ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Some Minnesota lawmakers want to repeal a state law passed last year that requires all Minnesota teachers pass a reading, writing and math test to get a teaching license.
Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill last February after it won nearly unanimous support from lawmakers. But the Senate Education Committee reviewed a bill Tuesday to repeal the requirement as some teachers and school officials testified that it's blocking qualified people from classrooms.
An art teacher from a district near Brainerd says he can't pass the writing test because of a learning disability. Opponents of the requirement also say parts of the test are difficult for non-native English speakers that teach students who also have limited language skills.
Supporters of the bill say it should be improved, not scrapped entirely.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
Comments (19)
Add commentAs I stated earlier today
John Ward, yes, little johnny, has his name on this bill as chief author in the House. See HF 171. If an art teacher can't pass a writing test because of a learning disability, how did he/she get a college degree in teaching. As for the non-native americans not being able to speak english, you are in America now. In america, we speak english. How did you get your college degree in teaching, without speaking fluent english. I mentioned this earlier today in the "Legislative Survey" article. Once again, our own little johnny doesn't give a d--- about the stupid things he authors. He wants to eliminate the requirement for teachers to pass a BASIC reading, writing and mathematics test before getting a license to teach in Minnesota. What's next johnny, no college degree to teach school in Minnesota. Just belong to my Union and pay dues. We can't afford to dumb down our teachers any more than they already are. Just look at the product they are putting out of our schools today. Let me get this straight, students need to pass reading, writing and mathematics tests in order to graduate but teachers don't. And you voted for little johnny. Want that vote back. Doesn't sound like little johnny is going to run again. This ones for you, Snack fu.
I'm not sure
where I fall on this one, but there was a deal on the evening news a couple nights ago. Minnetonka is really pushing this because they have some foreign language teachers who are not native speakers and cannot pass the test. However, by all accounts, they are excellent language teachers, administration is happy with them, parents are happy with them, and students are happy with them.
So it is a bit more complex, as usual, then speaking "'Merican" when you are in "'Merica." I find it especially funny that Repuplicans are all for alternative licensure measures but not for this. While I think it is OK to have some minimum standards or test, do we want to keep otherwise excellent teachers out of the classroom because English is their second language?
Again, I am on the fence on this one.
Oh, and this one is for you, Angry Charlie.
No way.
This is shocking that a retired teacher doesn't understand that
teachers need to have writing skills, English skills before they can teach.
I hope Dayton doesn't give in on this one.
Keep it.
Anger Management Class
Offered at C.L.C. Please Charlie, sign up before you have a heart attack. And what's with you adding "Y" to everyone's name that you don't like??? Just a tiny bit on the creeper side Charlene.
Hey Itty Ditty
It's not an accredited class so the credits aren't transferrable to the BDD web site. Sorry. LOL
Not as assumed
Nowhere is there mention of this test being a basic skills test--and my understanding is that it is in fact quite rigorous.
This has come up before in an interesting irony.
One of the proposals of the extreme right is to allow professionals or business people to enter into schools and teach in a subject they are expert in without having to go through full teacher certification.
This test is one that many of those people could NOT pass, as I understand it.
I think there's some room to look into making this better without eliminating it.
Itter,
even you have to admit charlie's comeback was good? Peace
Hey Proud Rino
Twice today I have led you to this web site but since you choose to follow the gossip of your fellow gang members, I'll post it once again. Read and heed this time "Basic Skills Test". Click on the "Legislative Survey" article. When the article comes up, click on the website listed in the first few paragraphs. When Wards web site comes up, go to "Member Links" and click on "Bills Chief Authored". When it comes up, go to HF 0171 and read the title of the bill. Voila: "Basic Skills Test". Right out of the mouth of your idol, little johnny. Try listening to someone who knows once in a while, rather than a bunch of professional democrats. Thanks. Good luck.
My, My
My my Charlie, looks like someone else knows you need anger management. Charlie has been trolling all the articles bad mouthing things, people, called me a drunk because I don't agree with his warped perception of things.
Does the "m" in your name mean McCarthy? Like the Charlie McCarthy dummy made of wood? Sitting on all the right wing laps?
The test is NOT basic compared to the education level
"Angry" Charlie FALSELY believes these tests are designed for.
Not necessarily hard to pass for a person doing well in school these days or with a strong aptitude for a subject.
But for folks who think it's basic math etc. like Charlie, it's a far cry from that. And I would bet if they left high school many decades back they wouldn't have a chance of passing it.
I'll post some example questions--as you read them, think whether an excellent art teacher--who will only be teaching art and nothing else--should be required to pass a timed test with dozens of questions like this?
A) If the sum of two nonzero whole numbers is odd and their product is even, which of the following statements about the numbers must be true?
Neither number is prime.
Only one number is prime.
Both numbers are odd.
Only one number is odd
B) A laser printer purchased for $3350 is expected to be worth only $800 in 6 years. If the value of the printer is modeled by an equation of the form y = mx + b, where y equals the value and x equals the number of years, which of the following describes the significance of m?
the initial value of the printer
the rate of change in value of the printer
the average value of the printer
the minimum value of the printer
C) A piece of cheese in the shape of a right circular cylinder 6 inches wide and two inches deep, is divided equally among 9 people. What is the volume of each person's portion?
2π cubic inches
6π cubic inches
12π cubic inches
18π cubic inches
The Rino Spin
Stop spinning it. Did you follow my prompts to find out about the "BASIC SKILLS TEST". These are suppose to be college grads. Why are you sticking up for them. Also, in case you haven't noticed, reading, writing and mathematics have a little higher priority in todays education system than art. Until such time as our education system starts putting out grass roots educated students, I'm afraid art is going to have to wait or be persued at a higher level, like college. The demand for high school grads that paint graffiti on the sides of buildings and rail cars, has dropped off quite a bit lately.
Lost cause?
Charlie you are a very frustrating person to try to reason with when you get off on one of your rants.
I have no problem with general teachers being asked to pass this test--it looks reasonable to me.
But there are many cases where excellent teachers of a single subject area--art, a foreign language, shop, business, etc. would have trouble passing--and that does NOT mean they are not proficient in basic skills!
This is just common sense.
Facts as always are important here.
I understand you have a major ax to grind with John Ward, but jumping with false information to attack everything he lays his hands on does not become you.
In fact, just like another recent issue where you jumped all over Ward's supposed horribly wrong-headed partisan actions--this one has bi-partisan support!
Republican Ruud is working together with Ward and others to help make this legislative requirement--which was and is generally a good idea--more reasonable for teachers with specialties not requiring the ability to pass all components of this rather rigorous test.
So how did people do on the questions I provided? What answers did you come up with?
proud
Does Rino mean "raised in New Orleans"?
I always hated this type of test and in my advanced age of late 60's it is worse.
A.-4
B.-2
C.-1
As for the test, I do see if someone has the reading problem then I wonder if they can get some help like they did in college. In my opinion, while art class is an important class to some kids, I hope it is not mandatory to take. We should know what changes they are planning to make before we start whining about it. It doesn't make me think better of it because of Carrie Rudd.
The language teachers now that is another story. Once you start making exceptions, then the gate is open.
rino
you mean a teacher doesn't have to know how depreciate things? that Tells us why our schools spend so much money.
FnB
"Itter, even you have to admit charlie's comeback was good? Peace"
I certainly appreciated it, haha. And I usually cringe through anything Charlie has written.
Ha yes FNB
that was a good one.....nice to see Charlie happy
So try this on for size...
Geez, folks, you have read a few paragraphs in a small time newspaper and you think you have all the answers. You wouldn't want your career judged in such a way, so maybe back off and read this for what it is ... an encapsulated version of a story that was watered down from what actually appeared in the hard copy of the Dispatch. Did you read it? there are quotes from the principal. There are more in depth paragraphs of what is up. You can find it in the e-edition of the paper if you don't want to buy it at the local convenience store. Go to the 'connect' section of the menu of the Dispatch web page. The e-edition can be selected from here. Go back and read the story. Should teachers be tested to be licensed? Seems to me that there are those out there who will let anyone teach if they know their stuff... as long as they 'know their stuff', its okay that they have no training in how to write a good test - or how to plan a lesson plan, or how to deal with all kinds of kids and personalities. Cram the test -- its just a big bureaucratic pain.
So try this on for size...
Geez, folks, you have read a few paragraphs in a small time newspaper and you think you have all the answers. You wouldn't want your career judged in such a way, so maybe back off and read this for what it is ... an encapsulated version of a story that was watered down from what actually appeared in the hard copy of the Dispatch. Did you read it? there are quotes from the principal. There are more in depth paragraphs of what is up. You can find it in the e-edition of the paper if you don't want to buy it at the local convenience store. Go to the 'connect' section of the menu of the Dispatch web page. The e-edition can be selected from here. Go back and read the story. Should teachers be tested to be licensed? Seems to me that there are those out there who will let anyone teach if they know their stuff... as long as they 'know their stuff', its okay that they have no training in how to write a good test - or how to plan a lesson plan, or how to deal with all kinds of kids and personalities. Cram the test -- its just a big bureaucratic pain.