I don’t know what happened, but the comments to this post were deleted. I apologize for this. Dr. Rex did respond on this blog and I appreciate his participation. If I can find his response, I’ll surely post it.
Dear Mr. Superintendent,
Thank you so much for your service to this state as our Superintendent of Education. I trust this correspondence finds you well.
The administration of the PACT test draws near again this year, and I hear everyday from teachers, parents and other concerned citizens in my district of the overwhelming anxiety that often accompanies the PACT test. I write you today asking you to end this burden upon our mutual constituents.
Section 59-18-310 of the South Carolina Code states that, “the State Board of Education, through the Department of Education, is required to develop or adopt a statewide assessment program to promote student learning and to measure student performance on state standards….” The department you administer holds the responsibility for the PACT test and might have as early as January 2007, begun the elimination of the PACT, but instead decided to extend the PACT for another year (2008). I remain frustratedas to this series of decisions.
The Senate will possibly consider H. 4662 in the near future. This legislation does indeed discontinue the PACT, but for the sake of our teachers, students, and parents I ask you at this point to stop the PACT. You can do this with a simple pronouncement, today, that the PACT will not be administered in 2009. I trust you will make the right decisions.
With warmest personal regards, I remain,
Kevin L. Bryant
SC Senate District 3
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