Today was pretty much taken up with the over 3 hours hearing of testimony on SB 167 known as the Common Core bill.  The testimony was overwhelmingly in support of the Common Core and that came from a large contingent of teachers and administrators from Tift County Schools along with many other educators, business, and community members throughout our state who threw their weight of support behind the current standards. I believe this was a real surprise to the committee as a whole. This huge show of support has paused the process on the bill as it will be amended and sent out to educators for further comment. The amended bill should be sent out to interested parties Monday, March 10, 2014. The planned vote on the bill in the House Ed Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2014. GSSA will be watching this carefully and we will send out the bill for comment as we receive it.

As I communicated in my testimony, this is just bad policy and I do not see how this bill can be amended to be acceptable to those of us who have to attempt to implement what is pretty much an incoherent piece of legislation.