Parents again packed an Indiana Senate committee Tuesday as its members voted 7-4 to have the state reconsider the Common Core, a national list of what K-12 children must know in math and English.
The previous bill would have pulled Indiana from the Core and its national tests immediately, but now would put its phase-in on hold during a series of hearings around the state before having the state Board of Education publicly vote again on the issue. Senate Education Committee members voted on party lines, though Democratic State Superintendent Glenda Ritz supports the bill.
Senate bill 193 would also require the state board of education to compare Common Core to Indiana’s current standards. Independent analyses have rated Indiana’s standards higher. And the state would have to analyze the cost of implementing Common Core, which is currently operational in kindergarten and first grade classrooms.
The bill will now go to the full Senate for consideration on Tuesday. The House version is House Bill 1284.
Former Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett was a nationwide leader in promoting the Common Core, which contributed to his surprise loss to Ritz in November’s elections.
Image of the Indiana Senate Eduation Committee by Joy Pullmann.
Joy Pullmann is a research fellow on education policy for The Heartland Institute and managing editor of The Federalist, a web magazine on politics, policy, and culture.
