Kansas lawmakers reject efforts to repeal Common Core
Kansas House members rejected a proposal that would have repealed Common Core standards for math and reading education.
They voted 44-78 against the measure Tuesday, following a debate of more than three hours.
Under the proposal, school districts would have been forbidden to use any national curriculum in tests, programs and materials. Supporters of the bill said Common Core strips local districts of control, while opponents said Common Core encourages rigorous standards.
Common Core is optional for states, and the Kansas State Board of Education adopted it in 2010. The standards call for a classroom focus on analytical skills instead of rote memorization.
The measure also would require the state to create new education standards by July 2017, which Brad Neuenswander, one of the state’s deputy education commissioner, said would have been too soon.
Although Kansas doesn’t receive any federal money for Common Core, Neuenswander said it was unclear whether or not repealing the rigorous standards would have jeopardized federal funding.
He added he was most concerned that the bill would have allowed the Legislature to review the state’s curriculum ahead of its implementation.
“That’s the state board’s responsibility under the constitution,” Neuenswander said.
Democratic Rep. Ed Trimmer of Winfield also voiced his concern during the debate Monday that the measure would require lawmakers to sign off on education standards.
“Let the department of education and the school board that was elected to do this do their job,” Trimmer said.
But lawmakers who supported the measure said Kansas was capable of creating its own set of standards that don’t mirror national curriculum.
“Common Core is tainted because it’s tied to the federal government with a lot of political ribbons tied to it,” Republican Rep. Dick Jones, of Topeka, said.
Despite the blockage of the bill, the state’s education department is still set to review its standards by 2017, as it is required to do every seven years by state law.
How they voted
Here’s how south-central Kansas lawmakers voted on the bill to repeal Common Core standards. The repeal failed, 44-78.
All area Democrats voted no.
Republicans voting yes: Dennis Hedke, Mark Kahrs, Les Osterman, Joseph Scapa, Chuck Weber and John Whitmer, Wichita; Blake Carpenter, Derby; Pete DeGraaf, Mulvane; Kyle Hoffman, Coldwater; Steve Huebert, Valley Center; Kasha Kelley, Arkansas City; Jan Pauls, Hutchinson; Virgil Peck, Tyro; Marc Rhoades, Newton;
Republicans voting no: Steve Anthimides, Daniel Hawkins and Mark Hutton, Wichita; Steven Becker, Buhler; Will Carpenter, El Dorado; Les Mason, McPherson; Don Schroeder, Hesston; Joe Seiwert, Pretty Prairie; Jack Thimesch, Cunningham; Kristey Williams, Augusta
Not voting: Mario Goico and Gene Suellentrop, R-Wichita
This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 8:09 PM with the headline "Kansas lawmakers reject efforts to repeal Common Core."