Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is urging state education officials “stay the course” when it comes to installing new learning goals for students.
In an editorial in the Tampa Bay Times, Bush, who is credited with creating Florida’s school accountability system, says the state should continue implementing the Common Core. In recent weeks, education officials have warned student scores on standardized tests could plummet once Common Core and its related tests, called PARCC, are fully in place. Florida is already seeing such a downturn in its state exam results.
House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz are urging Florida to scrap the PARCC assessments tied to Common Core and instead use student scores on tests such as the SAT or ACT.
Education Commissioner Tony Bennett, though, says he’s not yet ready to write off the PARCC assessments and is still weighing the state’s options.
