The state Assembly has introduced legislation to delay the use the Common Core testing standards on students’ grades and teachers’ evaluation, the latest move by state officials to address the outcry over the controversial program.
The bill (A08929) is set for approval by the Assembly on Monday, Assembly officials said.
“The implementation of the Common Core has caused significant challenges that have strained our school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and, most importantly, students,” the bill states.
The bill would delay much of the Common Core testing, particularly for third through eighth grades, from being used in evaluating the performance of students and teachers for two years. After its first year last school year, Common Core testing led to a major drop in test results.
The legislation would order the state Education Department commissioner to look at ways to eliminate some testing and ban standardized tests in kindergarten through second grade.
The bill would also delay the implementation of an online-data portal to collect student information until July 2015. And it would give parents the right to opt out their students from participating in the portal, which has been met with skepticism about whether it would be secure.
“This legislation will provide much needed adjustments relating to common core implementation, teacher evaluations and student data privacy to alleviate some of the strain experiences by our teachers, school administrators and, most importantly, students,” the bill says.
The bill, sponsored by Assembly Education Committee chairwoman Cathy Nolan, D-Queens, doesn’t yet have a Senate sponsor, and it complicates an effort by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Board of Regents to address Common Core concerns. Newsday first reported Friday that the bill was set for release.
Given how the bill doesn't have a Senate sponsor and how Cuomo wants nothing to do with it, it may dies an untimely death in the Assembly.
This bill appears to be a smokescreen to appease the outrage. Al Graf's bill A8844 and in Senate S.6604 is calling for a HALT to common core
ReplyDeleteI agree. However Graf's bill doesn't have much chance to come to the floor in the Senate either.
DeleteThis is a bad bill that highlights how indifferent our legislators are to the children in this state. I think its purpose is to shut teachers up for a little while so that our law makers can go back to paving the way for corporations to suck even more money from our schools. If teachers and their unions support this bill, it will drive a wedge between themselves and parents. NY parents are not backing down in their fight against the CC, and they're starting to show some success. Teachers should support them.
ReplyDeleteWon't come up in the Senate in any case, as neither will Graf's, even if it were to somehow pass the Assembly (which is doubtful.) You're right - they're trying to make it look like they're doing something while not really doing anything.
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