Calling All Teachers: Arkansas Standards Rewrite
On Tuesday, August 18, 2015, Arkansans for Education Freedom met with Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin and his Chief of Staff Annamarie Atwood, Education Commissioner Johnny Key, Assistant Commissioner of Learning Services Dr. Debbie Jones, and Dr. Sarah Moore, the Governor’s Education Policy Advisor. We discussed the process of review and revision of the Arkansas K-12 math and English language arts (ELA) standards. AEF specifically requested the following: (1) the opportunity to recommend teachers for inclusion on the standards revision work groups, (2) an open process whereby the public is aware of what is happening at all stages of the standards work, and (3) a simplified online public comment process after the new standards draft is released.
Dr. Debbie Jones reviewed the rules and procedures for education standards review according to Arkansas law. Commissioner Key agreed to accept and consider resumes from Arkansas teachers who wish to be included on the standards work groups (there was no guarantee as to how many of these will be accepted), to work with the Lt. Governor’s office to make the process open and public, and to simplify the public comments process on the ADE website. Dr. Sarah Moore offered to provide previous online public comments received on the current common core standards. Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin was supportive of our requests, and offered a generous amount of additional funds from his budget if needed, pending legislative approval.
If you are a teacher and wish to submit a resume in order to be considered for the K-12 math or ELA Standards revision and writing work groups, please email Jennifer Helms at jennifer@arkedfreedom.org (or click the email icon below) for further information and instructions ASAP.
