Oklahoma Senate
Brecheen, Sykes file amendment to establish moratorium on Common Core in Oklahoma
Sen. Josh Brecheen
Sen. Anthony Sykes
Oklahoma State Senators Josh Brecheen and Anthony Sykes filed an amendment to Senate Bill 1764 that will address the growing concern with Common Core education standards.
The amendment to SB 1764:
1. Orders the State Board of Education to remove alignment with the K-12 Common Core State Standards developed by the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
2. Prohibits Oklahoma from entering into any agreement, memorandum of understanding or contract with any federal agency or private entity which in any way cedes or limits state discretion or control over the establishment, development, review or amendment of academic content standards, teaching standards, student assessments or student data in the public school system.
3. Establishes the Local Curriculum Standards Pilot Program. The purpose of the Pilot Program shall be to allow experimentation of curriculum standards as long as they meet or exceed Oklahoma state curriculum standards, thus allowing parents and local school boards broader control over student learning.
“It’s time that Oklahoma’s legislators respond to their constituents and address Common Core’s aim at our children,” said Sykes, R-Moore. “Let's answer the call by Oklahomans and well-studied conservatives across the nation who correctly point out that we have ceded state control to out-of-state interest groups. Addressing the statutes may not be enough. The State Department of Education’s Administrative Rules need to be repealed.”
"There are too many unknowns concerning the rigor, impact and implementation costs of the Common Core standards for our state to continue unabated," said Brecheen, R-Coalgate. "Massachusetts is a state known for leading the nation in educational attainment, and they along with many other states, are now back pedaling on Common Core over concerns that the standards are lacking. With ample warning signs and our children's involvement in this grand experiment, I believe common sense is to apply the brakes on Common Core."
