West Virginia State Capitol Building – Charleston, WV
Photo credit: O Palsson (CC-By-2.0)
State Senator Donna Boley (R-St. Marys) and State Delegate Jim Butler (R-Henderson), with co-sponsors, State Senators Craig Blair (R-Martinsburg), Robert Karnes (R-Tallmansville), and Kent Leonhardt (R-Fairview), and with State Delegates Mike Azinger (R-Vienna), Scott Cadle (R-Letart), Cindy Frich (R-Morgantown), Marty Gearheart (R-Bluefield), John R. Kelly (R-Parkersburg), Pat McGeehan (R-Chester), Michael Moffatt (R-Hurricane), Joshua Nelson (R-Danville), Michael Ilhe (R-Ravenswood) and Randy E. Smith (R-Tera Alta), have introduced companion “SOS” (SAVE OUR STUDENTS) legislation in the West Virginia Legislature to stop Common Core in the state, and to develop the best educational standards for West Virginia students.
The twin SOS Bills will rid the state of Common Core Standards in mathematics and English language arts, and eliminate any testing of the Common Core Standards.
The SOS bills require temporary implementation of the highly-rated Massachusetts standards used prior to that state’s implementation of the Common Core. The bill then establishes a commission to develop new West Virginia standards. The SOS Bills also place restrictions on student data, prohibit the ceding of authority over our standards, and affirm the fundamental rights of parents to direct the education of their children, including opting out of assessments without penalty to students, teachers, or schools.
“I am pleased and proud to be joined by members of the House in our efforts to bring better educational standards to West Virginia. Together, we will create a system that places students as the top priority instead of test results and national standards,” Boley stated in a released statement.
“I am happy to introduce a bill to provide a way to develop standards that are truly better for our students; standards that really are developed by qualified West Virginia teachers. We will eliminate excessive testing and focus on teaching, rather than jumping on a poorly conceived bandwagon,” Butler added.
Both SOS bills have been assigned to their respective Education Committees. Amendments will be added to SB 362 to make it identical to HB 2774.
brackenkaren says
FYI….about TN we didn’t go with the MA standards because we still have our state test in place. We opted to go back to our old standard ASAP then take the best of the best to create new standards. Using standards from pre-common core TN, MA, IN, CA standards. After Dr. Milgram telling us about the unrepairable damage that will result from CC math standards my goal was to get TN out of Common Core as fast as possible. With our TN TCAP still in place going back to the old standards is the easiest, least expensive way to do that. Then create new standards using the proven successful standards from other states. TN ELA standards were rated better than Common Core so my goal is to concentrate more on the math standards.
eric miller says
I taught in Virginia a few years ago. Va and WV had standards that were nearly identical. Virginia didn’t switch to Common Core so meet with their officials and go back to what they do!
Betty Tustin says
I am again expressing my views of Common Core, it will harm the students.