States rethinking Common Core

When the states ventured into reviewing Common Core State Standards in 2010 for classroom use, they believed they would have control over curriculum, testing and teacher training. Nothing is further from the truth.

Of the 45 states who originally signed on to begin this untried program for the upcoming school year, 11 have changed their posture.

Many are faced with uncontrolled cost while locked into CCSS program, while the “carrot” to enroll in the program, Race to the Top grants, has proved elusive.

 Arizona, Florida Georgia and Oklahoma have dropped involvement from the testing portion due to cost and inability to administer test as defined in Common Core Standards.

Ohio and Michigan have stopped funding for CCSS.

Pennsylvania and Indiana depart from the governing body of Common Core which determines testing,  PARCC.

Missouri has deleted the curriculum from its state.

South Dakota has requested the legislature to approve any future spending on CCSS.

Minnesota has adopted only the English language arts portion of program.

Arkansas, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia opted out of the program completely.

 Nationally, assessment (tests) in CCSS average $29.50 per student. They are administered only electronically.

In Idaho, which according to State Superintendent Tom Luna has 280,000 enrolled students, the budget for student achievement assessment, item #u, on the state website, is $1,703,500. In my calculation this works out to $60.84 per student, a 76.8-percent increase from last year.

Wake up Idaho and smell the coffee. Can we taxpayers afford CCSS?

CAROLYN MINNICK

Sandpoint