Published Online: July 25, 2013

Groups join to support Idaho Core Standards

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A newly formed coalition of groups supporting core curriculum standards in Idaho schools has created some unexpected alliances.

About 18 groups from across the state have joined the Idahoans for Excellence in Education to show their support for Idaho's version of the Common Core Standards, including the teachers' union Idaho Education Association, the State Board of Education and groups representing parents and businesses.

The teachers union and State Superintendent Tom Luna were bitter rivals last year over Luna's failed "Students Come First" education reforms, but Luna's spokeswoman Melissa McGrath says her boss is pleased with the broad support.

Proponents say the core standards will elevate and align education benchmarks and increase academic rigor, ultimately prompting more kids to go to college and strengthening the workforce. But opponents say the standards were created without the input of local educators, that they mean a loss of local control and represent the federal government trying to tell schools what to teach.

The creation of the coalition was announced Tuesday, and the timing was meant in part to let people know there is support for the standards as opponents gather this weekend, said Rod Gramer, president and CEO of Idaho Business for Education, a nonprofit group of 85 Idaho businesses.

Two organizations, Idahoans for Local Education and 912 Project Idaho, are holding a conference in Boise on Saturday to highlight their concerns about the core standards.

Sharon Hanek, an opponent of the core standards who spoke at a presentation in Coeur d'Alene on Monday, said the Idaho Core Standards don't reach high enough and instead strive for "upper mediocrity." She urged parents to be on the lookout for evidence of "fuzzy math" or "fuzzy English," for history books with "a lot of Islamic content," and content about global citizenship or American patriotism.

Gramer said the core standards aren't a federal intrusion and that they were a state-led effort.

"Idahoans helped shape the standards, and they were voluntarily adopted by the state of Idaho," Gramer said.

Micron Foundation executive director Dee Mooney said the standards will help prepare Idaho students for the workforce.

"It is an opportunity for young Idahoans to be prepared to compete both nationally and internationally," Mooney said.


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