Common Core Standards Likely To Be Discussed In Next Legislative Session

FARMINGTON -- Common Core State Standards likely will be scrutinized in the coming General Assembly, the state's education chief told Northwest Arkansas superintendents.

Tony Wood, education commissioner, met with the superintendents Thursday at the Northwest Arkansas Education Services Cooperative to discuss the legislative session that starts in January.

At A Glance

Legislative Session

The 90th General Assembly will convene Jan. 12. The session last 60 days and can be extended with a two-thirds vote in the House and the Senate.

Source: Staff Report

He said his advisory council of superintendents lists six issues as high priority. The council has about 25 members from large and small school districts across Arkansas.

Besides Common Core, the group identified adequacy, teacher retirement, broadband availability, the Arkansas Virtual Academy and partnership aid for school construction as the top issues of concern to them. Wood said he could come up with about 20 issues but he will discuss the six with legislators and Gov.-elect Asa Hutchinson.

The issues are connected to funding. For instance, the partnership aid depends on the Legislature for funding and the cost of state-of-the-art broadband is prohibitive for districts in some parts of the state.

The broadband issue is not as critical in Northwest Arkansas, said Jared Cleveland, deputy superintendent for personnel in Springdale. "If you are in a part of the state with limited access to the web, you may not have the capacity to do the Common Core assessments," Cleveland said.

Wood was making his first solo visit with the superintendents since being named commissioner in June when former Commissioner Tom Kimbrell left the office to become Bryant Superintendent. Wood joined the state Education Department in 2010.

"I don't have a clue on what will or won't happen with Common Core," Wood said, noting there are differing opinions around the state about the standards the Arkansas State Board of Education adopted. Schools across Arkansas have been phasing in the standards during the past two years, working toward full implementation from kindergarten to 12th grade this year.

Some teachers have said the standards take students deeper into a subject rather than scratching the surface. Arkansas Against Common Core is a group organized through social media to urge the Legislature to get rid of the standards. They say the standards have poor content, invade a student's privacy and are costing the state too much to implement.

The first assessment tied to Common Core is expected to be administered to all Arkansas students next spring.

Springdale Superintendent Jim Rollins is a member of the advisory council that developed the top six issues. He was out of town Thursday and Friday at a Springdale Chamber of Commerce retreat and couldn't be reached.

Bentonville Superintendent Mike Poore said he's concerned the Legislature may seek to alter the Affordable Health Care Act in Arkansas. His concern is focused on the financial impact that could have on school funding.

"Everything comes down to money and politics," Poore said.

Cleveland said schools in Springdale and throughout the region are moving forward "full bore" implementing Common Core standards.

State Sen. Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville, said Common Core was in the campaign planks for many legislators elected Tuesday and he expects discussion in the new session. He said discussion will move toward delaying the implementation, revising the standards or revocation, which would be the hardest thing to accomplish.

"I support Common Core because common standards across the states just makes sense," Lindsey said.

Legislatures in several states, including Oklahoma, have scrapped the standards.

NW News on 11/08/2014

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