"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Friday, February 14, 2014

Part 4: Classroom Video Camera Project . . . Where The Cameras Are in Over 120 TN Schools

Part 4: Classroom Video Camera Project . . . Where The Cameras Are in Over 120 TN Schools

Denise Wilburn and Jim Horn

After two weeks of waiting, the State of Tennessee today released the list of school districts and schools in the state that are participants in the video data gathering project sponsored by the Gates Foundation in the amount of $3.2 million.  

ThereNow.com, a Utah company with ties to the Gates Foundation, has been named as the primary vendor and storage site for all video data and accompanying notes.  See Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this report.

It is now clear the state has adopted not only the Common Core Standards and the PARCC assessments but has also accepted the Gates evaluation plan including:
·  Value added testing (TVAAS)
·  Student surveys
·  Video-recorded lessons

These are all part of the MET study that has been critiqued by leading researchers in educational assessment.  There are apparently many problems with the study and Gates’ resulting conclusions based on this study.

Lots of questions must be asked to make sure that children are protected .  Adapt them to your own community (see list of schools below), and be at the next Board meeting to ask them.  If you can’t attend, send them to your local newspaper:

1.     How did the video component of the Gates’ evaluation plan come to Washington County?  The second Annual Report on Teacher Evaluation says “Sixty wide-angle video cameras were deployed to 55 schools during the 2012–13 school year and nearly 100 more will be deployed during the 2013–14 school year,” but it does not say where they would be deployed.  Now we know.
2.     Why did we find out about the cameras in Washington County from WCEA instead of our individual building administrators or central administration?
3.     What information will be shared with teachers about the videotaping process and the data collected?
4.     How much input will teachers have into this process?
5.     Who will see these videos?  Teachers only? Teachers and principals only?  Teachers, principals, and central office staff?  Gates’ staff of video reviewers? Third parties that use the data to develop educational products?
6.     Did state and local governmental bodies approve the collection, storage, and transfer of video and audio data from classroom interactions?  If so, which ones?
7.     Will these videotapes be uploaded to the Gates’ research data storage and retrieval site?  It looks like Rep. Bill Dunn has some concerns about this in HB1549 (http://legiscan.com/TN/text/HB1549/2013).
8.     Will there be consent forms for teachers to sign that explain the full extent of the purposes for and uses of the videotapes?
9.     How will parents be informed that their children may be videotaped for transfer and storage by third parties for research purposes?  Will they sign consent forms?  What if they do not wish their children to be videotaped?
10.  What protocols will be established and followed to guarantee responsible conduct of research, per requirements of U. S. Government Statutes, Regulations and Policies, as well as State of Tennessee statutes and pending legislative initiatives?
11.  Does the use of these videos violate any privacy, confidentiality or other policies that protect teachers and students?  Will we receive assurances about this in writing?  
12.  Will these videotapes be part of this year’s evaluation process?  If not this year, then when?
13.   Will these cameras be used at other times besides the designated evaluation times?

14.  Can these videotapes be subpoenaed from legal purposes?

District
ThereNow Schools with Cameras
Achievement School District
Corning Elementary School
Achievement School District
Frayser Elementary School
Achievement School District
Westside Middle School
Achievement School District
LEAD at Brickchurch
Achievement School District
Gordon Science and Arts Academy
Achievement School District
Cornerstone Prep Memphis
Alcoa
Alcoa Middle School
Alcoa
District-wide
Alcoa
Alcoa High School
Bristol
Avoca Elementary School
Cannon County
Auburn Elementary
Cannon County
East Side Elementary
Cannon County
Short Mountain Elementary
Cannon County
West Side Elementary
Cannon County
Woodland Elementary
Cannon County
Woodbury Grammar
Cannon County
Cannon County High School
Carter County
Unaka Elementary School
Carter County
Happy Valley Middle School
Carter County
Cloudland Elementary School
Carter County
Valley Forge Elementary School
Carter County
Happy Valley High School
Carter County
Hunter School
Carter County
Unaka High School
Carter County
Hampton High School
Carter County
Cloudland High School
Carter County
Happy Valley Elementary School
Carter County
Keenburg School
Carter County
Hampton Elementary School
Carter County
Siam School
Carter County
Little Milligan School
Chester County
Chester County High School
Claiborne County
Midway Elementary School
Crocket County
Crockett County High School
Crockett County
Maury City Elementary
Crockett County
Crockett County Middle School
Crockett County
Crockett County High School
Crockett County
District-wide
Etowah
Etowah Elementary School
Fentress County
South Fentress Elementary School
Fentress County
York Elementary School
Fentress County
York Elementary School
Fentress County
Pine Haven Elementary School
Fentress County
Allardt Elementary School
Franklin SSD
Moore Elementary School
Haywood County
Haywood Jr. High School
Haywood County
Haywood High School
Hickman County
East Hickman High School
Humboldt
Stigall Primary School
Lauderdale County
Lauderdale Middle School
Lauderdale County
Halls Elementary School
Lauderdale County
Halls High School
Lauderdale County
Halls Junior High School
Lauderdale County
Ripley Elementary
Lauderdale County
Ripley High School
Lauderdale County
Ripley Primary
Lexington
Lexington Middle School
Lexington
Paul G. Caywood Elementary School
Madison County
Rose Hill Middle School
Madison County
Northeast
Maury County
J. E. Woodard Elementary School
Morgan County
Central Middle School
Oak Ridge
Woodland Elementary School
Oak Ridge
Glenwood Elementary School
Oak Ridge
Linden Elementary School
Oak Ridge
Willow Brook Elementary School
Oak Ridge
District-wide
Obion County
Lake Road Elementary School
Putnam County
Putnam Co Adult High School
Putnam County
Algood Elementary School
Putnam County
Algood Middle School
Putnam County
Avery Trace Middle School
Putnam County
Baxter Elementary School
Putnam County
Burks Elementary
Putnam County
Cane Creek Elementary School
Putnam County
Capshaw Elementary School
Putnam County
Cookeville High School
Putnam County
Cornerstone Middle School
Putnam County
Jere Whitson Elementary
Putnam County
Monterey High School
Putnam County
Northeast Elementary School
Putnam County
Park View Elementary
Putnam County
Prescott South Elementary School
Putnam County
Prescott South Middle School
Putnam County
Sycamore Elementary School
Putnam County
Upperman High School
Putnam County
White Plains Academy
Roane County
Oliver Springs High School
Tipton County
Austin Peay Elementary School
Tipton County
Atoka Elementary School
Tipton County
Brighton Elementary School
Tipton County
Brighton Middle School
Tipton County
Crestview Elementary School
Tipton County
Covington High School
Tipton County
Covington Integrated Arts Academy
Tipton County
Crestview Middle School
Tipton County
Drummonds Elementary School
Tipton County
Munford Elementary School
Tipton County
Munford High School
Tipton County
Brighton High School
TNDOE
State-wide
Trousdale County
Trousdale County Elementary School
Trousdale County
Jim Satterfield Middle School
Trousdale County
Trousdale County High School
Trousdale County
Trousdale County Elementary School
Warren County
Warren County Middle School
Washington County
Boones Creek Elementary School
Washington County
Boones Creek Middle School
Washington County
Daniel Boone High School
Washington County
David Crokett [sic] High School
Washington County
Fall Branch Elementary School
Washington County
Gray Elementary School
Washington County
Jonesborough Elementary School
Washington County
Jonesborough Middle School
Washington County
Lamar Elementary School
Washington County
South Central Elementary School
Washington County
Sulphur Springs Elementary School
Washington County
University School
Washington County
West View Elementary School
Washington County
Asbury School
Washington County
District-wide




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