The Florida Five: Common Core’s Republican Shills
From John O’Connor in StateImpact: Five former Republican Party of Florida leaders have sent out an email asking state GOP members to support new education standards adopted by Florida and 44 other states. The letter is signed by state Sen. John Thrasher and four other former state party chairmen. When Florida has raised its standards in the past, Thrasher wrote in the email, it has resulted in b
PARCC’s Convenient Release of Cost Analysis
Pearson pushed back this week. Reeling from the news that Florida’s top two legislative leaders wanted out of the PARCC testing consortium that are part of Common Core Standards, Pearson, who was awarded the contract for PARCC, released a cost analysis of PARCC. And surprise! It costs less that FCAT. From Jeff Solochek in Gradebook:
When questioning the need to remain in the PARCC testing consortium, House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz referred to concerns over cost.“To date, the cost of the full implementation of PARCC assessment materials is indeterminate, let alone the costs for the technology and professional development infrastructure necessary to effectively administer a valid assessment program,” they wrote July 17 in a letter to commissioner Tony Bennett.On Monday the consortium issued its cost estimate for its testing: $29.50