Federal Government Threatens To Cut Funds Of First State To Drop Common Core Standards

May 7, 2014 by UPI - United Press International, Inc.

INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) — Indiana became the first State to drop the Common Core standards last month when the State Board of Education voted 10-1 to replace the standards with new math and English benchmarks.
Current K-12 Common Core standards are controversial and many opponents criticize them as not adequately preparing students for college.
The U.S. Department of Education was quick to respond, sending a letter to Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz warning the State must prove its new standards are just as challenging or risk losing its No Child Left Behind waiver and, ultimately, its Federal funding.
“Because the [Indiana Department of Education] will no longer implement those standards, IDOE must amend its [Elementary and Secondary Education Act] flexibility request and provide evidence that its new standards are certified by a state network of [Institutions of Higher Education] that students who meet the standards will not need remedial coursework at the postsecondary level,” the letter reads.
“To address the issue of college and career-ready assessments, the department has undertaken the most extensive review and overhaul of academic standards in Indiana’s history,” Ritz said in a statement responding to the letter. “Moving forward, we will respond to USED within the next two months with amendments that capture steps we have taken to ensure full compliance with our flexibility waiver.”

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