California Educator

December/January 2021

Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1316347

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learning environment, narrowing the digital divide, and fulfilling the needs of all students — not forcing tests on our kids during a health crisis." CTA is supportive of the exclusion of the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) from the waiver since it is used to reclassify students from "English learner" to "English proficient," opening the door to more advanced courses. In late November, the ED announced t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e N a t i o n a l Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) b e cause of c oncerns ab out h ealth and safety, and w h eth er th e data would be usable. As educators nationwide add their names and voices to a fair test.org petition calling for the suspension of testing, you can rise with those here in California to defend students and focus our combined efforts on supporting them during this extraordinary time. Visit cta.org/takeaction and sign CTA's petition imploring state education officials to request a federal waiver. "e COVID pandemic has shined a light on inequity in our communities," Boyd says. "It's time to stop just pointing out these disparities and to start putting energy into creating equitable opportunity for our students." What Is the CAASPP System? California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is the state's system of mandated and optional assessments. It currently includes three types of mandated tests: Smarter Balanced Assessments, California Alternate Assessments, and California Science Assessments. The Smarter Balanced Assessments are in English language arts and mathematics for grades 3-8 and 11. For more information on CAASPP, visit cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca. From the California Science Test 41 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 21 "Forcing students to complete tests that weren't developed for a distance-learning environment serves no real useful purpose." —CTA President E. Toby Boyd University Press of Kansas Phone 785-864-4155 www.kansaspress.ku.edu 312 pages, 74 black and white photos, 13 color photos, Cloth $29.95 The inspiring story of a girl from Depression-era Kansas who overcame tremendous challenges and defied convention to become an elite pilot— one of the few American women to fly fighter aircraft during World War II. TAKING FLIGHT The Nadine Ramsey Story Raquel Ramsey & Tricia Aurand Foreword by Major General Jeannie M. Leavitt, USAF Ebook edition available from your favorite ebook retailer. "Taking Flight, Nadine Ramsey's story, is more than the tale of her days as a WASP pilot ferrying high-priority army air- craft across the skies of wartime America. It is the heartfelt account of her family and its collective grit, patriotism, and raw courage. We learn of Nadine's painful recovery from an early plane crash, the healing that allowed her to fly as a WASP, and finally her battle against the recurring pain in later life. A good read and a ton of great research." —Sarah Byrn Rickman, author of The Originals: The Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron of World War II and WASP of the Ferry Command: Women Pilots, Uncommon Deeds

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