Help Fix Common Core and Create New State Education Standards

Posted: 
Thursday, November 5, 2015

The roll out of the Common Core learning standards has been a disaster. After ignoring suggestions for implementing new standards, the state education department is finally offering the people most qualified to create state standards, the teachers, an opportunity to make their voices heard.

Last month, Governor Cuomo named 15 people to a Task Force to perform a comprehensive review of Common Core curriculum and make recommendations for an overhaul of the current system and the way we test students in our state. The Task Force will complete its review and deliver its final recommendations to the Governor by the end of this year.
 
The Governor has specifically charged the Task Force to:
  1.  Review and reform the Common Core State Standards;
  2.  Review New York State's curriculum guidance and resources;
  3.  Develop a process to ensure tests fit curricula and standards;
  4.  Examine the impact of the current moratorium on recording Common Core test scores on student records, and make a recommendation as to whether it should be extended;
  5.  Examine how the State and local districts can reduce both the quantity and duration of student tests, and develop a plan whereby districts include parents in reviewing local tests being administered to analyze those tests' purpose and usefulness; and
  6.  Review the quality of the tests to ensure competence and professionalism from the private company creating and supplying the tests.
NYUST Vice President, Catalina R. Fortino, is a member of the Governor's Task Force. Fortino is asking all NYSUT members to bring their expertise to this process by taking a survey on the Common Core standards. Click here to go to the survey page
 
As teachers with a deep working knowledge of the standards, we are in the best position to make recommendations on what needs to be changed, added or deleted. Specific recommendations will be brought to the table as the Governor's Task Force does its work. Be sure to make your voice heard!
Found in: