Six states put forward legislation to remove its obligations from Common Core standards implementation. A majority of states are in the process of phasing in the new national K-12 curriculum. However, the curriculum overhaul geared towards a modern world is facing resistance from states rights advocates.
State lawmakers in South Dakota‘s House want to “require the Board of Education to obtain legislative approval before adopting any further Common Core standards.” House Bill 1204 passed with a 36-32 vote, but was recently rejected by the state’s Senate Education Committee.
Indiana’s state Senate shares many of the same sentiments. Senate Bill 193 reads:
“The bill requires the State Board to compare Indiana standards with the Common Core Standards, to seek information concerning best practices from a broad range of sources, and consider other superior standards before adopting new standards.”
Indiana Governor Mike Pence expressed concerns of Common Core becoming another over-reaching federal education policy. The bill passed through the state Senate, but is beingmerged into a state House bill to be heard by its education committee.
Both state houses in Kansas (HB 2289) and Missouri (HB 616) have introduced bills that are outright rejections of Common Core standards. The bills are flowing through respective legislatures and may experience revisions and amendments.
The Alabama state Senate and House introduced bills to prohibit Common Core standards, but both failed to pass. Georgia‘s Senate considered rejecting federal standards programs including Race to the Top. The bill in Georgia also failed to pass through its legislature.
The official Common Core Standards website mapped out the current state of its adoption. Alaska, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia are the states that have rejected Common Core from the start:
IVN contributor Kelly Petty previously covered how Common Core Standards implementation fits into the global economy. The focus on non-fictional texts and STEM raised concerns about a departure from critical thinking development alongside classic literature. It is contended that the new curriculum remains to be deeply rooted in liberal arts.
It’s unlikely that many states will be joining those that have already rejected Common Core standards implementation. Although the new curriculum seeks to centralize the academic standards across the country, it does not directly replace No Child Left Behind. States that have not been granted NCLB waivers are still subject to the regulations of the law.
With a solid understanding of K-12 education and an even-keeled approach to the debate, how do you perceive the nuances and challenges of curriculum development? Are politics too strong of a factor? Is a nationally developed curriculum an effective solution or should states create their own standards?
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