http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKxyoud_c-E
We suspected an ulterior motive when we discovered the State Board signed onto Common Core standards two months earlier than planned. As noted in previous posts, the Missouri State Board members, appointed members, signed on to these standards in June. It was on track for adoption in August. So, why the rush?
Neal McCluskey, Cato Institute Education writer, has some interesting thoughts on this matter. Isn't it interesting his theory mirrors exactly the actions of our State Board?
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/07/13/ever-so-quietly-national-standards-spread/
McCluskey sets forth many reasons our state education boards keep us (parents and taxpayers)in the dark, but perhaps one of the most compelling is the standards must have been approved by August 2 to stay competitive in the Race to the Top funding quest. Race to the Top has become one of the worst examples of incompetent planning and wasteful programs from DC. The original funding amount to the states totalled $4.35 billion. The total amount of funding currently available is in question. Certain senators now want to pull out a percentage of the $4.35 billion to fund teacher salaries, leaving less money awarded to states.
Doesn't this give you great confidence in the Federal government as it slowly takes over our schools? Heck, this group can't run "Cash for Clunkers" and we are supposed to trust them to educate our children? They want states to sign away control for standards not yet formulated for amounts that are nebulous. If the Federal government operated in the private sector, it wouldn't last a month with these type of decisions and maneuvers.
The states have to agree to give control of their curriculum and staffing process. What do the states receive in return? They take on millions of dollars in unfunded mandates (about $150 Million in Missouri) and no local control. Does that seem like a sound business decision to you? The MO Department of Education is still pursuing these funds. It wants the taxpayers to take on a tremendous amount of debt even as the state has to cut one BILLION dollars from the budget next year.
It's no wonder the State Board wants to slip these votes through and hope you don't notice. Be a watchdog. Start accessing the Missouri DESE website daily. That's how we found out about the quiet "slip slidin' " away of our state's rights. We're watchdogs like you.
http://dese.mo.gov/
You never know what you will discover.
"You never know what you will discover."
ReplyDeleteOh... I can guess.