Parent
Empowerment Network/Mothers Against WASL
Press
Conference
Date:
Time:
Subject:
OSPI Concedes to Parent Empowerment Network Request. WASL-attached Student
Survey Cancelled
Contact: Juanita Doyon,
Director, Parent Empowerment Network, Spanaway, 253/973-1593
With
full-scale WASL testing set to begin Monday, the Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction has finally relinquished plans to administer a student
survey, which is attached to the WASL tests of hundreds of thousands of
students in grades 3-8 and 10. OSPI plans to send a bulletin to the state’s 296
school districts before Monday, canceling the survey.
“This
is a great triumph for children and parents,” said Juanita Doyon,
Director of Parent Empowerment Network. “Once again, OSPI had failed to follow
well-defined laws pertaining to parental rights. Fortunately, thanks to alert
parents in our organization, no harm will be done to students.”
At
the insistence of Parent Empowerment Network, the student survey, which asked
for student identifiable, family invasive information will not be administered.
Upon
discovery that there would be a survey attached to this year’s WASL tests, PEN
members questioned OSPI as to the survey contents. Survey questions were found
to be invasive of family privacy and harmful to the educational well-being of
children.
After consulting with Dr. Donald Orlich and with Spokane Attorney Jeffry
Finer, PEN Director, Juanita Doyon, petitioning OSPI
on behalf of PEN members, on March 24, for removal of the survey. Jeffry Finer also informed OSPI that the survey was out of
compliance with federal statutes related to survey of human subjects. No
response was received from OSPI, until Mrs. Doyon
spoke several times with Assistant Attorney General David Stolier.
After a final, after-hour negotiation call from Mr. Stolier
on Tuesday, April 11, PEN was prepared to seek legal action to stop the survey.
Finally, the following email was received from Joe Willhoft,
acting Assistant Superintendent, Assessment and Research, on Wednesday evening.
PEN
Board and members will assemble in
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Juanita,
This
is just a quick note to inform you that OSPI has decided to cancel the student
survey portion of this year’s WASL.
A
bulletin will be forthcoming to districts and schools. I will courtesy
copy you on that when it goes out.
joe
Joe Willhoft,
Ph.D.
Assistant
Superintendent, Assessment and Research
Office
of Superintendent of Public Instruction