The Governor's Council on Common Core Review will delve into the new math standards for kindergarten through 12th grades at a hearing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in Room 151 of the Arkansas Capitol.
Three panels made up largely of teachers, math specialists and teacher trainers will address the 16-member council that was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and is headed by Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin to evaluate and make recommendations about the future use of the Common Core State Standards in Arkansas.
A majority of the 50 states have adopted those standards in math and English/language arts, on which curriculum and classroom instruction are based.
The standards -- phased into Arkansas' public schools starting in 2011-12 -- and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exams that are based on those standards have generated opposition from some parent groups in Arkansas and elsewhere in the nation.
Today's hearing is the second in what is scheduled to be five day-long hearings over the next few weeks. Additionally, the council is conducting several listening tour stops around the state on the standards.
Scheduled speakers on today's first panel are Thomas Coy, mathematics specialist, Arkansas Department of Education; Linda Griffith, president, Arkansas Council of Teachers of Mathematics; and Ze'ev Wurman, former senior adviser to the U.S. Department of Education.
The second panel of speakers is made up of Mary Armstrong, math learning specialist for Bryant School District; Karen Lamoreaux, board member for the Arkansas Against the Common Core organization; and Barbara Hunter Cox, director of Teaching and Learning for the Arkansas Public School Resource Center.
Members of the third panel of presenters to the council are Carol Massey, math specialist and teacher in the Pocahontas School District; Bonnie Baggett, middle school math specialist in the Bentonville School District; and Debbie Propps, math specialist for the Southwest Arkansas Education Cooperative.
Live-stream viewing of the proceedings will be available on the "video gallery" link on the lieutenant governor's website: ltgovernor.arkansas.gov.
Metro on 04/29/2015