Critics of Common Core, however, were skeptical of Cuomo’s criticism of the implementation and defense of the concept of Common Core.
Advertisement
“Gov. Cuomo has started listening to teachers and parents who know firsthand how flawed the implementation of the Common Core has been in New York State”, Mulgrew said in a statement. Speaking of the latter, Andrew Cuomo announced after our interview with the commissioner that he is forming a commission to examine the implementation of the Common Core across the state.
Cuomo tapped a “Common Core panel” in the winter of 2014, as calls mounted for the state to pause tying state test results to consequences for students and teachers.
She has taken a hard line against opt-out, after 20 percent of students statewide boycotted the state math and English exams this past year.
The governor also directly challenged new state education commissioner MaryEllen Elia’s strong opposition to the opt-out movement.
Elia has criticized parents and schools officials for supporting the opt-out movement, and is taking steps to combat it through legal means.
He says standards for students are important, but people, especially parents, have faith in them.
Among the complaints about the program were that teachers didn’t have the proper materials or training and that the state rushed to align standardized assessments to the Common Core.
Cuomo said he will ask members of an education panel, including Elia, to make recommendations ahead of his State of the State address in January.
The State Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
But Common Core advocates High Achievement New York said the standards have improved learning.
While the governor says he agrees with the goal of the standards, he notes the implementation has been flawed.
“A growing chorus of experts have questioned the intelligence of SED’s Common Core program and objective educators across the state have found the implementation problematic, to say the least”. While I understand the issue and SED’s valid concern, I sympathize with the frustration of the parents.
“At every one of those meetings, I have stressed the need for high standards for all students”, she said.
Cuomo, who is often accused of using a similarly admonitory tone with those who have displeased him, stakes out a middle ground here: “Recently, SED has made comments about organized efforts to have parents choose to opt out of standardized tests”, the governor says.
“The fact is that the current Common Core program in New York is not working, and must be fixed. That’s something that makes a lot of sense, it is something that will continue and hopefully we’ll see continued improvement in our education system”.
Advertisement
Questar won a five-year, $44 million contract that includes options for districts to administer tests on computers and would end stand-alone tests given to try out new questions.
