Earlier this month, 150 members of the Tampa 9\/12 Project<\/a> \u2013 a group which shares some of the goals of the Tea Party — met to hear from a critic of Common Core standards. Curtis said people left the meeting thinking Florida should take a second look at the standards.<\/p>\n John O'Connor \/ StateImpact Florida<\/p> Tampa resident Tim Curtis says he is concerned about the federal government is encouraging states to adopt Common Core State Standards. Curtis would like the state a timeout to study the standards further.<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cFirst and foremost it\u2019s not a federal issue,\u201d Curtis said. \u201cTell me something that we\u2019ve done at the federal level, especially here of late, where it\u2019s been such a booming success.”<\/p>\n The standards have been fully adopted by Florida, 44 other states and the District of Columbia. Common Core lays out what students are expected to know in math and English language arts by the end of each grade.<\/p>\n The standards streamline the number of topics schools teach children in each subject. Common Core also requires teachers ask students what they know and to prove how they know it.<\/p>\n Legislatures and schools across the country are seeing opposition to the Common Core as more states approach the deadline to begin using the standards and accompanying tests.<\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n Conservatives such as media personalities Glenn Beck<\/a> and Michelle Malkin<\/a> have encouraged their audiences to oppose Common Core. Education historian Diane Ravitch<\/a> has rallied opposition from many on the opposite side of the political spectrum<\/p>\n Federal involvement is just one reason people are opposing Common Core.<\/p>\n There\u2019s the cost \u2013 still unknown. And the testing required for Common Core<\/a>.<\/p>\n Others worry private companies could access student data and personal information standardized under Common Core.<\/p>\n Others are suspicious of the motivation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other wealthy non-profits which are supporting Common Core.<\/p>\n Scholars argue the standards aren\u2019t any better than those Florida and some other states are using now.<\/a><\/p>\n Lawmakers in seven states<\/a> have introduced bills to repeal Common Core standards or to halt their rollout. Indiana lawmakers approved a “pause” bill Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n But not Florida. Activists said last week they have yet to find a lawmaker willing to oppose Common Core.<\/a><\/p>\n So why has the state which filed the first lawsuit against the \u201cObamacare\u201d<\/a> health insurance law not challenging what some critics have dubbed \u201cObamacore?\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n First, the standards have broad support among the state\u2019s political, education and business leaders.\u00a0 University of South Florida education professor Stephen Thornton<\/a> said state residents are also conditioned to accept big changes in education after more than a decade piloting new policies.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2013\/04\/4-29-TimCurtis-620x465.jpg\" "\\"4-29")
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Your Essential Guide To The Common Core<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n