Via WVTM-TV News: “The state of Alabama has opted out of participating in the Common Core English and mathematics standards.” Last month, State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice proposed rescinding the 2009 Memorandum of Agreement with the National governor’s Association and the Council for Chief State School Officers, “in an effort to reassure the […]
Author: Karen Braun
Karen Braun is a writer and conference speaker on issues related education and family life. Her work has appeared in the American Thinker, Crosswalk, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, WatchDog Wire, and various other websites and magazines. She has also appeared on TV and radio venues. Along with blogging, Karen also enjoys homeschooling, running marathons, and spending time with her husband, their six children, and two grand children. For more information please contact Karen at spunkyhomeschool at gmail dot com
Trying to piece together the events in Lansing today is not easy but the net result seems to be clear, the implementation of Common Core will go forward but questions about the assessments and SBAC remain. Last week, the Senate cowardly gaveled through resolution S-4 as a substitute resolution to HCR-11 previously passed by the […]
Rethinking the Common Core
Last week, the Michigan Senate hastily gaveled through, S-4, a substitute resolution designed to restart the implementation of the Common Core. They did so by voice vote without any public hearings on the resolution and no record of how members voted. The senate decision to push the resolution through is likely because parents and […]
Senate Roll Call Please!
Yesterday by a voice vote, the Michigan Senate passed a substitute resolution on Common Core. A voice vote means that no record of how each Senator voted was recorded. According to a report from MLive, “Richardville also said a roll call vote was not taken on the issue because “there didn’t seem to be a […]
Senate Takes Action with Voice Vote
Yesterday, the Senate gaveled through S-4, their substitute version of the Common Core resolution by voice vote. MIRS reports, “When the issue was called on for a vote, a few senators audibly grumbled “yes,” a few senators audibly grumbled “no” and Speaker Pro Tem Tonya SCHUITMAKER (R-Lawton) gaveled the resolution through. No role call vote […]
Update: Via MLIve Gov. Rick Snyder issued the following statement Thursday afternoon: Michigan students will be better prepared to compete for jobs in our state and beyond as our partners in the Legislature took another key step to support the Common Core Standards. “There is strong, bipartisan backing for the Common Core, an effort developed […]
Senate “huddles” with MDE
There have been no public hearings on Common Core in the Senate since the joint committee hearing held on October 2. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville is controlling the Common Core debate and listening to only one side of the argument. MIRS reports that key senators met with state Superintendent Mike Flanagan “behind closed doors […]
Friday Senate Update
Last June, state lawmakers passed a budget which included language that halted Common Core and Smarter Balanced Assessments pending an affirmative action of the legislature. The new budget year begins October 1. The House held four public hearings over the summer to help House members learn more about the issue. Hoping to meet […]
In our technology age, learning to type is an important skill. But is it necessary to learn that skill to a young child in first or second grade? Thanks to Common Core and the Smarter Balanced Computer Assessments, the answer appears to be “yes.” The Washington Post reports that students in kindergarten are now learning […]
In a research paper released today , MSU Professor Gary Troia questions the “effectiveness of the Common Core State Standards in teaching writing.” I have not read the actual report but according to reporter Brian Smith at MLIVE, “Research published Friday by the National Association of School Psychologists from a Michigan State University education professor […]