As New York's Governor aims to take another look at the Common Core program, education officials from around the state share opinions both positive and negative.Cuomo said officials need to fix a “flawed” implementation of Common Core, and that he sympathizes with parents who opted their children out of state tests.
Central New York area BOCES Administrator Jeff Craig said the governor’s approach just adds to existing tension around state testing and teacher evaluations.
“Here we are trying to start a new school year and [we get] more drama. I don’t think anyone has confidence that this is going to be a helpful thing,” said Craig.
Craig said all the drama distracts schools. He believes that eventually, it could take away from student learning.
Cuomo convened a similar education reform commission in 2012. Craig said this kind of thing doesn’t deliver results on the ground.
“I don’t think people feel these commissions have been fruitful in the past. It only seems to complicate things and add drama, rather than resolve anything at all,” said Craig.
Tim Kremer of the New York State School Boards Association is somewhat more optimistic about the review. He said some parts of the standards do need to change, particularly around state testing.
“If his study results in the formulation or the direction to a new set of standards, then more power to [Governor Cuomo]. But if it’s just to denounce what we have, the status quo, with no recommendation as to where do we go from here, then it’s not going to be that helpful.”
Cuomo set a January deadline for his panel and aims to include their recommendations in his State of the State address.
