity Curriculum Type
Activity Involvement Beginning Date
Activity Involvement Ending Date
Activity Leadership/Coordinator Participation Level
Activity Level
Activity Title
Activity Type
Additional Geographic Designation
Additional Post-school Accomplishments
Additional Special Health Needs, Information, or Instructions
Address Type
Admission Date
Admission Status
Ala Carte Non-Reimbursable Purchase Price
Alias
Allergy Alert
American Indian or Alaska native
Amount of Activity Involvement
Amount of Non-school Activity Involvement
Apartment/Room/Suite Number
Asian
Assessment Reporting Method
Assignment
Assignment Finish Date
Assignment Number of Attempts
Assignment Type
Assignment/Activity Points Possible
At-Risk Indicator
At-Risk Status
Attendance Description
Attendance Status Time
Awaiting Initial Evaluation for Special Education
Base Salary or Wage
Birthdate
Black or African American
Boarding Status
Born Outside of the U.S.
Building/Site Number
Bus Route ID
Bus Stop Arrival Time
Bus Stop Description
Bus Stop Distance
Bus Stop from School ID
Bus Stop to School Distance
Bus Stop to School ID
Career and Technical Education Completer
Career Objectives
Change in Developmental Status
Citizenship Status
City
City of Birth
Class Attendance Status
Class Rank
Cohort Year
Community Service Hours
Compulsory Attendance Status at Time of Discontinuing School
Condition Onset Date
Corrective Equipment Prescribed
Corrective Equipment Purpose
Country Code
Country of Birth Code
Country of Citizenship Code
County FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) Code
County of Birth
CTE Concentrator
CTE Participant
Daily Attendance Status
Day/Evening Status
Days Truant
Death Cause
Death Date
Developmental Delay
Diagnosis of Causative Factor (Condition)
Dialect Name
Diploma/Credential Award Date
Diploma/Credential Type
Discontinuing Schooling Reason
Diseases, Illnesses, and Other Health Conditions
Displacement Status
Distance From Home to School
Dwelling Arrangement
Dwelling Ownership
Early Intervention Evaluation Process Description/Title
Economic Disadvantage Status
Education Planned
Electronic Mail Address
Electronic Mail Address Type
Eligibility Status for School Food Service Programs
Emergency Factor
Employment End Date
Employment Permit Certifying Organization
Employment Permit Description
Employment Permit Expiration Date
Employment Permit Number
Employment Permit Valid Date
Employment Recognition
Employment Start Date
End Date
End Day
End of Term Status
English Language Proficiency Progress/Attainment
English Proficiency
English Proficiency Level
Entry Date
Entry Type
Entry/Grade Level
Established IDEA Condition
Evaluated for Special Education but Not Receiving Services
Evaluation Date
Evaluation Extension Date
Evaluation Location
Evaluation Parental Consent Date
Evaluation Sequence
Exit/Withdrawal Date
Exit/Withdrawal Status
Exit/Withdrawal Type
Experience Type
Expulsion Cause
Expulsion Return Date
Extension Description
Family Income Range
Family Perceptions of the Impact of Early Intervention Services on the Child
Family Public Assistance Status
Federal Program Participant Status
Fee Amount
Fee Payment Type
Financial Assistance Amount
Financial Assistance Descriptive Title
Financial Assistance Qualifier
Financial Assistance Source
Financial Assistance Type
First Entry Date into a US School
First Entry Date into State
First Entry Date into the United States
First Name
Former Legal Name
Full Academic Year Status
Full-time Equivalent (FTE) Status
Full-time/Part-time Status
Future Entry Date
Generation Code/Suffix
Gifted and Talented Status
Gifted Eligibility Criteria
GPA Weighted
Grade Earned
Grade Point Average (GPA): Cumulative (High School)
Graduation Testing Status
Head of Household
Health Care History Episode Date
Health Care Plan
Health Condition Progress Report
Highest Level of Education Completed
Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity
Homeless Primary Nighttime Residence
Homeless Unaccompanied Youth Status
Homelessness Status
Honors Description
Hospital Preference
IDEA Status
Identification Code
Identification Procedure
Identification Results
Identification System
IEP Transition Plan
IFSP Goals Met
Illness Type
Immigrant Status
Immunization Date
Immunization Status
Immunization Type
Immunizations Mandated by State Law for Participation
Impact of Early Intervention Services on the Family
Individualized Program Date
Individualized Program Date Type
Individualized Program Type
Information Source
Initial Language Assessment Status
Injury Circumstances
Injury Description
In-school/Post-school Employment Status
Insurance Coverage
International Code Number
IP Address
Language Code
Language Type
Languages Other Than English
Last/Surname
Last/Surname at Birth
Length of Placement in Neglected or Delinquent Program
Length of Time Transported
Life Status
Limitation Beginning Date
Limitation Cause
Limitation Description
Limitation Ending Date
Limited English Proficiency Status
Marital Status
Marking Period
Maternal Last Name
Meal Payment Method (Reimbursable/Non-reimbursable)
Meal Purchase Price (Reimbursable)
Meal Service
Meal Service Transaction Date
Meal Service Transaction Type
Meal Type
Medical Laboratory Procedure Results
Medical Treatment
Medical Waiver
Middle Initial
Middle Name
Migrant Certificate of Eligibility (COE) Status
Migrant Classification Subgroup
Migrant Continuation of Services
Migrant Last Qualifying Arrival Date (QAD)
Migrant Last Qualifying Move (LQM) Date
Migrant Priority for Services
Migrant QAD from City
Migrant QAD from Country
Migrant QAD from State
Migrant QAD to City
Migrant QAD to State
Migrant Qualifying Work Type
Migrant Residency Date
Migrant Service Type
Migrant Status
Migrant to Join Date
Migratory Status
Military Service Experience
Minor/Adult Status
Multiple Birth Status
Name of Country
Name of Country of Birth
Name of Country of Citizenship
Name of County
Name of Institution
Name of Language
Name of State
Name of State of Birth
National/Ethnic Origin Subgroup
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
NCLB Title 1 School Choice Eligible
NCLB Title 1 School Choice Offered
NCLB Title 1 School Choice Transfer
Neglected or Delinquent Below Grade Level Status
Neglected or Delinquent Pre-test and Post-test Status
Neglected or Delinquent Program Placement Duration Status
Neglected or Delinquent Program Type
Neglected or Delinquent Progress Level
Neglected or Delinquent Status
Nickname
Non-course Graduation Requirement Date Met
Non-course Graduation Requirement Scores/Results
Non-course Graduation Requirement Type
Nonpromotion Reason
Non-resident Attendance Rationale
Non-school Activity Beginning Date
Non-school Activity Description
Non-school Activity Ending Date
Non-school Activity Sponsor
Non-school Activity Type
Notice of Recommended Educational Placement Date
Number of Days Absent
Number of Days in Attendance
Number of Days of Membership
Number of Dependents
Number of Hours Worked per Weekend
Number of Hours Worked per Work Week
Number of Minutes per Week Included
Number of Minutes per Week Non-Inclusion
Number of Tardies
Other Name
Overall Diagnosis/Interpretation of Hearing
Overall Diagnosis/Interpretation of Speech and Language
Overall Diagnosis/Interpretation of Vision
Overall Health Status
Participant Role
Participation in School Food Service Programs
Payment Source(s)
Percentage Ranking
Personal Information Verification
Personal Title/Prefix
Placement Parental Consent Date
Planned Assessment Participation
Points/Mark Assistance
Points/Mark Value
Points/Mark Value Description
Postal Code
Post-school Recognition
Post-school Training or Education Subject Matter
Preparing for Nontraditional Fields Status
Present Attendance Categories
Primary Disability Type
Primary Telephone Number Status
Program Eligibility Date
Program Eligibility Expiration Date
Program Eligibility Status
Program Exit Reason
Program of Study Relevance
Program Participation Reason
Program Placement Date
Program Plan Date
Program Plan Effective Date
Progress Toward IFSP Goals and Objectives
Promotion Testing Status
Promotion Type
Public School Residence Status
Qualified Individual with Disabilities Status
Race
Reason for Non-entrance in School
Recognition for Participation or Performance in an Activity
Reevaluation Date
Referral Cause
Referral Completion Date
Referral Completion Report
Referral Date
Referral Purpose
Related Emergency Needs
Released Time
Religious Affiliation
Religious Consideration
Residence after Exiting/Withdrawing from School
Residence Block Number
Resident
Resource Check Out Date
Resource Due Date
Resource Title Checked Out
Responsible District
Responsible District Type
Responsible School
Routine Health Care Procedure Required at School
Safety Education Status
School Choice Applied Status
School Choice Eligible Status
School Choice Transfer Status
School District Code of Residence
School Food Services Eligibility Status Beginning Date
School Food Services Eligibility Status Determination
School Food Services Eligibility Status Ending Date
School Food Services Participation Basis
School Health Emergency Action
School ID from which Transferred
Score Interpretation Information
Score Results
Screening Administration Date
Screening Instrument Description/Title
Screening Location
Section 504 Status
Service Alternatives
Service Category
Service Plan Date
Service Plan Meeting Location
Service Plan Meeting Outcome
Service Plan Meeting Participants
Service Plan Signature Date
Service Plan Signatures
Sex
Social Security Number
Social Security Number (SSN)
Special Accommodation Requirements
Special Diet Considerations
Special Education FTE
Start Date
Start Day
State Abbreviation
State FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) Code
State of Birth Abbreviation
State Transportation Aid Qualification
State-assigned Code for Institution
State-assigned County Code
Street Number/Name
Student Program Status
Substance Abuse Description
Technology Literacy Status in 8th Grade
Telephone Number
Telephone Number Type
Telephone Status
Title I Instructional Services Received
Title I Status
Title I Supplemental Services: Applied
Title I Supplemental Services: Eligible
Title I Supplemental Services: Services Received
Title I Support Services: Services Received
Title III Immigrant Participant Status
Title III LEP Participation
Total Cost of Education to Student
Total Distance Transported
Total Number in Class
Transition Meeting Date
Transition Meeting Location
Transition Meeting Outcome
Transition Meeting Participants
Transition Plan Signature
Transition Plan Signature Date
Transition Service Description
Transportation at Public Expense Eligibility
Transportation Status
Tribal or Clan Name
Tuberculosis Test Type
Tuition Payment Amount
Tuition Status
Uniform Resource Identifier
Unsafe School Choice Offered Status
Unsafe School Choice Status
User/Screen Name
Voting Status
Ward of the State
White
Work Experience Paid
Work Experience Required
Work Type
Zip Code
Zone Number