Dive Brief:
- Speaking Tuesday at a two-day conference on the Common Core standards, Louisiana Education Superintendent John White said the politicizing of the standards and the associated PARCC exam must end so educators will know what they'll be teaching this August.
- White told the 4,000 teachers and administrators in attendance that they "should not have to fear last-minute switches" by state legislators and Gov. Bobby Jindal, who recently flip-flopped on his support of the standards.
- Louisiana implemented the Common Core in 2013, but the state's legislature has been wavering on its use this year. Though it decided prior to the beginning of its recess Monday that the state would continue to use the national standards and the PARCC exam, Jindal is promising to at least find a way out of the test.
Dive Insight:
Regardless of where one falls on the Common Core debate, White is 100% correct that keeping teachers in the dark on what they are expected to teach is not going to service anyone. Ultimately, teachers must feel comfortable and versed in whatever standards they are teaching to.
The conference, which was meant to give teachers a better understanding of how to implement the Common Core, also provided space for teachers to air grievances about its execution over the past year. Teachers discussed various issues, including bringing older students up to speed with content that was now expected of them but they might be behind on; difficulties finding course materials to match the curriculum, since the state didn't provide anything until March; and troubles working with parents who were also struggling with the changes.