Mississippi lawmakers could be one step closer to repealing the state’s Common Core Educational Standards.
"All in favor say I. All opposed, like sign."
Senate Bill 2161 was approved during a special meeting of the Senate Education Committee yesterday. The bill could effectively kill the use of Common Core in Mississippi and replace it with a set of standards to be created by a task force appointed by the Governor. State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright says it would be costly for the state to dismantle Common Core so soon after implementing the standards.
"It's going to be a very, very long, detailed and expensive process." says Wright. "I mean the millions of dollars that have been spent, and that's not to say the amount of money the districts have spent. In addition to the amount of money the state has spent. With new standards you're starting all over again."
"I think she's wrong; I think she's dead wrong."
That was Senator Videt Carmichael of Meridian. He introduced the bill in the Committee. He says the new standards will have to be tougher than Common Core.
"The standards are as high or higher. So what they've been trained to do this goes, it shouldn't bother it at all. I think it's her excuse to keep Common Core, the name Common Core. I'm sorry, but that's just the way I feel right now."
Some other education leaders are unsure what to make of the bill. Sam Bounds is the executive director of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents.
"It's going to be a lot of money regardless, but I don't think it's going to be any additional money based on what we've already been doing." Bounds says. "Now, if we start over, yes. You're talking about a lot of additional money, but I don't think this bill's intent is to start over. Because it starts off by saying to meet or exceed national standards."
The bill is now pending approval from the full Senate. They could vote on it as early as next week.
