Renewing the Fight to Stop Common Core

As state legislatures across the country are starting new sessions I thought it would be a good time to highlight how the fight to stop the Common Core State Standards is being renewed in state capitols.  2013 was the first round and now we are entering the second, the bell has run.  The pressure is mounting, so much so, that Governor Mary Fallin (R-OK) who chairs the National Governors Association, spoke out in defense of the Common Core.  They are expecting a big fight this year.  Governors are under a lot of pressure.

This is not exhaustive if there is a bill, etc. that I missed be sure to mention it in the comments.

I pointed out yesterday how Kentucky now has a couple of bills and will be marked appropriately on our map when it gets updated.  If your map is not listed and there are bills that have been filed be sure to email James and me (James is the guy who does the map).

Tennessee lawmakers are gearing up again offering legislation to delay the Common Core which is being implemented in schools in the Volunteer State this year.

Around a dozen House Republicans, according to Rep. Rick Womick, R-Rockvale, are united behind a bill to take a pause from the controversial curriculum — for up to three or four years — and separate legislation to delay administering its corresponding test, called the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

With a Common Core showdown brewing for months, he said, lawmakers have sought collaboration to prevent duplicating legislative efforts.

“Bottom line is, yes, we’re looking at legislation that will put a pause on Common Core and put a pause on the PARCC testing until we can sit down and really take a look at this and see what’s going on with it,” said Womick, who is helping lead the push.

“Let’s look at what we’re getting and compare it to what we have and make ours better by using Tennessee educators.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says that the Common Core needs “corrective action.”

Cuomo, as part of his budget presentation Tuesday, announced plans for a special advisory panel that will recommend “corrective action” in the way the state implements the curriculum — which is part of a national effort to raise academic standards.

He unfortunately supports the Common Core agenda, but says there has been “too much uncertainty, confusion and anxiety.”  He is also calling for the end of standardized testing for Kindergarteners through 2nd Grade.

In Colorado, according to the Denver Post,  the Douglas County School System seeks to opt-out of federal and state standardized testing.

The board is pushing for legislation allowing school districts to opt out of tests without fear of penalty and on Tuesday night unanimously approved a resolution calling for such legislation:

"(The district) believes that it is in the best position to design authentic assessments that will provide valuable feedback to students and aid educators on determining student progress," according to the resolution.

The resolution also calls for parents’ right to exempt their students from statewide tests without risk of penalty to the student, teacher, school or district. It denounces "Common Core" standards, calling them "low level."

A bill in Missouri filed by State Senator John Lamping (R-Ladue) would stop compliance with the Common Core State Standards.  According to the 10th Amendment Center:

SB514 would prohibit the Missouri state board of education and other state educational departments from implementing Common Core State Standards or any substantially similar federal learning standards.

“Any actions taken to adopt or implement the Common Core State Standards as of the effective date of this section are void.”

While touted as a state initiative, the federal government is deeply involved in both the formulation and implementation of Common Core. Constitutionally, the federal government should not be involved in education at all.

The effort to slow down on Common Core gets boost in the Rhode Island State House.

Rep. Gregg Amore of East Providence, a teacher at East Providence High School, submitted a bill (2014-H 7095) last week to “create a task force to evaluate the system so students, teachers, parents and administrators can – at the very least – fully understand the implications of the new system.”

“Until we have all the facts in front of us and know what we’re getting ourselves into, we should not be holding anyone accountable through this system,” said Amore. “No one has a clear picture of how much the Common Core objectives will cost our districts overall.”

The legislation has asked that a 20-member panel, including Education Commissioner Debra Gist or a designee, evaluate Common Core and the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment and Readiness for College and Careers) assessment test that goes with it over the next year.

Politico reports that Maryland is getting sticker shock.

Meanwhile, Maryland lawmakers were briefed on a new study that found schools will need $100 million in computer and infrastructure upgrades to prepare for Common Core tests. The implementation and testing will be so disruptive that some schools might have to cancel some electives and even shut down essential funct
ions like email to preserve bandwidth during the testing period, the study found. State Sen. Paul Pinsky told the Baltimore Sun that the study “raises concerns” and suggested that the rollout might need to be slowed.

Deseret News has a good summary of how the opposition is gaining steam.  Such as…

• George Will’s recent column in The Washington Post.  This is pretty big, even Fordham is saying so (though I do take issue with Smarick, Will does not represent the only “principled opposition” out there.
• Then there is John Stossel’s recent piece.
• Lance Izumi wrote at National Review that the ““Parents and teachers from across the political spectrum are joining together in a nationwide grassroots rebellion to protest the lack of transparency in the Common Core adoption process, the exclusion of public input, and the disempowerment of local educators and the public.”

What is going on in your neck of the woods?

Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio (Public Domain)