and i think, ms. danks, if -- is probably going to speak to the special ed fact, which is that if you're measuring -- if you're allowed to go outside of grade level, you're able to measure growth. and that makes the problem we were talking about before -- it actually -- i think addresses it to some extent, anyway. which is that if you're at least measuring growth, kids who are below grade level and you -- you can still see that they're learning. >> exactly. >> i think you make a great point. and that applies to all students, not just students with special needs. seeing that continuous growth is going to be much more rich data that the teacher is going to be able to use than that one time in march or april, where -- where the school has probably completely stressed out the child to get ready for this assessment. you know, the parents know about it, the city knows, everybody knows about it. and then those results don't come back until june. and like you said, it's like an autopsy. and then the -- that informa

and i think, ms. danks, if -- is probably going to speak to the special ed fact, which is that if you're measuring -- if you're allowed to go outside of grade level, you're able to measure growth. and that makes the problem we were talking about before -- it actually -- i think addresses it to some extent, anyway. which is that if you're at least measuring growth, kids who are below grade level and you -- you can still see that they're learning. >> exactly. >> i think you make a great point. and that applies to all students, not just students with special needs. seeing that continuous growth is going to be much more rich data that the teacher is going to be able to use than that one time in march or april, where -- where the school has probably completely stressed out the child to get ready for this assessment. you know, the parents know about it, the city knows, everybody knows about it. and then those results don't come back until june. and like you said, it's like an autopsy. and then the -- that informa

ms. danks. >> thank you again. something that i really liked about the bill is each state would be adopting the college and career readiness standards. i think having those high standards for all the students is very important and getting our students ready for the 21st century workforce or college or whatever they end up doing. something that i think has been missing for far too long from many of our students are life skills standards, standards that address those skills that our students with the most severe cognitive disabilities need to master in order to be successful after their high school term is finished. so we focus a lot on the students that are typically developing on what they're going to do after high school. but this other population is i think left behind by not having those standards so that teachers know what to teach so that we can effectively measure progress towards those standards so that we can be sure that those students are ready for what may be getting into when they're finished with high

seaton and ms. danks. i spent some time on the phone with you to the car you're very excellent commissioner in tennessee hearing from him about the evaluations and he sends his regards to do. >> what if he's a? [laughter] >> i will tell you later. he said you have the best system in the world. [laughter] since i support both of the center's amendments to the bill, i wonder if you could talk a little about the premier perspective, because no one another this table has been to as many schools as you probably have. from your perspective, what is the importance of the performance targets and what should that look like in this bill i believe we are able to find a path that would allow us to include it? >> well, you have a lot more expertise on the legislative issues. from the school perspective, moe from a principal, teachers come a kid sitting in schools, in think it is of vital the importance and the don't necessarily care who, where this comes from but kids across the country need a press supported from outs

and i think, ms. danks, if -- is probably going to speak to the special ed fact, which is that if you're measuring -- if you're allowed to go outside of grade level, you're able to measure growth. and that makes the problem we were talking about before -- it actually -- i think addresses it to some extent, anyway. which is that if you're at least measuring growth, kids who are below grade level and you -- you can still see that they're learning. >> exactly. >> i think you make a great point. and that applies to all students, not just students with special needs. seeing that continuous growth is going to be much more rich data that the teacher is going to be able to use than that one time in march or april, where -- where the school has probably completely stressed out the child to get ready for this assessment. you know, the parents know about it, the city knows, everybody knows about it. and then those results don't come back until june. and like you said, it's like an autopsy. and then the -- that informa