The Alabama State Board of Education is set to vote on a resolution that would rescind a 2009 agreement with the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers related to the Common Core State Standards. The Dothan Eagle reports:
According to a press release by the state, the move would help remove doubts that Alabama’s standards in math and English language arts were in fact a state initiated and a state-led effort. The NGO helped develop Core Standards, but each state adopting the standards was able to put its own spin on their state’s standards.
The original agreement between Alabama and the NGO and CCSSO was intended to acknowledge the development of a set of internationally-benchmarked standards that could be shared across states, according to the state Department of Education.
Alabama State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice said the state will continue to work with the NGO and CCSSO and will also continue to implement the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards, the Alabama version of Common Core.
Board member Betty Peters says she’s not voting in favor because it’s a meaningless resolution. I agree. How exactly will this resolution “remove doubts”? Only a low-information voter would believe that. Are they repealing the standards? No. Are they rewriting the standards? No. Are they even having public hearings on these? No. What does this do? They are playing revisionist history hoping that enough people buy it. So what if they rescind the agreement if they keep the standards? The resolution doesn’t DO anything.
Dr. Bice says they will continue to implement the “Alabama College and Career Ready Standards” while working with the NGO and CCSSO. Oh yes, he’s trying to pull an Arizona. If you call it something different then people won’t think it’s Common Core. Alabama residents, don’t be fooled, the “Alabama College and Career Ready Standards” for Math and ELA are Common Core. They were not state-led, they were special interest led and funded. The Alabama Department of Education may not have a formal MOU with NGA or CCSSO, but will continue to work with them. What has changed?
Absolutely nothing.
Lisa Clark says
That’s exactly what I thought when I discovered the notice of the proposed resolution on the ALSDE website. I found it curious that they referenced the May 2009 resolution agreeing to work with the NGA and the CCSSO, but not the November 2010 resolution actually adopting the Common Core Standards. I guess Dr. Bice thinks Alabama parents will be easily fooled by his posturing.
Sharon says
Oh my, so frustrated with parents not wanting to get involved. IF they would only wake up to what is going on, we in Missouri NEED YOU! Thank you so very much Shane for your thankless job of keeping us informed!
ALTeacher says
What do you want? Blood? Rescinding that agreement is another step to separate us from the mistakes are states have made. We are using the Common Core standards, along with our OWN state standards, to create our OWN curriculum and select our OWN texts and assessments. This conspiracy business has to stop. I taught every one of the CCRS in a Christian school, using faith-based texts. For heaven’s sakes, trust the teachers and go visit a classroom. See all the great things that are happening. Use your time to fight things that really matter: poverty, abuse, adult illiteracy….