The implementations of the Common Core Standards has not gone well in New York. The more the public finds out, the angrier it becomes.
Comments from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as quoted by YNN, indicate he is trying to distance himself. He said: "I'm sure there's going to be bumps along the way, but I'll leave it to (the state Education Department) on how to best handle it." When asked about the growing call for Education Commissioner John King's resignation, Cuomo stated, "No, I don't think he should resign. I don't think it's my place to decide if he should resign or if he should stay. It's not my place. I don't appoint him as you know."
This seems different from two years ago, when he wrote Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch and suggested changes:
• "Impose rigorous classroom observation and other subjective measure standards...
• "Require a positive teacher evaluation rating be given only when the teacher receives a combined positive rating on both subjective and objective measures...
• "Accelerate the implementation of the evaluation system...
• "Impose additional standards on school districts... to make evaluations more rigorous...
• "We must make sure that school districts begin the process in an expeditious manner...
• "My administration will aggressively seek to incentivize school districts to implement the evaluation system expeditiously...
• "School districts would potentially lose millions of dollars on state awards for failure to implement the system quickly."
The full letter can be accessed at: http://tinyurl.com/o945ask
It appears Mr. Cuomo has a lot to say on this. Perhaps he should be held accountable, too.
Tim Farley lives in Kinderhook.