© 2024 WUKY
background_fid.jpg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sweeping Education Overhaul Advances To Full Senate

Josh James
/
WUKY

Broad-reaching education reform just took its first tentative steps toward passage Thursday in Frankfort. Senate Bill 1 overhauls the review process for academic standards and teacher evaluation, a shift that could set the commonwealth on a decidedly different course from the Common Core-guided path charted six years ago.

Aiming to relieve teachers and administrators of what backers describe as costly, bureaucratic testing and reporting requirements, the top priority Senate bill proposes standards reviews by the state Department of Education every six years. One key player would be a committee comprised of three senators, three House members, three gubernatorial appointees, and the Commissioner of Education - a move critics worry might inject more politics into the process.

Bill sponsor Mike Wilson stresses that the measure hands more control back to local school districts.

"Our teachers... I really have confidence in them that they will make sure that our standards are where they need to be and rigorous for our kids to be properly educated to be able to complete," he says.

But others want to pump the brakes on the reform package, which creates new formulas for identifying and addressing struggling schools, does away with statewide social studies testing, and replaces internal program reviews with a complaint-driven system intended to keep schools accountable.

During the committee hearing, Democratic Sens. Gerald Neal and Reggie Thomas urged further study before agreeing to a "sea change" in state education policy. Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt reminded reporters the state is currently undergoing an update of standards.

"We just got the bill last night and we have concerns about timing," the new commissioner said. "We need to find out more information about what some of the regulations from ESSA are going to be."

ESSA refers to the Every Student Succeeds Act signed by President Obama in December, effectively doing away with the No Child Left Behind law.

Senate President Robert Stivers says he anticipates Senate Bill 1 hitting the chamber floor next Wednesday.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.
Related Content