DeSantis Eliminates Common Core in Florida

An issue that has plagued the Republican debate for years now might actually be resolved in Florida.  Common Core, which has been debated as far back as the 2015 GOP Presidential Primary, has effectively been eliminated by Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), making Florida the first state to replace it.

In Clearwater, Florida, the governor announced what could possibly be the end for Common Core education in Florida.  The deal is a legislative proposal that will eliminate the common-core-based, end-of-year, high-stakes Florida Statewide Assessment and create the new Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (F.A.S.T) plan, which will monitor student progress and foster individual growth. By creating the F.A.S.T. Plan, Florida will become the first state in the nation to fully implement progress monitoring instead of end-of-year standardized testing, and fully eliminate common core.:

“Florida’s education focus should be students’ growth and how we restore the conversation between parents and teachers in support of students’ growth,” said Governor DeSantis. “In this final step to eradicate Common Core from our assessments, our administration is implementing the lessons learned from progress monitoring both during the state’s recovery and from our districts and schools that were already showing how we can better support students reaching their own unique growth goals.”

The DeSantis administration insists that this transition to statewide progress monitoring for school accountability, Florida will restore the ability for parents and teachers to have impactful conversations about students’ growth and inform parents’ ability to help their children grow by:

• Becoming the 1st State in the Nation to switch from the end of the year assessments to state standards-aligned progress monitoring for accountability;

• Minimizing the stress of testing to three much shorter tests in the Fall, Winter and Spring that will inform students, teachers and parents about students’ growth, rather than a single lengthy end-of-year assessment that halts learning and leaves zero opportunity for improvement; and

• Reducing testing time an average of 75% through progress monitoring, increasing time for teaching and providing more timely, usable feedback to help students reach their unique goals.

The slashing of what Republicans for years have branded as "indoctrination" also helps DeSantis build points with Republican voters.  Although his efforts against mask and vaccine mandates have been valiant, his action on Common Core answers the call that conservatives have waited nearly a decade for.