It Seems That CSCOPE is the Root of All Evil (Part 3 of 4)

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Note: CSCOPEis a vertically aligned scope and sequence used by hundreds of schooldistricts.
Today is Part 3 of our rationalresponse to the irrational critiques of CSCOPE. For the record, I am not anagent for CSCOPE nor do I have any financial connection to CSCOPE.  However, I am an advocate for providingteachers with the resources necessary to be successful in their endeavors.  CSCOPE is one of those resources.  I recognize it for what it is, a screwgun in a world of screwdrivers. Now back to the debate.
Anti-CSCOPE Argument Number 7: CSCOPE doesn’t give unlimited access to anyone whorequests it. What are they hiding?
Response: Yes, CSCOPE haslimited access to its resources. And yes, it is hiding something... its intellectual property.  Open access would allow its competitorsto steal and then profit from its work. We can argue the legal merits of this; there are precedents on bothsides.  And honestly, I have arguedboth sides.  But ultimately, in thecurrent financial environment (created by Perry and our Republican legislators) I see CSCOPE access as a toll road issue. You payfor access, you get access.  Youdon’t pay, for whatever reason, your access is severely limited.  P.S. - One of the original and primaryanti-CSCOPE Loonies, got mad and began her crusade when a district chose CSCOPE over the product shewas trying to sell.  Interesting.
Anti-CSCOPE Argument Number 8: School leaders across the state praise the value of CSCOPE,so obviously there must be a greater conspiracy/agenda at work.  Otherwise, why would they keep harpingon cost-savings, collaboration, ESC/school district partnerships, teachersupport and student performance, if they weren’t trying to cover something up?
Response:  The reason why an ever-growing majorityof school leaders (at all levels) praise CSCOPE is because it actually deliverswhat it promises.  A verticallyaligned, TEKS correlated scope and sequence, with extensive instructionalresources at an affordable (essentially free) cost.  The product has improved every year and CSCOPE personnelhave been responsive to the needs of districts, campuses and teachers.  If there is a bad guy in this equation,it is the state (see Bush, Perry, et. al.). It has held a gun to the head ofschools in the form of accountability driven sanctions while simultaneously reducingper pupil school funding.  In thisenvironment, the only viable curriculum solution has been to adopt CSCOPE as asurvival tool.
Anti-CSCOPE Argument Number 9: Some parents and teachers don’t like CSCOPE. So, obviouslyit is bad.
Response: I must admit that Idon’t know how to counter this argument with a group of people who believe thatCSCOPE is the precursor to the U.N. Black Helicopters showing up to take overthe country.  Yes, there areparents who don’t like CSCOPE. So what? CSCOPE follows the prescribed state curricular standards (TEKS).  Public schools can’t opt out ofteaching the TEKS. If they do, sanctions soon follow. For parents who don't understand this, home school remains a viable option. As for the teacher half of the argument, it depends on the teacher.  CSCOPE is simply a tool.  A tool that is better than any individualteacher can create on his or her own. The teacher who has concerns about the sequence of presented content hasavenues to address these concern. The teacher who has concerns about the pacingof CSCOPE (of which there are many) doesn’t actually have a CSCOPE issue: thatteacher has an accountability issue (see Bush, Perry, et. al.).  And the teacher who just doesn’t wantto be told what to teach, sorry, but that teacher needs to quit or move to a different state.  The simple and brutal truth is, like it or not,the rules of the game have been changed.
Tomorrow, we’ll conclude theinitial salvos of this discussion.
Think. Work. Achieve.Your turn...

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