Demopolis forum responds to Common Core concerns

Parents and educators spent more than two hours Thursday night questioning and supporting the Alabama College and Career Readiness program being implemented in Demopolis City Schools.

Alabama Department of Education representatives gave an overview of how the program relates to the controversial Common Core set of educational standards and cleared up misunderstandings that many people in the audience had about it.

“We are not politicians,” said Dr. Julie Hannah of she and her fellow speakers. Hannah is director of the state DOE Department of Student Learning. “We are lifelong Alabama educators. Our only agenda is what’s best for the kids.”

Hannah began by explaining how the state Department of Education developed Plan 2020. The plan’s objectives aim that by the year 2020 all students will have the knowledge and skills to succeed and that all will graduate from high school prepared to continue in college or a career.

The need to develop new goals and standards became evident, Hannah continued, when educators looked at the current crop of candidates for graduation. Of those taking the ACT test – the one most often used to determine college-readiness – only 18 percent qualified. Of the minority students taking the test, only 3 percent were ready for college work.

A fourth of high school students never graduate, she continued, and 33 percent of those who do go to college have to take at least one remedial course.

Hannah said she has been shocked by the opposition to setting more rigorous standards for students using the Common Core guidelines. She explained that there has been confusion between standards and curriculum.

The state board sets the standards, which local education authorities can add to, she said. Teachers use those standards to develop lesson plans. That has been the process for at least 25 years.

Using the same process to develop Plan 2020, the board went through a lengthy process of study, research and input from teachers and parents. Common Core standards were adapted to meet what the board wanted for Alabama children in math and English language arts courses of study in grades K-12.

Some school districts in the state jumped on the program immediately and have been using the CCR for up to three years. The rest began implementing the program this year. As several teachers in the audience pointed out, many of the standards now in place have been used for years by educators who challenge their students.

Cindy Freeman, math education administrator with the state DOE, in reviewing some of the CCR math standards, said a panel of educators in the state studied every standard proposed by Common Core and asked, “Does this fit Alabama?”

Freeman said the Alabama standards in place at that time were a 96 percent match to what Common Core presented, although some were not presented at the same grade level.

Standards for grades K-8 stayed pretty much the same, she continued. By the time the committee completed its work it had added two complete courses and set other standards for grades 9-12.

Gay Finn, English Language Arts (ELA) administrator with the state DOE, said the review committee added 26 standards throughout the grades. In high school the standards for ELA are also being used across the curriculum in social students and science. A cursive writing standard not in Common Core was added to elementary school.

Finn showed examples of how previous Alabama standards have been made more rigorous using the framework of Common Core.

Leslie Gibbs, Demopolis High English teacher, said the new standards “are not telling the kids what to say but giving them the tools to say what they want.”

Hannah said the shift in standards now is more toward preparing students for “an undefined future” instead of taking a test. That brought concerns from Carl Williams, minister of First Baptist Church and a parent of three children in local schools. He listed all the assessment tests that students at U.S. Jones are required to take.

Hannah responded that of all the tests Williams mentioned, only one was required by the state that all students must take. Two others were for specific sub groups.

Dr. Leon Clark, USJ principal, explained that the tests are given to make sure students are progressing. He added that the assessments are reviewed constantly to make sure they are presenting the needed information and do not duplicate other tests.

A lot of states are watching Alabama for the way it has implemented its standards to Common Core, said Hannah. Alabama has taken its time in research and study to make sure the new standards conform to what it wants for its students.

Several members of the audience expressed concern that adopting Common Core is the first step for federal takeover of education.

Hannah said that if that happens, she and her fellow speakers would leave. Since Alabama is not a Race to the Top state and did not receive federal funds as such, it does not have to comply with certain requirements and restrictions.

Dr. Arthur Ogden expressed concern that adopting Common Core standards doesn’t allow enough leeway for state and local boards of education to have input.

Hannah said according to Alabama law, local boards always can add standards but never remove them.