
Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer’s after-school “21st Century Community Learning Centers” program was reauthorized for five years by the huge “Every Student Succeeds Act” education bill.
by Dr. Susan Berry9 Dec 2015, 4:48 PM PST0

Sen. Patty Murray is crowing about one of her crowning achievements in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) legislation: a newly codified federal preschool program and the taxpayer monies that will fund it.
by Dr. Susan Berry9 Dec 2015, 10:05 AM PST0

During floor speeches, Republican lawmakers claimed the bill “reduces the federal role” in education – even though it extends federal oversight of education to formally include pre-school instead of only grades K-12. They also say the measure would stop the federal government from coercing states to implement the Common Core standards – a point that is hotly debated by conservative activists who say the bill actually cements the Common Core further.
by Dr. Susan Berry3 Dec 2015, 5:30 AM PST0

In a remarkable admission, the former director of the Race to the Top (RttT) competitive grant program and chief of staff to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the federal government “forced” full support for adoption of the Common Core standards from each state by requiring its governor, chief state school officer, and head of the state board of education to sign off on the grant application.
by Dr. Susan Berry16 Sep 2015, 11:19 AM PST0

“The Review Portal is too difficult for the average parent without an educator’s assistance since there is so much jargon, redundancy, and education speak,” Louisiana parent activist Caryn Jenkins tells Breitbart News. “Asking a parent to understand what a large percentage of the standards mean is like asking a teacher to understand physician orders in a medical chart. Jenkins said many parents are intimidated by having to review education standards, and the time required to participate in the review process is equally daunting.
by Dr. Susan Berry28 Aug 2015, 2:14 PM PST0

A national poll has underscored the continued unpopularity of the Common Core standards with a majority of those surveyed opposing its use in America’s classrooms.
by Dr. Susan Berry24 Aug 2015, 5:23 PM PST0

School is in session for the Republican 2016 primary candidates, and their report card grades on how they live up to the principles of the Constitution when it comes to their views on education policy and the Common Core initiative
by Dr. Susan Berry19 Aug 2015, 12:28 PM PST0

The annual Education Next poll on school reform has been released, and the results are not good for the Common Core initiative, which seems to abide by the philosophy that the more Americans know about it, the more they do not like it.
by Dr. Susan Berry19 Aug 2015, 7:10 AM PST0

Sen. Marco Rubio said Thursday night during the GOP presidential debate in Cleveland that the problem with Common Core is that the U.S. Department of Education “will turn it into a mandate.”
by Dr. Susan Berry6 Aug 2015, 11:29 PM PST0

During the GOP debate Thursday night, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush – who has individually and through his foundations been a champion of the federally funded Common Core standards – said he doesn’t believe the federal government should be involved
by Dr. Susan Berry6 Aug 2015, 9:40 PM PST0

At issue is the fact that while Walker proposed defunding the Common Core-aligned Smarter Balanced exam in his budget, the new “Badger Exam” that replaces it will also be aligned with the controversial standards, making it unlikely that many local school districts would opt for non-Common Core standards.
by Dr. Susan Berry7 Jul 2015, 6:36 AM PST0

Walker, a likely 2016 contender, has recently affirmed what has been true of Wisconsin school districts all along – that they can choose their own standards. To his credit, he has also proposed defunding the Smarter Balanced test, a product of one of the federally funded, interstate Common Core test consortia. Grassroots parents groups, however, say Walker’s proposed new state exam – called the “Badger Exam,” is also aligned with the Common Core standards.
by Dr. Susan Berry27 Jun 2015, 9:03 AM PST0

Louisiana lawmakers and parents who oppose Common Core are supporting a plan they say would ultimately rid the state of the controversial education initiative. However, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal has “concerns” about the legislation.
by Dr. Susan Berry16 May 2015, 11:04 AM PST0