skip to main content

Superintendent of Schools re: Common Core Implementation

 

Fall 2015

Dear Residents,
As you know, there continues to be a growing concern among parents of school-aged children in New York State regarding the Common Core standards, as well as the validity and effectiveness of the state-mandated Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Plan.  I know firsthand that the concern is shared in our community – by parents, residents and by our teachers who are working so diligently to conform with the new state standards.

I personally agree that the Common Core standards and APPR initiative contain – at their foundations – benefits for our students.  Who wouldn’t agree that our children should be “college and career ready” when they leave our district?  Who wouldn’t agree that our dedicated teaching staff needs a fair evaluation plan that can only help them grow as educators?  While the plans are fundamentally beneficial, their implementation by state education officials has been significantly and consistently flawed over time.

The State Education Department, led by then NYS Commissioner John King, Jr., forced us to implement the Common Core standards and test students prematurely – before our teachers had time to effectively prepare and adapt to the material and before our students had sufficient time to learn the content in the new way dictated by the Common Core.  As was described by Commissioner King himself, implementing the Common Core is like “building a plane in mid-air.”  When it comes to our children’s education, this is absolutely unacceptable.  We cannot have anyone take our children’s education hostage.

In fall of 2013, I had the opportunity to share my thoughts with Commissioner King, Chancellor Tisch and Regents member Roger Tilles during a public forum coordinated by Senator Carl Marcellino.  I indicated that I fully supported the initiatives but informed them that the implementation timeline had to be significantly extended.   I asked them not to take our children hostage by this movement.

Soon John King will assume the role of U.S. Secretary of Education, replacing Arne Duncan.  My hope is that Dr. King has learned not to replicate the mistakes he made in New York.  Rather, I hope he adopts a reasoned and steady approach to the continued implementation of the Common Core throughout the nation so that the healing process can begin and harmony can be restored among our teachers, parents and lawmakers to the benefit of our future – the children we all serve.

Sincerely,
Peter C. Scordo

Newsday Article: Regents chancellor says teacher evaluations "full of problems."