Repealing rigorous education standards in the state would be ineffective and come with a hefty price tag, according to Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday.
Common Core standards have been at the center of education debates in the state in recent years and continue to be a hot button political issue in legislative races and the 2015 governor’s race (to see where the candidates stand on common core, check out the Kentucky Chamber’s voter guide).
However, Holliday noted that the standards have been tweaked in the state and are now called the Kentucky Core Academic Standards. And Holliday said the standards are working in Kentucky and people just have to look at the numbers to see the proof.
“The important thing for citizens to think about is are these standards helping more kids graduate from high school? The answer is absolutely yes, highest graduation rate in the history of the commonwealth. Are these standards helping more kids reach college readiness so they can take credit bearing course work at the university and not have to pay for remediation? Absolutely, we have more than doubled the number of high school graduates who are college-ready based on these standards,” Holliday said.
As for the price tag of repeal, Holliday said getting rid of the standards would cost the state around $35 million dollars.
When it comes to what would be put in place instead of the current standards, Holliday said he has not heard many solutions from those calling for repeal.
“The only solution I have heard is ‘well, we would like Kentuckians to develop Kentucky standards.’ Well, Kentuckians developed these standards, Kentuckians have modified these standards, Kentucky teachers modify the standards every day because they are in charge of the curriculum,” Holliday said, adding an example of a current standard he believes parents would want for their children (at 2:00 in interview).
Hear more about changes previously made to the standards and more by watching the interview here:
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