School Board Votes to Send Letter Regarding Common Core

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Though there was much discussion and some use of the word “confused” by Prince William School Board members, a motion passed 4 to 3 to send a letter to the Governor that Prince William County does not support the Common Core.

The Common Core is an initiative by various governors to establish standardized course curriculum and testing requirements throughout the country.

Right now, Virginia uses the Standards of Learning (SOLs) to satisfy the requirements of No Child Left Behind. The predominant arguments against the Common Core have been that the SOLs are similar to the Common Core and that making a change would mandate undo effort and cost, and that secondly, the Common Core would create a one-size-fits-all educational plan that would not allow for customization in the classroom.

According to the Common Core’s website, 45 states have opted into the program, but the discussion during the meeting indicated several states have since dropped out, changed the name of the initiative, or heavily modified it.

“I have to say I’m very confused..." said Betty Covington of the Potomac District. "I see this as a political thing. I try not to be political…We are not supposed to be politically influenced or affiliated, but we know in reality that happens.”

Covington said she didn't know enough about the Common Core that she felt capable of voting one way or another, that she needed more information and work sessions. She said if 45 states bought into it, there had to be something good, but if states were dropping out, there must be something bad about it, too. She asked about graduation rates and textbooks, among other things that would be impacted by adopting the Common Core.  Most of that information will not be available until 2015 when field testing is completed. Ultimately, Covington abstained from the vote.

Occoquan District Board Member Lillie Jessie said she was not comfortable sending the letter.

“This is a major topic for discussion for us,” she said, and believed it required more time than the  public forum of a regular School Board meeting allowed.  She said she called state representative in Richmond , and at this time, they said they are re-evaluating the SOLs but are not planning to adopt the Common Core. Thus, she said, she didn’t see a need to write a letter opposing, “something that many of us do not really understand."

Jessie also took issue that Superintendent Dr. Steven Walts, teachers, staff and parents had not been part of the discussion. Woodbridge Board Member Loree Williams agreed.

The strongest argument for adopting the Common Core has been that it aims to help students who move from state to state, school to school.  These moves affect not only students, but teachers as well, according to Jessie.  Jessie said that in an area such as Prince William County where there is prominent military presence, it is important that a student moving from one state to another would be able to go to a different school and still be on track.

Chairman Milton Johns said he was encouraged that Richmond is looking at the SOLs and was concerned that changing to the Common Core would incur heavy costs.

Nokesville Board Member Gil Trenum seconded John’s motion to write the letter. Trenum said there has been, “lots of discussion about the specific standards…in some cases they may be better…in some cases Virginia’s may be better,” but when it came down to it, this was a practical matter of who controls assessments, who makes the rules Virginia will have to live by.

Gainesville Board Member Alyson Satterwhite favored writing the letter because, she said, in other states, there had been no local involvement, that the State Boards of Education made the decision. She felt by sending the letter, Prince William County had the opportunity to be an example of what can be done in education.

Satterwhite’s other concern was that the initiative would encourage data mining by the Federal government looking for specifics on students, families, special education, accommodations and teachers’ education.

“This is a little more invasive than what we’ve seen in the United States,” Satterwhite said.  “Common Core is more than the standards.”

Coles District Board Member Dr. Michael Otaigbe supported the letter saying, “Virginia is a national leader in education…the Common Core is just the SOL on a national scale.”  He suggested tweaking the letter to reflect the will of the School Board.

“I could go either way on this,” said Lisa Bell, Neabsco Board Member, but she believed sending the letter was premature.

Bell ended up voting against sending the letter, as did Williams and Jessie.  Yes votes came from Trenum, Johns, Satterwhite and Otaigbe.

For more information on the Common Core initiative, visit www.corestandards.org.

For more information on how Virginia’s SOLs compare with the Common Core, visit http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/common_core.

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