What's next for PARCC? — Is PARCC member Louisiana next? — Buckle up for the budget showdown — What does this mean for education?
With help from Caitlin Emma
WHAT’S NEXT FOR PARCC? — Fla. Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order Monday saying he wanted out of the Common Core testing consortium his state helped bring together. Scott is under pressure from tea party conservatives who oppose the common standards. “While the debate surrounding Common Core Standards has become polarized into a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ discussion, we heard during the Education Summit that most education leaders agreed on two things,” Scott said in a statement. “We agree that we should say ‘yes’ to high standards for Florida students and ‘no’ to the federal government’s overreach into our education system. Therefore, I notified the federal government that Florida would be withdrawing from PARCC, and at the same time we will hold public comment sessions to receive input on any alterations that should be made to the current Common Core Standards.”
If Florida departs, that leaves PARCC with about 17 members. Experts say that could drive up test costs further and prompt other state departures. New York and Arizona are considering developing their own tests. But Tennessee, Ohio, New Mexico and Illinois say they’re in it for the long haul. Caitlin Emma has the story for Pros: http://politico.pro/17YaJyu
— Is PARCC member Louisiana next? From The Advocate: "Gov. Bobby Jindal said Monday that he is concerned Louisiana public school classrooms would be saddled with a 'federalized curriculum' sparked by a series of tougher standards called Common Core. Jindal, in his most expansive comments on the issue, also said he wants state Superintendent of Education John White and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to answer questions raised by a state lawmaker, who said Monday he wants the state to drop the standards." And if Louisiana doesn't hang onto the standards, presumably the state doesn't need the associated