RALEIGH — Under legislation signed into law this year, the North Carolina Academic Review Commission is charged with finding new classroom standards for the state. The law says the group is meant to help replace Common Core — the current controversial and politically charged standards currently being used.
“My hope for this commission is that the standards recommended to the state board of education will be clear, concise, rigorous, measurable and age appropriate,” said Bill Cobey, NC State Board of Education Chair and commission member.
People looking to replace Common Core have argued since approval by the state Board of Education in 2010 that it is untested and unproven. They also take issue with the fact that the standards were not developed in North Carolina.
“You’re an important group and you were all selected for a reason,” said Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican. “And it is to come up with North Carolina standards that are as rigorous or more rigorous than anybody’s in the nation.”
Supporters say the standards are aligned with current college and work expectations, and offer the type of rigor that kids need in today’s classroom.
Under the direction of the General Assembly, this commission has to sort through the disconnect.
“We have got to raise the bar,” said Rep. Craig Horn, a Union County Republican. “Senate bill 812 was very clear, that our standards are meant to be among the highest in the nation.”
As the commission kicked off its work on Monday, it was a full house waiting to see what ideas this group has. And the group got right into its work.
“I think that the key takeaway is that we want to engage the expertise we require in order to come to an informed decision on behalf of our stakeholders,” said Andre Peek, the commission co-chair.
The Standards Commission members say they plan to meet about once a month as they work to create new standards. Under law, they must complete their recommendations by the end of 2015.
- Loretta Boniti