Testing company Pearson, NJ, spying on social media of students taking PARCC tests.

[madfloridian]

This was reported by Bob Braun's Ledger but his blog is very slow tonight.

” Pearson, the multinational testing and publishing company, is spying on the social media posts of students–including those from New Jersey–while the children are taking their PARCC, statewide tests, this site has learned exclusively. The state education department is cooperating with this spying and has asked at least one school district to discipline students who may have said something inappropriate about the tests.

He posts communication from the Watchung Hills NJ superintendent:



Since his blog appears to be bogged down right now, there is more at Diane Ravitch's blog about it.

Breaking News! Bob Braun Reports that Pearson Is Spying on Social Media of Students Taking PARCC Tests

Pearson, the multinational testing and publishing company, is spying on the social media posts of students–including those from New Jersey–while the children are taking their PARCC, statewide tests, this site has learned exclusively. The state education department is cooperating with this spying and has asked at least one school district to discipline students who may have said something inappropriate about the tests.

This website discovered the unauthorized and hidden spying thanks to educators who informed it of the practice–a practice happening throughout the state and apparently throughout the country. The spying–or “monitoring,” to use Pearson’s word–was confirmed at one school district–the Watchung Hills Regional High School district in Warren by its superintendent, Elizabeth Jewett.

Jewett sent out an e-mail–posted here– to her colleagues expressing concern about the unauthorized spying on students. She said parents are upset and added that she thought Pearson’s behavior would contribute to the growing “opt out” movement.

[madfloridian]

1. UPDATE from Ravitch: Bob Braun’s Blog Has Been Attacked and Closed Down

http://dianeravitch.net/2015/03/13/alert-bob-brauns-blog-has-been-attacked-and-closed-down-after-post-about-pearson-spying-on-students/

Ravitch is admittedly confused as to who shut it down.

After Bob Braun published a post breaking the news that Pearson was spying on students’ social media during PARCC testing, his blog was shut down. If you read his note below, it will not be clear to you, as it is not clear to me, whether his site was shut down by the attack or by him, “to stop the attack.” Frankly, I would have no idea how to shut down my site. If you clicked on the link, you got a screen that says, “This Account Has Been Suspended.”



Bob Braun posted this note on his Facebook page:



TO MY BLOG AND FACEBOOK FRIENDS: My site has been attacked and has been shut down to stop the attack. You might want to contact Pearson and let them know you don’t appreciate suppression of legitimate news.

https://www.facebook.com/bobbraunsledger/posts/643285842467702?fref=nf



Here is the text of the original post and here is the original link: http://bobbraunsledger.com/breaking-pearson-nj-spying-on-social-media-of-students-taking-parcc-tests/

Could be he shut down the blog to avoid more attacks.

On edit: Sounds like denial of service maybe.

Twitter has started hashtag #PARCC....should get interesting.

Just think: Pearson emailed school authorities asking the student be punished. There was no picture, the student had no phone in the test room....he apparently tweeted about not liking a test item. He deleted it.

This may seem boring to some...but Pearson a UK company is monitoring the social media postings of our US students.

[bvf]

2. Pearson has also been making

major inroads in the student services software business.

Having worked with its software for a couple of years, my opinion is that it's complete crap, and that any parent with a student in a school using it would be well advised to take a really close look at any reports he or she receives regarding attendance, grades, etc.

[BainsBane]

3. I scored tests for them

They juke the scores. They had us great 7th grade tests more leniently than 4th grade ones. They like to show students are improving because that is how they keep the contracts with schools.

[madfloridian]

5. I ran across this blog from someone who scored for them...

Does it sound like a fair assessment? I know nothing about the blogger, so kind of curious.
BTW good point about wanting to show progress through the years. I also hear they hired off Craiglist.

http://portlyadolescence.tumblr.com/post/46335920624/test-scoring-at-pearson

[BainsBane]

6. My experience was somewhat different

They required a Bachelor's and you had to produce a diploma. They gave me a test with spelling, grammar, math, and asked me to write a couple of paragraphs. If you passed, you got the job. I only scored writing tests, though they approved me for math as well. I told them I was more comfortable with English.

I recall an accuracy rating, but I though pay was tied to accuracy as well as speed. I can't remember exactly how they calculated it, but we had a computation of our accuracy and speed rating every day. I actually ended up getting paid more than I thought I would from the bonus. It was hard work. It took an enormous amount of concentration but at the same time was mind numbing. I read thousands of essays from kids from Arkansas, talking about three wheelers, shooting hogs, and squaawls, which after a while I figured out meant squirrels.

This must have been about 7 years ago now, so things could well have changed. I do remember signing a confidentiality agreement, so I would have been reluctant to do a blog as she has done.

[dsc]

15. I graded for two different companies a couple of years ago

One company did a great job the other not so much.

[tblue37]

14. I scored essays for them for 5 years. Multiple states, all tested grades. nt

[pnwmom]

4. Someone in the comments section on Diane Ravitch's blog suggested that

students had signed non-disclosure agreements. Since when can a minor sign a contract?

With regard to Pearson, here is an eye-opening article about what happened when a U Texas professor dared to say that its tests primarily measure test-taking ability, not classroom learning:

http://www.texasobserver.org/walter-stroup-standardized-testing-pearson/

[madfloridian]

7. Yes, when can a minor sign such a contract..if parents not included.

[madfloridian]

24. Just now reading that TX Observer article. Wow!

There is so much there to take in. I think I will reread some parts...Stroup is a very brave fellow.

Stroup argued that the tests were working exactly as designed, but that the politicians who mandated that schools use them didn’t understand this. In effect, Stroup had caught the government using a bathroom scale to measure a student’s height. The scale wasn’t broken or badly made. The scale was working exactly as designed. It was just the wrong tool for the job. The tests, Stroup said, simply couldn’t measure how much students learned in school.

Stroup testified that for $468 million the Legislature had bought a pile of stress and wasted time from Pearson Education, the biggest player in the standardized-testing industry. Lest anyone miss that Stroup’s message threatened Pearson’s hegemony in the accountability industry, Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen) brought Stroup’s testimony to a close with a joke that made it perfectly clear. “I’d like to have you and someone from Pearson have a little debate,” Aycock said. “Would you be willing to come back?”

“Sure,” Stroup said. “I’ll come back and mud wrestle.”

[pnwmom]

25. I'm glad you read it.

I thought you'd find it interesting.

[salin]

8. disturbing. Thank you for posting this.

I will be out most of the day - but am very interested in this.

Bookmarking to read any updates later today.

[madfloridian]

9. Bob Braun's full write-up is in Word format linked from Mercedes Schneider's EduBlog

https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/hey-kids-if-you-tweet-about-your-parcc-test-experience-pearson-will-call-you-out/

I contacted Jewett by email. By that time she had discovered three instances in which Pearson notified the state education department of the results of its spying. In her email to me, Jewett was vague about the role of Pearson and the education department. She wrote:

“In reference to the issue of PARCC infractions and DOE/Pearson monitoring social media, we have had three incidents over the past week. All situations have been dealt with in accordance with our Watchung Hills Regional High School code of conduct and academic integrity policy. Watchung Hills Regional High School is a relatively small district and a close-knit community; therefore, I am very concerned that whatever details your sources are providing may cause unnecessary labeling and hardship to students who are learning the consequences of their behavior.”

Jewett acted professionally, I believe, but I must point out the irony of her lecturing me about protecting the identity of students when she has just dealt with an inexcusable
breach of privacy involving minors. I made it clear to her I have no intention of revealing names of students–but I would be more than happy to speak with their parents.

Bob Braun was a reporter for decades with (I think) the Star Ledger before he retired. He was not popular with education administrators obviously.

I have not found updates yet, just many repeats.

[madfloridian]

10. Brauns' ISP said it was a denial of service attack. Up again, down last I tried.

https://twitter.com/BobBraunsLedger/status/576600496791678977

[noamnety]

11. If they are spying on the students

I think it's fair to assume they are spying on the teachers's social media as well.

[madfloridian]

12. Probably. Two things from Braun's full interview really bother me...

I think about the likely punishment for the students over a test pushed on them by a foreign company that has contracts for just about everything in our schools here.

Sounds like there were at least 3 kids...the superintendent lectured Braun not to reveal too much. He had not planned to name names at all.

“In reference to the issue of PARCC infractions and DOE/Pearson monitoring social media, we have had three incidents over the past week. All situations have been dealt with in accordance with our Watchung Hills Regional High School code of conduct and academic integrity policy. Watchung Hills Regional High School is a relatively small district and a close-knit community; therefore, I am very concerned that whatever details your sources are providing may cause unnecessary labeling and hardship to students who are learning the consequences of their behavior.”

Jewett acted professionally, I believe, but I must point out the irony of her lecturing me about protecting the identity of students when she has just dealt with an inexcusable
breach of privacy involving minors. I made it clear to her I have no intention of revealing names of students–but I would be more than happy to speak with their parents.

Pearson admits to a policy of monitoring social media. BIG question...who is paying for it? Taxpayers?

[madfloridian]

13. Cute new pic...found at hashtag#PARCC

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PARCC&src=tyah

[thirdparent]

16. This is not spying

I'm a parent, and not a fan of PARCC or how it is being run, but this is not spying [link:bit.ly/1Cj6hNl|Our comments here]

[NutmegYankee]

17. It's just Stasi like monitoring.

You are being watched Citizen!

[madfloridian]

18. And when Pearson calls the district to tell them to discipline these minors....

and telling the district to call the parents....that's not tattle-telling either is it.

Yes, all companies do this...they monitor. But most are not directly involved with school age students.

Pearson practically owns our schools now....they are checking up on their interests.

And when the district leaders try to shut out the press and keep it silent....that's not in the best interests of our students.

[tkmorris]

21. Making a flat statement that it isn't spying...

Without any reasoning whatever to justify such a position isn't a weak argument, it's no argument at all.

[greatlaurel]

19. This is extremely disturbing. This needs a lot more attention than it is getting.

Pearson has a terrible business model if it relies on internet monitoring and bullying children. What a bunch of corrupt ninnies! The only way they can make billions is stealing money from the public schools and bullying children.

You would think the politicians of all stripes would be running away from this foreign corporation as fast as their little legs can run.

This is absolutely outrageous.

Thanks for posting this information, madfloridian.

[madfloridian]

20. Most companies monitor for PR purposes....but Pearson is calling for students to be disciplined.

Yes, it is disturbing that the superintendent warned Bob Braun off the topic.

[madfloridian]

22. Further response from the NJ superintendent..wonders who the heck released the email to Braun.

http://tapinto.net/towns/warren/articles/superintendent-responds-update-on-pearson-monito

On Friday, March 13, 2015, Bobbraunsledger.com published a story referencing an email I had sent to other superintendents about issues regarding PARCC testing and Pearson’s monitoring of social media. The email shown in his article is authentic. It was an email I sent on March 10, 2015 at approximately 10 a.m. to a group of superintendents to share my concerns and to see if other schools had a similar experience. I did not authorize the release of this email nor am I aware of who did release it. I am also not aware of the motives they may have had behind the release. That said, I completely stand behind my comments as they represent not only my views and concerns; they also represent the views and concerns of our Board of Education.

The article references instances involving students during PARCC testing and any related disciplinary action. For student privacy issues, we cannot comment on any of the specific students or discipline referred to in the article. What I am able to share is that all issues have been dealt with in accordance with our Code of Conduct, Academic Integrity and Acceptable Use of Technology Policies.

Found on Twitter:

[LWolf]

23. Could this get any creepier?

Don't answer that. Meanwhile, people will keep voting for politicians that support high-stakes testing and privatization of public education.

[madfloridian]

26. I just read at least one of the students was suspended...

and also that the parents were often being kept uninformed about whole story. Checking it out more.

[madfloridian]

27. Wow, those tweets are so much appreciated.

Shows people are reading.