46.7 F
Mobile
41.3 F
Huntsville
44.4 F
Birmingham
42.3 F
Montgomery

Ala. legislature prepares for this week’s Common Core showdown

Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale
Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale

The effort to completely repeal Common Core State Standards in Alabama has been met with fierce resistance over the last couple of legislative sessions, but it appears that a compromise bill may now have a chance to advance in the legislature for the first time.

Senate Bill 443 is sponsored by Sen. Scott Beason and co-sponsored by 12 other senators, including Sen President Pro Tem Del Marsh who had previously said a Common Core repeal bill would not make it to the floor for a vote this year. The bill would allow local school boards to opt out of Common Core and would establish a moratorium on the expansion of Common Core into subject matters beyond math and english, which the state opted into in 2010.


RELATED: Details emerge on Common Core ‘moratorium’ and ‘local option’


Although it is not the full repeal that many grassroots conservatives were seeking, the so-called “Local Option” appears to have garnered the support of Tea Party leaders who see it as a step in the right direction.

But business groups and some state education leaders are continuing to push back.

“SB443 amounts to a significant usurpation of power by the Legislature. It is simply wrong,” said Business Council of Alabama President and CEO Billy Canary. “This is a political application at the expense of students and our future workforce. As we have said before, continued attempts by the Legislature to assume control of this issue, relegated by law to the State Board of Education, is the very definition of government overreach.”

State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice also released a strongly-worded statement against the bill, saying “it contains absolutely nothing to support current efforts to ensure students today graduate prepared for college, work, and adulthood in the 21st century.”

Both sides will have an opportunity to voice their opinions Tuesday during a public hearing on the bill scheduled for 10 a.m. in room 304 of the Alabama State House.

Tea Party groups are also planning an organized lobbying effort for Wednesday. Several grassroots organizations are planning to meet Sen. Scott Beason on the steps of the State House at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning before splitting into smaller groups to encourage legislators to support his bill.


Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

Don’t miss out!  Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.