Common Core Debate Ongoing

The Common Core Standards, adopted unanimously by the State Board of Education in June 2010, may not be fully implemented while a debate over funding is under way in Lansing. The standards, a set of rigorous, college and career-ready curriculum benchmarks are used in 46 states across the nation, to bring consistency in education delivery. But some believe the standards could lead to a federal takeover of Michigan's educational system by taking power away from the legislature and local school districts, a recent article in the Detroit Free Press stated. 

On Tuesday, the state House of Representatives approved a measure as part of the overall budget that prohibits the Michigan Department of Education from spending funds on implementing the Common Core standards for math or English, MLive.com reports.

State Rep. Tom McMillin, (R) Rochester Hills told Patch on Wednesday that he would like to “take a pause, at least” to evaluate the Common Core Standards mandate. McMillin said he is opposed to the idea of Common Core Standards, but is more concerned about the mandate.

“I think it’s a big mistake to let the National Governor’s Association in Washington decide what’s going to be taught in our schools,” he said.

Schools that began the process should be free to adopt them if they feel it fits the curriculum—without the mandate, he said. 
Though the Bloomfield Hills Schools uses Common Core State Standards, broad benchmarks make it more difficult for the district to maintain its own identity, goals, and values, spokeswoman Shira Good said. 

"Generally speaking, the big ideas and goals are good – it’s always a good thing to raise the bar," she said. "However, we’re struggling with how this fits into our district goals."

Martin Ackley, director of Office of Public and Governmental Affairs at the Michigan Department of Education, said in response to McMillin's comments that it is not just a "pause."

"There is nothing in the language above that indicates that this is a “pause,” as Rep. McMillin would like people to believe. This is an outright prohibition (“shall not”), with no guarantee that the prohibition will be lifted," he said in a written statement. 

"Local school districts have been working for three years, and spent hundreds of hours in planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core State Standards for their students to be career- and college-ready. This provision in the bill will leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how they continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet the state standards," he wrote.

RELATED:

• Curriculum Changes Are Coming to Bloomfield Hills Schools
  
• Bloomfield Hills Among Michigan Districts Easing In Common Core Initiative