The count, according to Real Clear Education’s most recent map, is Oklahoma and Indiana have officially pulled out of the Common Core.
Parents are often too busy to keep track of the policies and politics surrounding education, particularly in such a busy and eventful school year. Here are the big issues and what they could mean for you, your child, and their school.
No Child Left Behind Reauthorization
Believe it or not, the No Child Left Behind law actually expired eight years ago. Because there hasn’t been a replacement, the White House has had a lot of leeway in how education is run at the federal level, including their Race to the Top program. Obviously, the Republicans in Congress don’t like the president having that much power. They have been slowly hammering out a new education bill.
The House’s process has been contentious, partisan, and filled with ideas that the White House immediately threatens to veto. They currently do not have a bill that has gone past the committee stage.
The Senate, on the other hand, has a bill past the committees thanks to bipartisanship and an effort to solve problems that both parties see as crucial. Their proposed bill, the Every Child Achieves Act, gives some powers back to the states while guaranteeing that the federal government still has the ability to set overall goals. Both parties agreed that some assessment is necessary but that there is currently too much. The bill gives states the ability to roll back their testing schedules.
In any case, time is running out for any bill to get enough traction to become law. Election season has already started, which means education will become more of a talking point and less of an actionable issue.
The Status of the Common Core
As you have probably heard, the Common Core State Standards are deeply unpopular in some parts of the country, particularly among conservatives. This has caused a backlash in about a dozen states. Leaders who were once firm advocates are now leading their legislatures in getting out. Now that testing has begun (see below), parents and other stakeholders have had a chance to see the assessments and don’t approve of the amount of time spent or the high stakes involved. They use those facts to fuel the fire.
The Common Core is still strong in over 40 states, but those in which the standards are in trouble have legislative and legal drama. The count, according to Real Clear Education’s most recent map, is Oklahoma and Indiana have officially pulled out of the Common Core. Some states, like Florida, have pulled out in name only. They have or are exploring writing their own standards. Any new standards have to be at least as tough as the Common Core or the state risks losing federal money. Some states, including New York and New Jersey, are examining their options in terms of standards, testing, or both.
The bottom line is that the phrase “Common Core” has become divisive. It’s doubtful a new education law even mentions the standards.
Common Core Testing
There were two consortia created along with the Common Core State Standards that were to design the tests for the standards. Just like the Common Core itself, PARCC and Smarter Balanced have been losing states. Roughly half the country is going it alone, usually with the help of a private testing partner.
Those that did still use the consortia’s tests had a relatively calm testing period in terms of technology problems. The states that decided to make their own tests, however, ran across all sorts of problems. Florida’s testing season, for example, was universally panned by everyone involved—including the politicians.
Scores from Smarter Balanced are due sometime over the summer. PARCC’s scores won’t be ready until the fall.