Although Michigan was among the states to adopt the Common Core State Standards shortly after their introduction in 2010, the transition process recently hit a speed bump due to budget issues. However, an announcement from the Michigan Department of Education reveals that the CCSS implementation process is back on track.
A future in doubt
In Michigan, a budget provision designed to stop state funding for the Common Core officially went into effect Oct. 1, MLive.com reported. This meant that if educators wanted to use state funds to cover costs related to the Standards, they would need to receive permission from the legislature. Members of the state Senate voted on the matter, however, and schools can resume with their move toward creating CCSS-aligned classrooms.
Back in business
Following the Senate's adoption of the substitute version of House Concurrent Resolution 11, it's business as usual for schools throughout Michigan, according to a press release from the Michigan Department of Education.
"I'd like to thank House Speaker Jase Bolger and Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville for getting us to the point where we can continue to move forward," said State Superintendent Mike Flanagan in a statement. "To help all our students succeed, our collective work needs to be focused on having rigorous standards; effective and valuable assessments aligned to those standards; and high quality and effective educators."
Mixed opinions remain
Supporters of the Common Core are no doubt pleased to see the implementation process resume. Still, opinions of the CCSS remain mixed, just as they are in other states. For example, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder believes in the Standards' potential to improve instruction throughout the state.
"Michigan students will be better prepared to compete for jobs in our state and beyond as our partners in the legislature took another key step to support the Common Core Standards," Snyder said in a statement.
However, not everyone is as enthusiastic about the Senate's actions as Snyder. For example, Rep. Tom McMillin told The Detroit News he was concerned about some of the language included in the Resolution – especially wording related to the state's use of CCSS-aligned assessments. McMillin is concerned that if the state cannot make changes to the tests, then Michigan students will have to learn according to what he referred to as a "national curriculum."
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