The state is taking public input on new testing standards for Florida K-12 schools, as the Florida Department of Education works to overhaul Common Core following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Executive Order. Common Core is a set of academic standards in math and English that students are required to master.
Related: Gov. DeSantis Issues Executive Order To Move Toward Ending Common Core
The state’s education department Monday launched a new platform for teachers and administrators to provide feedback on the current Math and English Language Arts standards for each grade level.
At a Board of Education Meeting in March, Public Schools Chancellor Jacob Oliva said respondents can suggest keeping the standards, revising them, or eliminating them.
“So when we’re done with this recommendation, we want to be able to stand in front of any stakeholders and anybody that’s interested in the work that we’re doing in Florida and say with a 100% confidence that these standards are the best,” he said.
The site requires registration and leaves space for comments to be added. Anyone can also submit general comments online.
“We're going to be transparent,” he said. “And we're also identifying relevant stakeholders, as far as content area experts, and constituents that are interested in the work that our students are doing.”
In addition to collecting public input, the department is examining standards from across the country and it will also consider international benchmarking standards.
The department will use the recommendations submitted through the process to develop proposed standards, before holding public hearings this fall throughout the state to get feedback for final recommendations for Gov. DeSantis.
Oliva said there’s not going to be any recommendation to change assessments for the current 2018-2019 school year or the 2019-2020 school year.
The governor should receive the report by January 1 of 2020.
