OT: Bye Bye Common Core...

[CajunNation]

https://hotair.com/archives/2018/01/...l-common-core/

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos gave a far-ranging speech today in Washington at an American Enterprise Institute conference, “Bush-Obama School Reform: Lessons Learned.”

She announced the death of Common Core, at least in her federal agency.
“Unsurprisingly, nearly every state accepted Common Core standards and applied for hundreds of millions of dollars in “Race to the Top” funds. But despite this change, the United States’ PISA performance did not improve in reading and science, and it dropped in math from 2012 to 2015.
Then, rightly, came the public backlash to federally imposed tests and the Common Core. I agree – and have always agreed – with President Trump on this: “Common Core is a disaster.” And at the U.S. Department of Education, Common Core is dead.”

[Ragin4U]

Whew. Now those high performing states like La, Ms, etc can go back to doing their own thing.

[Duggie35]

Well it's not like Common Core moved these states to the top of the list! I think it would be great to get back to teaching kids to simply memorize (anyone ever used flashcards) that 3 + 3 = 6 & 4 x 4 = 16 instead of getting the answer by going to the moon and back. My daughter teaches 1st grade and must teach her kids in a manner that won't even allow me to help my grandkid's with their homework without confusing them or them confusing me! Education in the U.S.A. used to be the best in the world. However, since teaching method's have changed and advanced students have been held back and kept with slower learners and social promotions have been mandated, education has taken a nose dive.

I think a big part of the answer to solving our education problem is quite simple. 1st, determine what students must learn at each grade level AND MAKE THEM PROVE THEY KNOW THE MATERIAL THROUGH "LEGITIMATE" TESTING before being promoted to the next grade (yes, it would be possible to FAIL). 2nd, quit making teachers teach students to pass a standardized test rather than teaching students about the material they need to learn and need to know to pass. 3rd, reinstate stricter discipline in schools at all levels. Students that continually disrupt schools and classes should not be allowed to hold back those that want to learn.

These are not a complete list or what I think should change, but I think it would be a pretty good start. Just my opinion.

[cajunhawk]

http://www.businessinsider.com/educa...parison-2016-9

[CajunNation]

http://www.businessinsider.com/educa...parison-2016-9

My 4th grader is struggling with algebra. In fact, the whole 4th grade is struggling with math right now. You know why? The Common Core standards force new materials at an ever increasing pace and teachers/students can't keep up. They're trying to force Algebra on 9 year olds when most of them never learned multiplication tables or long division properly and it is a train wreck.

No lack of money caused this, and no amount of money will fix this.

[Policarp]

In the past 100 years.....enumerous Presidents, Governors..... has LA or MS ever not been in the bottom 10.

Maybe the solution has no correlation to federal spending......but it does correlate to the level of local investment into education.

TX used to be in that bottom group. Now many school districts in TX (where local commitment very high) compete in the top 5-10% nationally......those that dont compete with LA & MS

[cajunhawk]

My 4th grader is struggling with algebra. In fact, the whole 4th grade is struggling with math right now. You know why? The Common Core standards force new materials at an ever increasing pace and teachers/students can't keep up. They're trying to force Algebra on 9 year olds when most of them never learned multiplication tables or long division properly and it is a train wreck.

No lack of money caused this, and no amount of money will fix this.

I agree...to an extent. Raising the amounts given to elementary and secondary education would help them raise salaries and foster a better learning environment, you still have to get past politics driving the entire mess into the ground, and from the Federal government diverting it to student loans (like it currently does with the majority of education spending).

I don't see Common Core as anything but partisan politics ____ing in the wind. I see private school vouchers doing the same. I doubt both sides of the aisle will ever agree on anything during our lifetimes...because that would make too much sense...and that's not how certain people get filthy ____ing rich.

[CajunNation]

I agree...to an extent. Raising the amounts given to elementary and secondary education would help them raise salaries and foster a better learning environment, you still have to get past politics driving the entire mess into the ground, and from the Federal government diverting it to student loans (like it currently does with the majority of education spending).

I don't see Common Core as anything but partisan politics ____ing in the wind. I see private school vouchers doing the same. I doubt both sides of the aisle will ever agree on anything during our lifetimes...because that would make too much sense...and that's not how certain people get filthy ____ing rich.

Yes. Higher teacher pay attracts and keeps higher quality people. With Texas next door, we have to, not try to, raise teacher pay considerably.

Also agree about the student loan fiasco. That needs to end ASAP.

I do think that Common Core is a little more nefarious than you think, but I agree that the pocket lining going on from both the government beauracrat and the private school factory owners are the real culprits here.

I will always believe that the more local you can control the system, the more accountability you can demand and receive from the system. A good first step would be the end of the Department of Education.

[cajunhawk]

Yes. Higher teacher pay attracts and keeps higher quality people. With Texas next door, we have to, not try to, raise teacher pay considerably.

Also agree about the student loan fiasco. That needs to end ASAP.

I do think that Common Core is a little more nefarious than you think, but I agree that the pocket lining going on from both the government beauracrat and the private school factory owners are the real culprits here.

I will always believe that the more local you can control the system, the more accountability you can demand and receive from the system. A good first step would be the end of the Department of Education.

Local makes sense...but that leaves states like Louisiana to it's own devices. Most states are already lapping the bottom of the barrel states with Federal funds. I don't know what accountability we can demand, with such a ____ poor voting state. We elected Clay Higgins...we would vote to have it taught that Dinosaurs never existed.

We are one of the few states who need a strict overlord to force us to fix our ____. But...the Department of Education isn't it. It fails miserably across the board.

[Ragin4U]

Money doesn't solve all of the ills but a lack of money can certainly cause issues.

If you want to find one of the biggest culprits of educational issues right now, look at textbook companies. Also look to Texas. They buy so many textbooks that they drive the curriculum for the nation. These people want textbooks to refer to slaves as "immigrants" and who want to allow science teachers to teach alternate "theories" of evolution. Hell, the La legislature passed a bill allowing science teachers in bring alternate materials into the classroom. Local control is scary mainly because the decisions made are political in nature rather than educational.
If you look at the Common Core standards compared to the state standards that were in place before, you see a lot of correlation and CC is usually more rigorous. My point is that high standards backed by evidence and research is what we should want our schools aiming for.

[CajunRebel]

Well the federal government has never had anything to do with Common Core. It was adopted by individual states. Soooo... DeVos ended a federal program that never existed.

I’m very much in favor of DeVos’s push to expand school choice, but man does she say and think some boneheaded things. School curriculum should be crafted by educational experts, not politicians blinded by ideology. We owe that to our kids.

[CajunNation]

.... Local control is scary mainly because the decisions made are political in nature rather than educational....

Completely disagree.

All decisions made by politicians/bureaucrats are political. The more layers of control, the more layers of political stupidity, ideology and theft.

In a nation of 360 million, the idea that some federal overlord will be the final word on what is best for our children when it comes to what and how they think should scare you to your soul.

[CajunNation]

Well the federal government has never had anything to do with Common Core. It was adopted by individual states. Soooo... DeVos ended a federal program that never existed.

I’m very much in favor of DeVos’s push to expand school choice, but man does she say and think some boneheaded things. School curriculum should be crafted by educational experts, not politicians blinded by ideology. We owe that to our kids.

Most of those experts are blinded by ideology as well.

[CajunRebel]

Most of those experts are blinded by ideology as well.

Well then give me the ones that aren’t. Give me the ones that are dedicated to evidence based policy.

[CajunProud]

Completely disagree.

All decisions made by politicians/bureaucrats are political. The more layers of control, the more layers of political stupidity, ideology and theft.

In a nation of 360 million, the idea that some federal overlord will be the final word on what is best for our children when it comes to what and how they think should scare you to your soul.

You are 100% correct.

And let me add to that. No amount of money can fix stupid or lack of morals or broken homes or lack of interest by a community in valuing education. The government, whether state or federal, usually does nothing well, other than stealing the citizens hard earned money. Nowhere in the US Constitution does it authorize the Department of Education. If a state consistently performs poorly in the area of education, a potential solution for the citizens of that state is to move to another state that performs better, i.e., we vote with our feet. Another potential solution is to get rid of the public education system. The private sector is much better equipped to handle education and by doing so, there would be more choices for citizens and thus, the prices would be reduced and affordable for all (simple, free market economics). Also, the private system would allow for the firing of teachers who perform poorly, unlike the public system.