Congressman Collins Hosts Telephone Town Hall on Common Core

Congressman Collins (NY-27) will host a telephone town hall on Common Core this coming Monday.  The new educational standards are currently being implemented in New York State.  Common Core is widely criticized for forcing students to learn skills necessary to perform well on tests as opposed to actually learning critical material.  Congressman Collins recently met with parents, students, educators and school board members to discuss ongoing concerns with Common Core. 

“Common Core is a typical one-size-fits-all approach generated by big government bureaucrats,” said Congressman Collins.  “My office continues to be contacted by parents and educators with serious concerns about how Common Core is effecting students and learning in the classroom.  I want to bring people together from across New York’s 27th Congressional District to have a conversation on this important issue.”

New York State adopted Common Core standards in 2010.  Across the country, 45 states have begun Common Core implementation, but recently ten states, including Massachusetts, have started to rethink or delay their participation over growing concerns from parents, educators and students themselves.  States were incentivized to participate in Common Core by the federal government through grant money available as part of the American Recovery and Restoration Act (federal stimulus). 

“The federal government knew financially strapped states would jump at the chance for extra aid and sign-up for Common Core,” said Congressman Collins.  “As implementation begins, people are starting to wake-up to what Common Core is really all about.  I am hopeful this telephone town hall will allow people to learn more about Common Core, share their concerns, and hear how other states are approaching these new regulations.”

Congressman Collins’ Common Core telephone town hall will be this coming Monday, January 27, 2014 at 4:00 PM. To participate in this district wide conversation, email Congressman Collins by visiting his website at chriscollins.house.gov/contact/email-me, enter your contact information and put "TELETOWNHALL" in the message subject line.