Sen. Evers
From the News Service of Florida:
A Senate measure filed Wednesday mirrors an earlier House bill aimed at ending the state's use of the Common Core education standards.
The Senate proposal (SB 1316), like its House companion (HB 25), would try to cripple the standards by requiring the State Board of Education to meet certain requirements before moving forward with the English and math benchmarks and would specifically bar the board from implementing common core in any other subject areas.
It's unclear whether the bills, filed by Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, and Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, will be heard. The State Board of Education voted earlier this month to amend the guidelines for what students are expected to learn in each grade, and Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said they should now be referred to as the "Florida standards."
While supported by the Obama Administration, the Common Core initiative started out as a project spearheaded by governors and school chiefs across the country. But it has prompted a backlash, largely among conservative activists who fear that it is a federal effort to seize control of education.
From the News Service of Florida:
Gov. Scott
ORLANDO - Looking to calm a rising furor in the grass roots of his party, Gov. Rick Scott said Saturday that a state set of revisions to nationwide education standards will be unveiled next week.
One day after a caucus of the Republican Party of Florida's state committeemen and committeewomen backed a resolution opposing the Common Core standards, Scott also said he would support legislation specifying that curriculum is a local responsibility and limiting what information can be gathered about students.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said earlier this week that her department would propose about 40 changes to the voluminous education benchmarks. Scott's remarks Saturday, to the annual meeting of the state GOP, signaled that he hopes the changes will soothe conservative fears about the standards.
"Here's what we're going to ensure: These are Florida standards," he said. "They're not some national standards; they're going to be Florida standards. This is our state. We're not going to have the federal government telling us how to do our education system."
The overwhelming majority of the changes Stewart is set to propose would add material to the state's version of the standards, officials say.
Common Core started out as a joint project by officials in about four dozen states, but some conservatives have grown worried that the standards will instead lead to unprecedented federal intrusion in local schools. The opposition to the guidelines has opened a rift on the right between those arguing against the benchmarks and members of the school accountability movement, like former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, who backs the standards.
On Saturday, Scott spoke about legislative proposals only in vague terms. He did not stop to answer questions despite shouted requests from reporters who jogged toward him as he left the Rosen Centre Hotel. (more…)
