Common Core

The House will vote on critical legislation this week to replace No Child Left Behind to end the federal government's intrusion into our nation's classrooms. Without this legislation, the Department of Education could prohibit funds from being sent to Georgia unless we adopt federally prescribed education standards like Common Core. We all know that each child learns differently and at their own pace and they should not be punished for this.

Some have voiced concerns about whether the legislation will actually prohibit Common Core. It absolutely does. 

There are actually several provisions in the legislation that clearly prohibit the federal government from incentivizing or coercing states into adopting Common Core. You can read for yourself in the legislation by clicking the links below.

The legislation protects the right of states to opt-out of Common Core without federal interference and prohibits the federal government from taking any action against a state that exercises that right.

The legislation ends the ability of the secretary of education to influence state standards and explicitly prevents any agent of the federal government – including the secretary – from incentivizing, coercing, or mandating Common Core or any other set of standards.

The legislation prohibits the federal government from endorsing, approving, developing, rewarding, or requiring any curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards or any other academic standards, whether through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.