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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dear Parents, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Mr. Kleinert emailed several
days ago to inform parents about the State Board of Education’s plan to
make all students pass an integrated “high stakes science test” in
order to graduate from high school. They are planning a proposal that would
make the test mandatory for this year’s Ninth Graders. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Mr. Kleinert has suggest that interested
parents communicate with the Board of Education by November 14, 2008 concerning
the science test. The letter I wrote appears below. If you think
the test is a bad idea and want to weigh in, you can borrow words or ideas from
my letter if you like. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Peggy Jenkins<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Contact
information:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Mike Rush
Executive Director of the SBOE- <a href="mailto:mike.rush@osbe.idaho.gov"
title="mailto:mike.rush@osbe.idaho.gov">mike.rush@osbe.idaho.gov</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Tracie Bent
Planning, Policy and HR Officer- <a href="mailto:tracie.bent@osbe.idaho.gov"
title="mailto:tracie.bent@osbe.idaho.gov">tracie.bent@osbe.idaho.gov</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Board
Members: <a href="mailto:board@osbe.idaho.gov"
title="mailto:board@osbe.idaho.gov">board@osbe.idaho.gov</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Milford
Terrell, President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Paul Agidius,
Vice President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sue Thilo,
Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Blake Hall,
Member<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Kenneth
Edmunds, Member<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Richard
Westerberg, Member<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Roderic
Lewis, Member<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Tom Luna,
Ex-Officio Member<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Mailing
Address: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Post Office
Box 83720<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Boise, Idaho 83720-0037<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Physical
Address:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>650 West
State Street<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Boise, Idaho<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Fax: 208-334-2632<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Main SBOE
office telephone: 208-334-2270<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Margaret C. Jenkins
[mailto:peggy@jenkinsresearch.com] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, November 10, 2008 3:07 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'mike.rush@osbe.idaho.gov'; 'tracie.bent@osbe.idaho.gov';
'board@osbe.idaho.gov'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Opposition to Integrated Science Test<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'>Dear
Board and Interested Staff,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'>I
am the parent of a Ninth Grader at Moscow Junior High School in Moscow,
Idaho. I am writing to convey my opposition to the State Board of
Education’s plan to require an integrated science test for graduation
from Idaho Public Schools.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'>I
am a strong proponent of more rigorous instruction for our students, and agree
that they need a good foundation in the sciences. However, I believe the
best way to teach science is by providing an array of courses in Life Science,
Physical Science, Earth Science and Biology; as the Moscow School District does
now. The fields of science are rich and diverse, and do not lend
themselves to a single integrated examination. If you impose this test
requirement, the result will be less content for our students. They will
need to sacrifice time learning and doing science to take refresher courses on
materials they covered in past years and semesters. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'>Our
students have a very short school year and already lose many hours on
standardized testing thanks to NCLB. For you to impose additional review
and testing days will put our students at a greater disadvantage when compared with
students from states with more resources and instruction days. I
don’t believe that any benefit you could achieve through a standardized
science test could justify teaching less science to our students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'>Thank
you for your consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bell MT","serif"'>Peggy
Jenkins<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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