In an attempt to quell some of the outcry from educators, parents and lawmakers, two key Board of Regents committees issued a report today recommending minor adjustments to the implementation of Common Core state standards, but still failed to propose the significant course corrections educators and parents have demanded.
The full Regents board is expected to act on the committee reports on Tuesday, February 11.
"Instead of listening to parents and educators who are grappling with the fallout from the State Education Department's disastrous implementation, the task force dismissed their concerns with a report that, in the end, adds up to a ‘we know best' collection of minor adjustments," said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi.
The report included several recommendations that are already underway, require federal waivers or suggest "guidance" to school districts. Contrary to the State Education Department's press release, the report does not recommend delay of the Common Core until 2022. Delays appear to be for the benefit of the state, which is still far behind in what they need to do. The Regents stopped well short of the union's call for a three-year moratorium on high-stakes consequences associated with the new Common Core standards.
Contrary to the governor's comments, the Regents did not pause or delay anything that is not already in law, including teacher evaluations. The recommendation to allow teachers who appeal an ineffective rating to point out failures in their district's implementation of the state standards is a provision that already exists in state law.
NYSUT will provide more detail once we have the opportunity to review the report, which was released only this morning.
"The task force worked in secret, and the Regents accepted its report with no public input," Neira said. "This lack of transparency and lack of responsiveness to the deeply held concerns of parents, teachers and others in public education is, frankly, indicative of a body that seems to care more about the corporations influencing public education than what parents and practitioners know will work."
NYSUT will be carefully analyzing the Regents' corrective actions and continuing to work with Albany lawmakers for additional changes, including the three-year moratorium.
Here is NYSUT's official statement.