Dive Brief:
- A Louisiana district judge dismissed an anti-Common Core lawsuit, filed by seventeen legislators and joined by Gov. Bobby Jindal, saying the complaint was filed too late.
- The suit alleged that education leaders in Louisiana have not properly implemented the Common Core State Standards, however, District Court Judge Tim Kelley (with the agreement of the State Board of Education) decided that any challenge needed to have been filed within two years of the Common Core's adoption in 2010.
- Jindal, a potential presidential contender and Common Core supporter-turned-detractor, told the Associated Press he was disappointed Kelley did not rule on the merits of the case. According to the AP, Jindal has plans to push for the repeal of the standards in upcoming April legislative sessions.
Dive Insight:
At this point, it's difficult to discern what people are doing for the sake of students and what is just part of a bigger political agenda. Jindal is known as one of the biggest Common Core flip-floppers. He was all about the standards in 2010, but has since changed his tune, doing everything possible for a repeal that would, at the very least, boot the associated PARCC exam.
The argument that the suit had to filed within two years of the Common Core adoption is tricky. Would the effects of poor implementation be apparent after only two years? Don't we know by now it takes quite some time to see whether or not something works in education?