Some states are pushing back against uniform benchmarks for reading, writing and math that have been fully adopted in most states and are being widely put in place this school year.
The new Common Core standards replace a hodgepodge of educational goals that had varied from state to state. The federal government was not involved in the state-led effort to develop them but has encouraged the project.
Proponents say the new standards will better prepare students. Critics worry they’ll establish a national curriculum for public schools rather than letting states decide what is best for their students.
There was little dissent when the standards were widely adopted in 2010. But now lawmakers and governors are reviewing the standards in Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, Alabama, South Carolina and Utah.