Q&A of the Day – What must happen for Florida’s BEST curriculum to replace Common Core?
Each day I’ll feature a listener question that’s been submitted by one of these methods.
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Today’s entry: I’m thrilled we finally have a governor committed to replacing Common Core! It’s a great change from Bush, Crist & Scott who all had a hand in Common Core being forced in our schools! My kids are now out of grade school, but I want to make sure other families don’t have to deal with it. What has to happen to make sure Common Core is gone once and for all?
Bottom Line: Governor DeSantis campaigned on replacing Common Core and wasted no time after becoming governor. He tasked newly appointed Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran with creating a curriculum to replace it. At the time of the announcement we were told it would be a one-year process engaging parents, teachers and students. Right on cue, just about a year later, we have the B.E.S.T. curriculum being rolled out for the purpose of completely replacing Common Core. Governor DeSantis called for the elimination of “all vestiges of Common Core” and that’s what the new curriculum is designed to do. Yesterday I provided the framework for the curriculum and will continue to breakdown details as we learn more. In the meantime, to officially replace Common Core, these are the next steps...
- Presentation of the BEST curriculum to the Florida Board of Education for approval
- If approved by the Board, approval would be required from state legislators for standardized test changes
- If state approves test changes – the roll out at the District level statewide
Yes, it’s still a long way from being a done deal. It’s widely believed the Board will back DeSantis’s proposed curriculum as all seven current board members are either Scott or DeSantis appointments including the DeSantis appointed Chair, Andy Tuck and the newest board member, Ryan Petty. You might also imagine that the state legislature would prioritize the Governor’s curriculum in the state session when the time comes. Given that we’re already in session right now, any approvals required by the state would likely occur in next year’s session. This is likely why the current plan is set for a roll out during the 2021-2022 school year – not this upcoming school year. The final cog in the process isn’t a small one either. The actual rollout at the district level will require a lot of change. This will likely include providing extra change ($) to make it happen.
The implementation of the BEST curriculum would likely require most, if not all, textbooks and course materials to be replaced. This will likely come with a considerable upfront expense that will have to be accounted for by the Districts. You might imagine they’d look to the state for the funds/resources to make it happen. Based on where we are and what has to happen from here... It’s probably safe to say we’re halfway there, having completed the first year of what appears to be a two-year process to replace Common Core. I’ll keep you posted.