FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Superintendent Diane Douglas proposes thorough review of state standards
PHOENIX – Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas is proposing legislation to review and revise all state academic standards through a continuous improvement process. Senate Bill 1305, sponsored by Senate Education Chairwoman Kelli Ward, would establish a committee of parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to evaluate a focused section of standards on an annual basis.
“As we move away from Common Core, it is important to do so in a deliberate fashion so that we stop the pattern of creating new standards only to abolish them every few years,” Superintendent Douglas said. “This endless cycle leaves schools in a constant state of upheaval and causes undue stress for students and teachers.”
As part of the proposed review process, members of the committee would hold public meetings across the state. All public comment received at those meetings would be analyzed and used to generate proposed changes. Before submitting final recommendations to the State Board of Education, the committee would seek feedback at an additional series of public hearings.
“This process will ensure that the academic goals created for students are set by Arizonans, for Arizonans,” the Superintendent continued. “I hope to partner with legislators, parents and educators to ensure as smooth a transition as possible so that teachers can get back to teaching and students can get back to learning.”
The bill received a due pass recommendation in the Senate Education Committee on Feb. 12 and is currently awaiting further consideration by the Senate.
