Illinois Takes On Common Core

A few weeks ago Gretchen and I traveled to Quincy IL to talk about Common Core. We did an interview with news anchor Matt Schmidt on the local NBC affiliate.

Part 2: News This Week Interview on Common Core

Illinois has its own challenges with common core, a big one being the fact that they received Race To The Top funding. Other challenges facing Illinois are the fact that the current administration in DC came largely from their state and supports common core and, their schools are broke making money available to implement common core highly desirable. In a state of 13 million people, where 9 million of them live around a single city, a city whose name defines a certain type of thuggish politics, the challenge of fighting a top down directive like common core will not be easy.  But the 4 million downstate residents may not be as alone as they think. Even Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis does not appear totally sold on Common Core and admitted that implementing it is like building a plane while you're flying it.



Their effort is getting off the ground, as efforts across the country are, with some dedicated grassroots activists. Check out their websites

 http://nocommoncore.blogspot.com/
and
http://stopcommoncoreillinois.org/

We wish our brethren to the east the best of luck and strength in an uphill climb.