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Abandoning Common Core for Political Expediency Hurts Students, Teachers
South Florida school board candidate Lori Fahyee “is running … with the goal of bringing an end to Common Core requirements and high-stakes testing.” She wants to push the district to “evaluate the cost of Common Core requirements and standardized testing on the district and use this information to lobby the state” to ditch both programs. A member of the opt-out movement, Fahyee says she has spent “the last four years” educating officials on how the standards and tests are “damaging our students and public schools.”
Florida has already reviewed its standards since implementing the Common Core and made necessary changes to personalize the standards for its students. The state made its changes – 99 to be exact – almost three years ago, and hasn’t looked back.
For states that have decided to “repeal and replace” the standards, the process hasn’t gone as well as they had expected – because it’s nearly impossible to develop high quality, rigorous standards that prepare students for college and career that bear no resemblance to the Common Core.
Similarly, states that are “going it alone” on assessments are experiencing not just the sticker shock of developing new tests, but also seeing the promise of better testing experiences fizzle way as the reality of developing a high-quality test is proving to be much harder than expected.
Florida is committed for high standards and high-quality, aligned assessments for its students. Florida schools and districts now have an opportunity to focus on providing appropriate professional development that will prepare teachers to educate students toward the more rigorous standards.
Candidates like Fahyee shouldn’t use the Common Core as a political tool to get elected – especially when it so blatantly flies in the face of what’s best for students and teachers.
About the Collaborative for Student Success
At our core, we believe leaders at all levels have a role to play in ensuring success for K-12 students. From ensuring schools and teachers are equipped with the best materials to spotlighting the innovative and bold ways federal recovery dollars are being used to drive needed changes, the Collaborative for Student Success aims to inform and amplify policies making a difference for students and families.
To recover from the most disruptive event in the history of American public schools, states and districts are leveraging unprecedented resources to make sure classrooms are safe for learning, providing students and teachers with the high-quality instructional materials they deserve, and are rethinking how best to measure learning so supports are targeted where they’re needed most.