Dive Summary:
- American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten responded in a letter Tuesday to Chiefs for Change, which accused her of "pulling back on accountability in our schools" with her call for a moratorium on new Common Core standardized tests.
- Weingarten said the small group of state education officials organized by former Florida governor Jeb Bush distorted her call for states to delay using scores from the new tests to evaluate teachers, school and students until the standards are fully implemented, an idea also backed by National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel.
- Next school year, Common Core standards in math and reading will be implemented in 45 states and the District of Columbia, with students being tested on them next Spring, and while a majority of teachers polled by the AFT support the Common Core, most said that they aren't being fully prepared by their districts.
From the article:
... Weingarten hit back at Chiefs for Change in her own letter Tuesday, saying “contrary to your claim, we are not ‘pulling back on accountability in our schools.’ We are trying to make accountability real. By allowing teachers and districts to create and agree on implementation plans, field-test the new assessments and make necessary adjustments, we will actually be building a stronger accountability system.” ...
