HB 1443 - This bill would put in place recommendations from Quality Education Council.
An amendment proposed by Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, would require that before OSPI adopts the common core standards, the department would take two years to do a check on what this will cost at the local school district level and at the state level. Anderson argued that it was not unreasonable to determine what the costs to local school districts would be and give the parents time to learn and understand what adoption of common core would be.
Speaking in opposition, Rep. Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton, said that Washington standards are already well aligned with the common core standards and that there has been good public involvement on the standards already. Maxwell also pointed out that Washington state was leading the Smarter Balance consortium that is coming up with common assessments and that a delay could impact that.
Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, pointed out that skill centers hadn't been involved in the discussion about common core standards and that the two-year delay would allow for conversations about wrapping in skills centers.
Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said the common core will actually result in lower costs to the state and to school districts. He acknowledged that there are issues that will need to be resolved in the future. In a counter, Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, said the amendment should be adopted first to allow for that conversation about impacts and that the House should remove all the unfunded mandates.
The amendment failed.
Another similar amendment offered by Rep. Brad Klippert, R-Richland, would also put a delay in adoption of common core. The amendment was deferred, and the House went to ease (which means they are taking a break) until 1:30 p.m.
Updates on the Legislature and state government from the Washington State School Directors' Association.
