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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Tell Me Again: Why Did We Adopt Common Core? | Missouri Education Watchdog

Tell Me Again: Why Did We Adopt Common Core? | Missouri Education Watchdog:



Tell Me Again: Why Did We Adopt Common Core?


nicastro 2009

 Missouri had high standards according to the Commissioner circa 2009. So why did we adopt CCSS?
Commissioner Chris Nicastro was appointed as Missouri Education of Commissioner and began her duties officially on August 1, 2009.
Governor Jay Nixon unilaterally signed the intent to adopt Common Core Standards on June 25, 2009.
Nicastro gave her acceptance speech on July 2, 2009.  From Nicastro to head Dept. of Educationfrom Missourinet:
“Since the Outstanding Schools Act was passed in 1993, education in Missouri has improved significantly,” she says. “Ongoing monitoring on every level ensures that instructional improvement takes place.”
However, she says there remain districts that have shown little sign of improvement, serving some 68,000 students.
“We cannot afford over 7 percent of our student population to be at risk because of where they live,” she says.
Nicastro, 58, is the fifth person — and the first woman — to serve as Missouri’s top official for public schools. She begins Aug. 1 and her salary has been set at $185,400.

The article contains the audio of this speech.  I have transcribed it from the 3:10 mark to the end.  Listen/read carefully.

Start at 3:10:


Since the Outstanding Schools Act was passed in 1993, education in Missouri has increased