SERINO URGES PUBLIC COMMENT ON EDUCATION REFORM

HYDE PARK, NY—Senator Sue Serino (R, C, I—Hyde Park) today urged parents, educators, students and school officials to make their voices heard as the New York State Department of Education (SED) releases a set of significantly revised English Language Arts (ELA) and Math learning standards.

“I came to Albany on a mission to ensure that our community’s dissatisfaction with the disastrous rollout of Common Core was heard loud and clear and today, I am proud to announce that Common Core as we know it will cease to exist,” said Senator Serino.

Last year—thanks to Senator Serino’s persistence and leadership—the State required SED to reevaluate and revise the standards and required that SED seek input from stakeholders and those on the front lines of education to ensure that the standards are age appropriate and worthwhile in providing a 21^st Century education. Earlier this morning, SED released new draft learning standards for New York State P-12 ELA and Math, which were developed with the significant input of two diverse committees compromised of educators and parents. The proposed standards will be subject to a public comment period until November 4, 2016.

“Upon taking office, I assembled a local Education Advisory Board—which is something I felt should have been done at the state level from the beginning. The group, made up of parents, educators, school board members and administrators provided the input and insight necessary to deliver a strong message to Albany,” Serino continued.

“The advocacy of so many teachers, parents, school officials and students, coupled with my persistence on the issue, not only forced the state back to the drawing board on Common Core, but forced them to take the input of educators and parents. Today, New York is taking a step in the right direction in returning transparency, accountability and quality education to our schools and I urge our local community members to continue to participate in the process and provide feedback on the new proposed standards before November 4^th.”

For details regarding the proposed standards and for information on how to submit public comment, click here. 

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