Common Core
Lawmakers Consider a Lottery, Medical Marijuana, and Common Core Repeal
Medical marijuana, a repeal of the Common Core, and a lottery bill were all on the legislative agenda this past week. We take a look at these and other measures lawmakers considered.
What Can Finland Teach Alabama About Education?
Several decades ago, Finland’s education system was considered mediocre. But starting around 2001, it came to be regarded as a powerhouse, usually at or near the top of the world’s nations on internationally normed tests. How? And can those strategies work in Alabama?
Dr. Tommy Bice, State Schools Chief, Announces Retirement
Dr. Tommy Bice, Superintendent of the Alabama State Department of Education, today announced his retirement, set to go into effect at the end of this month.
Alabama’s Teacher Of The Year On Teaching, Common Core, Mascots And More
Vestavia Hills science teacher Jennifer Brown is Alabama’s 2015-2016 Teacher of The Year. The 16-year educator, who once wanted to be a professional basketball player, sits down with WBHM’s Dan Carsen to talk about her motivations and about controversial issues like Common Core, charter schools, standardized testing and Vestavia Hills City Schools’ “Rebel” mascot. But the […]
Re-branding Common Core – Does the Name Make a Difference?
Common Core education standards have been controversial since their adoption nearly half-a-decade ago. Some states have tried re-branding Common Core by changing the name. Others have dropped the standards all together. In the South, states are taking a different approach by asking residents themselves to reevaluate the standards.
Common Core: Challenges and Opposition
One of the hottest issues in State Houses this year was Common Core, national math and language arts standards released in 2010 and adopted by most states. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, this year more than 730 Common Core bills were introduced across the country, including 21 state proposals for repeal. This week, the Southern Education Desk examines why these public school standards are still so controversial in the South. Today Sherrel Wheeler Stewart from WBHM explains the roots of the opposition and the challenges the standards face.
State Superintendent Says Alabama’s Education Standards Shouldn’t Be Political
The Common Core State Standards have become a target around the country for some politicians and advocacy groups. Released in 2010, they're math and language arts standards intended to raise rigor and establish consistency across the nation. Alabama’s version, the College and Career Ready Standards, survived an attempt at repeal by state lawmakers this spring. In the above interview, WBHM’s Sherrel Wheeler Stewart talks with state superintendent Tommy Bice about the standards, the controversy they've stirred, and why he still supports them. And from Wednesday, June 17 through Friday, June 19, WBHM will air the Southern Education Desk's three-part series on Common Core, an issue that’s turning education standards into political battles.
