WASHINGTON – Common Core standards are set to go into effect for Maryland’s 2014-2015 school year — but vocal critics are now calling for a stop.
Two candidates for governor say Maryland should quit while it’s ahead, and drop its adoption of the new standards.
Common Core State Standards are a set of guidelines regarding what should be taught to students in math and English or language arts classes.
David Craig, a Harford County executive and GOP candidate for Maryland governor, says the state should drop the Common Core — and the Baltimore County teacher’s union, TABCO, has filed a grievance over the amount of work the adoption of the new standards creates.
Anne Arundel County Delegate Ron George — also a Republican running for governor — says he wants the state to drop the Common Core as well.
The Washington Post reports Craig said the state should “cut [its] losses now” and drop the adoption of the standards that are supposed to add more rigor to classroom instruction. At the same time, TABCO says teachers have been saddled with up to 40 hours of extra work over a two-week period in an attempt to implement the new curriculum.
D.C. and 45 other states have adopted the Common Core. Virginia said not to adopt the standards.
Related links:
- Local schools adopting Common Core State Standards in effort to improve education
- What are the Common Core State Standards?
- Md. to host forums on Common Core school standards
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
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