The true intend of SB 6508 and HB 2927 is racial quota and preferential treatment. In Seattle Times’ article on Feb. 2nd, 2018, Washington state lawmakers consider universal screening to find gifted students, they cited SB 6508, and used Northshore School District’s Gifted program as a model example. “While legislators debate a law that would require testing all students for high intelligence, the Northshore School District is doing exactly that, and finding high potential in kids who had been overlooked.”
Let’s look at the Northshore School District’s newly designed Gifted program in detail. Below is a section taken directly from Northshore School District’s own web site.
“Why is this new eligibility process important? Are entry thresholds being changed?
The new eligibility process implemented by Northshore School District is an important step in equity and opportunity for all students. Previous structures for eligibility have led to a program demographic that does not represent our Northshore population. Changes in assessment structure, administration protocols and tools for measuring potential and achievement are necessary and imperative. This work, led by Dr. Donna Ford of Vanderbilt University, has resulted in the implementation of universal screening, school day assessment schedules, and implementation of the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test and Torrance Test of Creative Thinking.”
So in order to have a program demographic that represent Northshore population, Northshore School District will be using TTCT as an assessment tool starting 2018-2019 school year. Torrance (1971; Torrance & Torrance, 1972) found that in most situations there are no statistically significant differences in performance on the TTCT because of race or socioeconomic status; in some cases, the TTCT favors Black children and children of low socioeconomic backgrounds. Unlike other school districts that clearly publishe the cut off scores for Gifted program, NSD chooses to not publish that information. A Multidisciplinary Selection Team (MST) will decide who gets to be admitted into the program. Dark room, opaque standard. What is the true agenda here?
Let’s exam Northshore School District’s meeting with Dr. Donna Ford on September 25, 2017. You can view the full video online. At 28:21 minute, Dr. Ford was telling the Northshore School District to apply racial quota, the 80% rule, in Gifed program selection. At 35:34 minute, Dr. Ford went directly targeting White and Asian students. At 38:03 minute, she said the number of White students in the Gifted program should be capped at 71%. At 37:21 minute, she even point-blankly saying that the number of Asian students in the Gifted program should be capped at 17%. At 49:17 minute, in Dr. Donna’s own words “That the most privileged parents again high income first and foremost whites, and I guess in this district Asian and Indian“. At 57:43 minute, Dr. Ford talked about accepting low income (Black and Hispanic by her definition) students at IQ score of 115, while requiring IQ score of 140 for high income (White, Asian, and Indian by her definition) students. This is outrageous! This is blatantly discrimination. And all the members from the school district went along with her comment. We can not allow this to happen!
If you oppose this two bills, please let more people know about the bills. Please also contact your senator and house representatives, and let them know that you oppose the two bills. You can also use online contact form for SB 6508 and HB 2927 .