The Associated Press: A champion of what became known as Common Core education standards, Jeb Bush pushed a set of high-stakes tests for students and a system of grading schools as the centerpiece of an education agenda that defines much of his legacy in office, as Florida governor. THOSE WHO rail against the initiative, including the conservative wing of the Republican Party — which once treasured moderation, compassion and compromise but now festers with divisiveness — express fear that it takes away local control, which in Kansas never amounted to all that much after education out-grew one-room schoolhouses.
In post-Bush response, the Florida Legislature will spend $600,000 to study whether the tests should continue.
Common Core is a frequent target of Republicans and has become a litmus test for the houseful of candidates seeking the GOP presidential nod. Bush has shied from bringing up the concept, but remains in support. He should, as should others who care about kids being well-prepared for college and/or careers upon graduation from high school.
As of May this year, 39 states, including Kansas, had adopted and continued to embrace Common Core. A handful have dropped out. That’s an appropriate description since failing to have high expectations for students often leads them to drop out of school, consequence of which often means they fall by the wayside — and in some cases become a burden on society.
So what is Common Core? Is it a subversive effort meant to rob local schools of control and produce cookie-cutter kids?
Of course not.
President Obama often is blamed by detractors. But, truth is, Common Core is an initiative of the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The objective is to have consistent education standards across the states and prepare students so they may go on to college or enter the work force with good chances for success.
Anyone who has attended boards of education meetings knows members have certain powers of the purse and make some pragmatic decisions, but when it comes to curricular change or innovation their role is limited. This isn’t meant to disparage board members. To their credit the lion’s share are well-meaning citizens who give freely of their time to do what they can to help schools they represent and their communities.
Emphasis of Common Core is on several areas of language arts, mathematics and technology, all of which are as basic as they always have been, i.e. reading, writing and arithmetic.
The program isn’t a conspiracy to rob parents and communities of their children’s minds, rather one to make kids better prepared to be adults. Why would anyone not want that?
— Bob Johnson
No odious intent in Common Core
