Governor Scott, Kim McDougal,
One insidious element of Common Core is “assessment”. High stakes standardized testing has been a problem (read: it is not beneficial to the children) since before Common Core. The fact is, the teacher is still the best source of assessment of student achievement. There are alternatives to standardized tests. Therefore, school boards and parents need a way to opt out of standardized tests.
I’m sure you are aware of growing resistance to high stakes standardized testing as demonstrated by actions taken by the Lee County School Board, among others, to investigate opting out. The 11 member Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards and the Florida Education Association are urging the state to provide an opt out provision for such testing. The Florida School Boards Association initially adopted a resolution supporting opting out before deciding to examine the issue further. In school board elections across the state, voters are not supporting candidates who support Common Core.
The Governor’s support of Common Core is causing many voters to withhold their support for him. It has become a very significant damaging issue for the Governor. Changing the name and promising a committee do not constitute meaningful action on Common Core. It is time for the Governor to make public his direction to the Department of Education to work with school boards across the state to allow school boards and parents to opt out of standardized tests without impacting student advancement, education funding, teacher evaluation or any other related issue. It is the correct thing to do.
There is not much time remaining before the election. This announcement needs to be made quickly so that voters have time to understand the Governor’s opposition to standardized tests and support him in the voting booth.
CC: Eagle Forum, Floridians Against Common Core Education, Conversation ED, Florida Parents Against Common Core, Education Liberty Watch and Bear Witness Central/Libertad USA
Lane Watkins
Conservative Grass Roots Organizer
“It is those who are not in the room with us that we need to get engaged.”
Please “follow” me on Twitter: @unifyUSA
