GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Administrators and teachers continue to prepare to transition to the Common Core State Standards, even as lawmakers debate whether to fund the curriculum.
There were heated exchanges last week when lawmakers held the first of four hearings scheduled this summer on the controversial standards, which have been adopted by 45 states. The hearings were scheduled after legislators inserted a provision in the new state budget, set to take effect Oct. 1, that blocks the education department from spending state funds to implement the standards.
Still, educators from Forest Hills and Jenison schools will attend Common Core Academies, hosted by Discovery Education, Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 24 at Forest Hills Northern Hills Middle School, 3775 Leonard St. Ne, to help them successfully implement the new standards in their classrooms, schools and districts, according to Heidi May, a representative for Discovery Communication.
"The immersive, two-day professional development event is designed to provide teachers and administrators a better understanding of the key components of the Common Core State Standards, strategies for effectively integrating the standards into curriculum and instruction, and methods for aligning assessments to the standards," she said.
In 2010, the Michigan State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards for what students should learn in math and English each year from kindergarten through high school.
In his testimony, state Superintendent Mike Flanagan urged lawmakers to make a funding decision soon, so teachers working on lesson plans and other preparation for the fall have certainty about curriculum standards.
West Michigan educators, stunned by the defunding, say they have invested a tremendous amount of time and resources preparing to usher in the Common Core. The backlash that triggered the defunding stems from fears about the federal government being involved, losing local control, mandates on how the curriculum is taught, and data collection. There have been efforts around the country to stifle adoption.
But school districts continue to plan. May said approximately 15 educators have registered to attend the academies, but that number could grow. Discovery Education partners with districts to deliver a customized suite of tools to accelerate student achievement.
The $300 sessions are: Moving Toward Greater Focus and Coherence In Your Classroom: Making Common Sense Out of the Math Common Core State Standards, and Making the Common Core State Standards Make Common Sense In Your ELA and Content Area Classroom.