Now that we have all cheered for the end of common core, what comes next?

First let me say the idea of nationwide standards, I believe was a good one. If you move from New Hampshire to Florida or vice versa you shouldn’t be lost. That being said, the math, the math the math, what were they thinking?

I remember I went to an open house a few years back, and an elderly couple taking care of their granddaughter said they could no longer help her because they didn’t understand what was going on, and the super, insert face palm here, suggested they get a tutor.

I also think Common Core became a bit of a bogey man for people on the right, who to this day blame Barrack Obama, who did play a role, but so did Jeb Bush and dozens of other republican governors as well.  

Yesterday Governor DeSantis through executive order ended common core and there was a collective cheer from the internet as if the home team had scored the winning touchdown. The reality however is the touchdown is under review and there are a lot more questions than answers.  

First it’s not scheduled to be replaced until 2020, with a yearlong review and then legislature input, you know because they have been so great for education. Does anybody find it ironic that the same body that pushed through common core is now charged with pushing through its replacement?

Now you might be thinking the professionals at the Florida department of Education will come up with a great replacement. Well I would like to remind you the FLDOE is current run by a lawyer whose wife runs charter schools who has never been confused as a friend of public education.

Then what’s supposed to happen this year and next? You see kids will become even more immersed in common core, until it ends in 2020. By then all high school sophomores and those below will have ever known is common core. Are we expecting them to suddenly change gears or will there be a gradual change to whatever comes next?  

Florida has a long and storied history of ignoring its educators, who for a huge swath of now have only taught common core. If you have been in the classroom for 8 years or less, i.e. most educators, all you have taught is common core, and now we are suddenly flipping their script as well.

Also who is going to pay for it? All we have now our common core inspired/based text books and teaching materials, think about the millions and millions that will have been wasted on common core as we scrap the system. Furthermore, since we are just scrapping the system is the governor saying, hey sorry about the last ten years of your child’s education, we really blew it there.  

Then the unaddressed elephant in the room is testing, and being tied to such high stakes test that teachers feel compelled to teach to because their jobs and salaries are on the line. Unless we tackle that beast, we’re going to be in the same place we find ourselves in now.

Look I agree with DeSantis but what he admitted and I hope that this isn’t lost on anyone, is that Florida wasted millions of dollars and put millions of students in a bad curriculum, and he expects the people that did this to clean up the mess. Also he showed a complete lack of awareness when he also said earlier this year that he wants to expand vouchers. Um what? Their effect has been worse on public education and children.

So like usual in Florida, we find ourselves dazed and confused.