EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116 
Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931
http://www.EdAction.org
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February 10, 2000

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Public Collection of Private Data on Students

Does Minnesota Law allow the DCFL to collect data on your child and place it in an electronic file and share it with "Stakeholders"?

Following are many government sources that answer, "Yes!" Remember: There is no state law that restricts the type of data that can be collected on your child or limits the use of it by the Department of Children, Families, & Learning. (The DCFL also oversees the entire School-to-Work system in Minnesota and sixteen other agencies including the Department of Corrections, Human Services, and Economic Security, so it has a wealth of areas from which to collect data on you and your child.):

1) From Lifework Planning, document from the Minn. DCFL. The plan is all-inclusive, invasive into personal matters, and mandatory:

"A lifework plan is a personal information system. It is a personal plan for the future that takes account of work and other aspects of a person's life."

"A lifework plan should: cover all areas of the learner's life.... take account of a behaviors and skills.... reflect on the learner's dreams and ideals... include a record of the past as well as plans for both the short term and long term future."

"Beginning at age 14, every student must have a written plan for transition that address long and short term goals and activities in five areas: employment, post-secondary education, home living, community participation and recreation - leisure." (from pages B-3 through B-11, Lifework Planning, document from the Minn. DCFL)

Employers cannot ask for that information in job interviews, yet the schools will now collect it for them.

2) From the 2000 School-to-Work Conference: 

"Electronic Career Portfolio
— Kathy Bartsias and Rose Marsh, Duluth Public Schools

Looking for a way to record student's career exploration activities starting with kindergartners?  Then this session is for you.  We have developed an electronic career portfolio, career exploration and information center.  A program that students (K-12), teachers and parents can use to explore and store student personal information, plus a link to vast information on the Web.  The program can be personalized and adapted to meet your school needs.  The Program can run on one machine, networked or web based." (From a description of a breakout session at the 2000 School-to-Work Conference, January 20-21, 2000 in Bloomington, MN. Approximately 500 people attended, most of them public school teachers.)

3) From Minn. STW Initiative Grant Application to obtain federal STW funds:

"Individualized Lifework Planning and Guidance - All Minnesota learners will develop a lifework plan which will be included as one component of the stated Profile of Learning.... The lifework plan includes the following components:

• Learners demonstrated mastery of academic and work skills (a portfolio of the learners progress);
  

• Special accommodations and/or services a learner may require to successfully achieve educational and career goals;
  

• A cumulative history of the practical knowledge learners gain in relation to applied learning and work-based experiences..." (page 20)

4) From the MN Goals 2000 Technology Plan:

"To receive a diploma a student must produce a record of work in a number of content standards.  This record will show a student's achievement in relation to the high standards. (Profile of Learning].... The purpose of this record is to inform students, parents, teachers and related services personnel about the progress of all students.  In addition, the record is intended to communicate student achievement to future employers." (page 4)

5)  From Making Connections: School-to-Work Resource Guide

“The main priority is to validate performance standards by linking both hiring decisions and entry into postsecondary education to records of student achievement that make sense to teachers, families and employers.” (Making Connections: School-to-Work Resource Guide, page 21)

"The main priority is" the data record on each student, and its centrality to the state's goals. By this means the state intends to make its so-called "performance standards" the centerpiece of hiring and schooling decisions — effectively to the exclusion of traditional academic standards. Keep in mind that these records will contain highly personal data, far more invasive than the traditional academic grades and grade-point averages.

6)  Minnesota's Basic Skills Writing Test given to students in January, 2000, asked the following essay question: 

"Your teacher has asked you to write about one thing you would like to change about yourself.  Name one thing about yourself and give specific reasons why you would like to change it.  Give enough details so your teacher will understand your ideas."

This is an invasion of student's personal beliefs, attitudes, and worldviews, but flows easily from the new state/school posture toward privacy.

7) From Rules Governing Teacher Licensing:

Teacher certification and license renewal requires teachers to have students do "self-assessments", and teachers must include attention to a "student's personal family and community experiences". 

“The teacher must… bring multiple perspectives to the discussion of subject matter, including attention to a student's personal family, and community experiences and cultural norms.” (Standard 2: Student Learning, Subp. 4)

“The teacher must… use varied and appropriate formal and informal assessment techniques including observation, portfolios of student work, teacher-made tests, performance tasks, projects, student self-assessments, peer assessment, and standardized tests.” (Standard 3: Diverse Learners, Subp. 9)

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