Senate Passes Common Core Conf. Committee Report; House gets next week

Yesterday the Senate passed the Common Core Conference Committee Report by a 33-12 vote. The report largely mirrors Senate Bill 812.  Among other things the bill creates an 11 member Academic Standards Review Commission to review math and English Common Core standards and make recommendations to the legislature and State Board of Education. The Commission will terminate December 31, 2015. The House will likely take up the Conference Committee Report next week.   When the House approves the report, it’s off to the governor for signature, who is also expected to sign the bill.

The conversation then turns to the important topic of appointments to the Commission.  Of the eleven members, four members will be appointed by the Speaker of the House;  four by the President  Pro Tempore of the Senate; two members by the State Board of Education and one member by the Governor.  The discussion can’t begin too soon.  According to the bill, The Academic Standards Review Commission must hold its first meeting no later than September 1st.