Alexander Bill Would Give Tennessee 100 Percent Control Over Common Core and Tennessee Schools

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 22 –U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on Governor Haslam’s announcement of a public review of the state’s K-12 academic standards in English language arts and math:

“My bill to end the National School Board and return decisions over standards and curriculum to states and local school boards will allow Governor Haslam and the state of Tennessee to have 100 percent control over what Tennessee’s academic standards are, including Common Core. Last year, Democrats refused to pass the bill. Next year, if I am chairman of the Senate education committee, it will be my top priority. We will return to states and local school boards all decisions about academic standards, curriculum, and evaluation of teachers.”

“Governor Haslam, local school officials, and teachers know best what Tennessee’s nearly 1 million public school students need to know and be able to do, and the governor’s review of state standards will ensure that Tennessee families’ best interests come first, instead of the wishes of distant Washington bureaucrats.”

Alexander’s bill, the Every Child Ready for College or Career Act, was supported by every Republican on the Senate education committee, but was defeated in committee when 12 Democrats voted against it.

More details on the bill can be found here.

# # #