Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Innovative solutions driving educational success
School choice
Funding for post secondary and vocational schools
Oppose Common Core
The Common Core State Standards Initiative are a set of expensive, unproven academic standards for K-12 students created by three private organizations: Achieve, Inc., the National Governor's Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). It is a method for conforming American students to a "one size fits all" curriculum. Despite the fact that Federal Law prohibits the federalizing of K-12 curriculum, federal dollars have been awarded to states that are most committed to the Common Core Standards.

The Common Core was initially crafted to test mathematics and English; however no past or present math or English teachers were on the committee that created the standards. There were also no parents, scientists, engineers, state legislators, or state or local school board members.

In order to enforce the Common Core Standards, new textbooks, digital media and other teaching materials aligned to the standards must be purchased and adopted by local school districts so students may effectively compete on Common Core assessments. The Common Core will place a heavy financial burden on the school districts in Jefferson, Belmont and Monroe counties, where we are already struggling to find ways to keep schools open, keep our great teachers employed and provide the best opportunities for the children of our communities.

The Common Core Standards also take away the ability of our teachers to do what they do best… teach. 50% of teacher evaluations will be based on student test scores of tests the teacher never created, graded or even viewed.

Possibly the worst part of the entire Common Core Standards is that federal money will be used to invade the privacy of our students and teachers. Personal data will be collected on both our students and our teachers which can then be shared with other agencies. Data points such as test scores, disciplinary and health records, family income, food service participation and more than 400 others are among the things that will be recorded.

States around the country are already working to eliminate the Common Core, and legislation has been proposed in Ohio to repeal the standards. Join me in protecting our students and teachers by standing up against the federal government's attempted takeover of our school districts. For more information check out this website: http://ohioansagainstcommoncore.com/

In addition to opposing the Common Core, we also need to allow for school choice. This allows the money to follow the student, which is critical in ensuring that each student is given the choice to find the program that fits that student best.

Source