Florida has incorporated the Common Core into their standards over the course of many years. However, with the administration of a new governor, it has been decided that these standards will no longer be used. Governor Ron DeSantis, who was elected following the midterm elections in November, has called for an elimination of the Common Core in public schools.
The Common Core is not the sole curriculum standard utilized by Florida. The state of Florida follows the Florida Standards, which are mostly comprised of Common Core standards, in addition to a few differences such as the inclusion of calculus and cursive writing.
Governor DeSantis has decided to sign an executive order to remove these standards because of the criticism that parents, students and educators have expressed toward the curriculum. With this new order, Governor DeSantis plans to change the testing system and incorporate civics into the curriculum of history courses.
Parents have varying views on this change, as some are for and some are against the standards that have been in place. There are many pros and cons to the withdrawal of the Common Core curriculum. Some support these standards as they provide students with new educational methods and opportunities, while others oppose them because the curriculum is test-driven and can be challenging.
“I find that Common Core makes the kids work double time to solve the problems.”
“I love that Governor DeSantis wants to eliminate Common Core,” CCHS parent Sharon Sigal said. “I feel that Common Core, although in theory sounds good, in
The math curriculum that coincides with the Common Core and Florida Standards can be presented as a challenge for many students. The methods of solving problems are complex and detail-oriented. CCHS students involved in Students Tutoring and Nurturing Development (STAND) tutor elementary school students at Cooper City Elementary School and notice this first-hand.
“I find Go Math to be challenging for the students,” STAND member Alicia DeMicco said. “I notice the students try to do the math a different way than the workbook says to do it. I think changing the curriculum to simplify the process they use can make them more motivated to work because it is generally easier to understand.”
“Students are built differently and there really isn’t a common way to teach them all the same way.”
The Littlest Cowboys Preschool at CCHS prepares preschool students ages 3 to 5 for kindergarten. Removing the Common Core standards may change the way that students involved in the Early Childhood Education program, as well as the Littlest Cowboys’ teachers, educate the children in the classroom.
“We will have to see how this change will affect preschool students,” Littlest Cowboys Preschool Director and Early Childhood Education teacher Deborah Covard said. “Currently, early childhood educators use the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards. These should be sufficient regardless [of] whether DeSantis eliminates the current standards we have in Florida.”
The decision to dispose of the current standards in Florida will alter the way students are educated throughout the state. With a new curriculum to adjust to, educators and students will have to teach and learn the material in a new manner.
“Students are built differently and there really isn’t a common way to teach them all the same way,” Sigal said. “What works for one may not always work for another. I’m thrilled that Common Core will be eliminated, giving our educators a chance to actually teach the way in which they see fit for the individual student.”
Photo by Alexa Jaspan
