Department to Host Regional Meetings on Final Common Core State Standards

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today the State Department of Education will host a series of regional public meetings during June since the final K-12 Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts have been released.

"Idaho has been heavily involved in the voluntary, state-led Common Core State Standards Initiative over the past year, working with 47 other states, two territories and the District of Columbia to develop more rigorous, common standards in math and English language arts that are comparable with any country around the globe,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said. “We must ensure we build a public education system that prepares all students to be successful in life after high school. Idaho students are ready for this challenge.”

Idaho initially signed on to the Common Core State Standards Initiative in June 2009.  This Initiative builds directly on previous efforts of leading organizations and states that have focused on developing college- and career-ready standards. After a series of drafts, public comment periods and revisions, the final Common Core State Standards have been released.  Now, it is up to each state to choose whether or not to adopt these standards.

Adopting the common core standards is voluntary. Idaho may also choose to include additional standards beyond the common core as long as the common core represents at least 85 percent of the state’s standards in math and English language arts. The second phase of this initiative is to ultimately develop common assessments aligned to the core standards developed through the process.

Staff from the State Department of Education will host a series of regional public meetings across Idaho throughout the month of June to explain the Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts and gather feedback.

After these meetings, Idaho will begin the rulemaking process for these standards by taking these to the State Board of Education for initial approval in August, opening them up to a public comment period statewide in the fall, returning to the State Board for final approval and then taking the standards to the Legislature for final approval in the 2011 Legislature.

Visit our website to view the draft standards, submit comments or see a full schedule of the regional public meetings.

Here is the schedule of regional public meetings on the Common Core State Standards:

• June 7: 8 a.m. to noon in Pocatello, Idaho State University Pond Student Union Building
• June 7: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Bonneville, location to be determined
• June 8: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Twin Falls, Canyon Ridge High School
• June 14: Sandpoint, time and location to be determined
• June 14: Coeur d’Alene, time and location to be determined
• June 15: 10 a.m. to noon in Lewiston, Lewis-Clark State College, Sacajawea 112
• June 16: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Boise, location to be determined
• June 17: 10 a.m. to noon in Weiser, Weiser High School
• June 17: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in McCall, Holiday Inn Express

~ Melissa M.