NEWS

Education commissioner defends Common Core, blasts 'misinformation'

By Joseph Spector

Albany Bureau Chief

ALBANY – In a letter to superintendents and principals, state Education Commissioner John King defended the controversial Common Core testing standards and knocked "misinformation" at the 20 contentious forums he held across the state in recent months.

King said the state has taken steps to ease the burden of new testing on students and teachers, but wrote that the rigorous standards will better prepare students for college and careers.

"The Common Core is the first set of learning standards back-mapped grade by grade from what students need to know and be able to do in college and the workforce," King wrote in the letter released Monday afternoon.

King has been criticized for the Common Core standards and accused of dismissing the concerns of students, parents and schools over the new testing, which was implemented last school year for math and English students in third through eighth grades. He was berated by the audience at a forum in Poughkeepsie in October, then canceled subsequent events.

But he was knocked for the cancellations and changed course. He then held 20 forums and television events to listen to concerns about the tests, which are also used to evaluate teacher performance.

Carl Korn, spokesman for the New York State United Teachers union, charged that King's letter is another indication that the state isn't listening to the public's objections to the tests. He said recent changes by the state Education Department are "superficial at best."

The union has called for a three-year moratorium on Common Core.

"The state Education Department is failing to take responsibility for its own disastrous implementation of the Common Core," Korn said. "The department continues to try to shift the blame to school districts and teachers, instead of listening to the voices of thousands of parents and teachers who have attended forums and have demanded change."

King wrote that some of the concerns "expressed at the forums were based on misinformation."

He argued that New York hasn't added many tests, saying all but two are required by federal law. He said the state has been working to "increase the quality and reduce the length of state tests" and help districts eliminate assessments for teacher and principal evaluations.

King pointed out that the Board of Regents in mid-December recommended a 6 percent increase in state education funding next fiscal year, which starts April 1. The $1.3 billion increase would be used in part to fund additional training for the new tests.

"We'll make more adjustments in the future as we learn more about your successes and challenges," King wrote. "We hope that parents, teachers, students, and administrators continue to be open about their concerns and partner with us to make Common Core a continuing success."

JSPECTOR@Gannett.com