Tennessee is one of Arne Duncan’s favorite states because it was one of the first states to win Race to the Top funding, it has a rightwing governor and legislature, and an experienced, TFA-trained state commissioner. Thus, the state is committed to charters, to privatization, and to eliminating tenure (it already abolished collective bargaining). This is Arne’s kind of state, a state where Democrats are powerless.
But, trouble! A new poll by Vanderbilt University finds that after three years of experience with the Common Core, 56% of teachers want to abandon it. Not fine-tune it. Abandon it.
Read the story and watch the politicians try to spin the collapse of teacher support.
“Support for Common Core among Tennessee teachers has waned so much since last year that a majority now opposes the academic standards, a new statewide survey shows.
“With the future of Common Core under fire in Tennessee, a new report from the Tennessee Consortium on Research, Evaluation and Development could provide more ammunition to those who want to roll back the standards.
“The new 2014 survey, undertaken by a group led by Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development and released Wednesday, found that just 39 percent of respondents believe that teaching to the standards will improve student learning — compared with 60 percent who said the same last year.
“It also found 56 percent of the 27,000 Tennessee teachers who responded to the survey want to abandon the standards, while 13 percent would prefer to delay their implementation. Only 31 percent want to proceed. The 2013 survey did not ask questions in this area.
“There’s been a pretty big drop of support for the Common Core,” said Dale Ballou, a Vanderbilt professor and director of the consortium.
“But there doesn’t seem to be any single symptom or explanation for that change. It’s a lot of different factors that seem to be playing into this. The one thing I would caution people against is jumping to the conclusion that this means now that teachers are actually trying it, they’re discovering that it doesn’t work.”
Gosh, no, don’t jump to that conclusion, the one that common sense suggests. Don’t conclude that “now that teachers are actually trying it, they’re discovering that it doesn’t work.” There must be another explanation. If I think of one, I will let you know.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
They obviously want us to defer to explanations that are political, related to union interference, money….anything else that teachers might consider that are not children’s learning experiences.
LOL! Dont jump to that logical conclusion… we will tell you what to think as soon as Bill Gates’ people tell us what to say.
“Gosh, no, don’t jump to that conclusion, the one that common sense suggests. Don’t conclude that “now that teachers are actually trying it, they’re discovering that it doesn’t work.” There must be another explanation. If I think of one, I will let you know.”
Diane – you made me spit out my coffee once again!
Thank you for your intelligence & your common sense! You just made my day!
Heavens no, don’t jump to that logical conclusion! We will tell you what to think just as soon as Bill Gates’ people tell us what to say. LOL!!!
In the meantime, TN’s Governor Haslam (who loves Common Core more than his constituents) (and who wants to be re-elected in November for a 2nd term), will boldly take it upon himself to arrange a “full vetting” of the Common Core (with the same people from the Chamber of Commerce and organizations like SCORE & PTA that Bill Gates has paid to support Common Core, of course).
I wonder if Vanderbilt University will lose support for releasing this damning study? I bet there won’t be a follow-up survey after this. The Haslams are very powerful in this state.
“It also found 56 percent of the 27,000 Tennessee teachers who responded to the survey want to abandon the standards, while 13 percent would prefer to delay their implementation. Only 31 percent want to proceed. The 2013 survey did not ask questions in this area.” [see above blog posting]
56 freakin’ percent!
Now I don’t often find myself agreeing with “Dr.” Steve Perry [“America’s Most Trusted Educator”—it must be true! It says so in big letters on his website!] but—
“Men lie and women lie but numbers don’t.”
Numbers. Stats. Data points. Can one argue with such irrefutable evidence?
“I reject that mind-set.” [Michelle Rhee]
And I don’t usually agree with her either, but in this case…
😎
Perhaps teachers simply don’t like the branding or the image of CC. If only there was someone out there capable of changing a brand or image….
Ah, it must be the brand of Common Core!
Anyone have a new brand?
Actually, Tennessee already re-branded Common Core. They removed the toxic words “common core” from their website and told people to call it by its new name: Tennessee State Standards
http://www.mommabears.org/blog/hide-seek-tndoe-hides-common-core
A big pile of manure is a big pile of manure no matter what one calls it.
And I’m being mean to the pile of manure, it shouldn’t have it’s being called into question by associating it with the CCSS.
“And I’m being mean to the pile of manure…”
Gem of the day.
Thanks, Duane.
How about a catchy jingle and sports figure endorsement? Maybe cross product marketing like “free PARCC eraser with each Happy Meal”! Or Arne Duncan action figure – “gotta test ’em all”.
The Arne Duncan whoopee cushion seems apropos.
After two years of teaching the common core, here’s my problem with it:
Today we read with our 6th graders “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou. If you’re not familiar with this poem, google it. It’s a beautiful poem about childhood fears and how they are dealt with. Today, we spent the 40 minute period gathering “text evidence” about the poem…nothing about it’s beauty…nothing about the author and how she faced life courageously. Text evidence. That was it.
I can see why the oligarchs love common core. We can’t look “outside” of what’s in front of us. We can’t wander and roam around – only….the….text is what matters. Can you see the future? Everyone will be trained to only look at what’s in front of them – never question, never roam, never wander. What a windfall for the future job creators who are now in private school!
Diane. Thanks for sharing this. Ironically, I was interviewed by NPR about this issue and the other person interviewed was Kevin Huffman. My comment was regarding the failed implementation as well.
My son stopped by tonight and said his district was sixty teachers short; they even pulled the librarian to teach. Moreover, five new teachers left, being unable to deal with the challenges. He goes by classrooms and sees new teachers absolutely floundering despite a good administration. We predicted this. I just came from a foreign language teachers’ conference and things don’t look good there either. I’m glad I retired.