I was proud to say I am a teacher, but over

the past 15 years Ive experienced the depressing,

gradual downfall and misdirection of education that has
slowly eaten away at my love of teaching. Everything I loved
about teaching is extinct.Ellie Rubenstein
Restoring Excellence to Education
A Historical Review and a Path Forward
by Amy Edmonds
vvv.\yLberty.org August,20l3
Foreword by Susan Gore, M.A.
lnthspuperAmyLdmondsteshovpocessuchusthoseoundntheCommonCoreStundurdsCommonCore
huvebeenpromotedhstorcuyundheren\yomng.Sheremndsusthutcentruzedmcromunugementfailsto
ncreusescoresonuchevementtests.lurther,shecustomndthesmpetruththutettnggoodteuchersdother
obsncreusesucudemcgrovth.
\e knov kds ure eurnng und grovng vhen students, teuchers und purents used vords ke ove eurnng,
respected, exctng, unorgettube connectons und revurdng.1eucher Le Rubensten used these vords
vhenshespokeubouttheyeursbeoremcromunugement,vhenshevusuovedtobecreutvenhervork:
4` YZ[ ML^ `LHYZ VM [LHJOPUN ^LYL PUJYLKPIS` L_OH\Z[PUN I\[ HSZV L_[YLTLS` L_JP[PUN HUK
rewarding. Ten-hour workdays felt worth it. I was making a difference in childrens and
their families lives. I was actively helping students love learning and forming unforgettable
connections with students who would come back to visit me year after year to recall their time
in my classroom and just chat. Also, at that time teachers were respected and highly regarded
as hardworking professionals who dedicated their lives yes lives to children. I was proud to
say, I am a teacher.
i
Ellie Rubenstein
Lnortunutey, ove o eurnng cun be reguuted uvuy.1hese duys proponents o Common Core
ketousethevordrgor,usn,romvurousdctonures[Miriam Webster, The Free Dictionary,
Dictionary.com]:
Hursh nexbty n opnon, temper, or udgment,
Strctness or severty, us n temperument, ucton, or udgment,
Strctness,severty,orhurshness,usndeungvthpeope.
AsLdmondsustrutes,rgorsexuctyvhutcentruzedmcromunugementsubout.ltsnot
good or students, und t drves cupube teuchers ke Le Rubensten out o ther proesson.
1hsneednotcontnue.
Introduction
Le Rubensten, u teucher n Hghund lurk, l.,
guned overnght notorety vhen she posted u vdeo
sheentted,lnlursutoHuppness.lntRubensten
tenders her resgnuton to schoo ocus uter dscussng
thedecneneducutonshehusseenoverthepustl5
yeurs.
1he detus o Rubenstens crtcsms ure teng.
She descrbes the depressng, gruduu dovnu und
msdrecton o educuton thut hus sovy euten uvuy
utmyoveoteuchng.1heemphussneducutonhus
shted rom osterng ucudemc und personu grovth
nbothstudentsundteucherstodemundngunormty
undconormty.
Descrbng the rse n bureuucrutc communds,
Rubenstencontnues:Rusngstudentstestscoreson
stundurdzedtestssnovtheonygou,undnorderto
ucheve t the creutvty, exbty und spontunety .
huvebeenemnuted.
Rubensten uddresses the centru themes thut huve
propeed pubc educuton over the pust hu century
contro und oss. 1he ght or controloverthepubc
educutonsystemhusbecomeudrvngpotcuugendu
or every ocu, stute und ederu udmnstruton. ut
these potcu ugendus huve ed to reu und sustuned
osses or those cosest to educuton, the oss o more
undmorepurenturghtsundresponsbtes,theong-
term oss o creutvty, exbty und spontunety
or teuchers ke Rubensten und the uctuu oss o u
meunngu,vhoeundreevunteducutonorthechd.
The Battle for Control: A Historical
Catalogue of Political Agendas
lubceducutonnAmercuhusuongundvndng
hstory.1hepusthucenturyhusseensomeothemost
substuntushtsncontro,shtsuvuyromtheocu
uuthorty o purents und teuchers und to the dstunt
centruzed, bureuucrutc contro o stute und ederu
government. 1hese shts huve u ess-thun-mpressve
truckrecordomprovngeducutonundhuveexucted
usteepsocoogcucosttoAmercunumes.
lederu money und vth t tghter ederu contro rst
begun to tuke u serous oothod n ocuy munuged
pubceducutonnthel950s.Sncethen,purentsund
teuchershuveendureducontnuousburrugeopocy
ntutvesthutcompromsetheeectvenessoteuchng
chdrenundtheubsouteuuthortyopurentstoruse
therchdrenvthoutntererenceromthestute.
1960s
ln l964 lresdent Lyndon }ohnson sgned nto
uv the Lementury und Secondury Lducuton Act
|LSLA) us purt o hs \ur on loverty. LSLA murked
the begnnng o ederu ntruson nto mutpe ureus
o educuton such us dentyng und undng ut-rsk
chdrenundov-ncomeschoosvhencreusngper-
pupexpendtures.}ohnsondescrbedtheuvus:1he
most sveepng educutonu b ever to come beore
Congress. lt represents u muor nev commtment o
thelederuCovernmenttoquutyundequutynthe
schoongthutveoerouryoungpeope.

Lnderthecryobrngngequutytouneducutonu
system pugued by the ght over segreguton, }ohnson's
\ur on loverty begun the LSLA progrum knovn
us Title 1: Improving the Academic Achievement of
the Disadvantaged, vhch s st n exstence toduy.
LSLA vus the rst muor cu or ederu nvovement
n pubc schoos.1he Act, uccordng to the }ohnson
udmnstruton,voudprovdemoreequtubeeconomc
und socu opportuntes or u students.

ut n the
umost ve decudes snce t rst becume u reuty n
Amercun schoos, 1te l unds huve hurdy ued
thepromsesmudebytheurchtectso}ohnsonsCreut
Socety.
1uke or nstunce the uchevement gups n uveruge
muth scores betveen buck und vhte pubc schoo
studentsutuge9,vhchnurrovedbyonyeghtponts
betveenl978und2004.
v
1hegupnuverugereudng
scores or the exuct sume demogruphc decreused
by ony sx ponts.
v
So much or the bg government
promses mude by lresdent }ohnson upon sgnng
thsederubehemoth:ypussngthsb,vebrdge
thegupbetveenhepessnessundhopeormorethun
5 mon educutonuy deprved chdren. |1ube
l)
v
1he promses o the Creut Socety huve proven
u uure, uchevement scores huve ut ned or over
threedecudes!
1970s
ln l979, lresdent }umes Lur }mmy Curter, }r.,
expunded the L.S. Cce o Lducuton's roe by mukng
the Cce o Lducuton u Cubnet-eve ugency by
sgnng the Depurtment o Lducuton Reorgunzuton
Act. ln hs uddress upon sgnng the Act, Curter stuted:
1he Depurtment o Lducuton b v uov the
lederu Covernment to meet ts responsbtes n
educuton more eectvey, more ecenty und more
responsvey.
v
1hs chunge ntuted the current eru o
executve brunch contro o pubc educuton.
1980s
ln l983, durng the Reugun udmnstruton, Secretury
o Lducuton 1erre e ussembed the Nutonu
Commsson on Lxceence n Lducuton, vhch reeused
A Nuton ut Rsk: 1he lmperutve or Lducuton Reorm.
e's report vus used to ruse nutonu uvureness o
supposed ungs n the pubc educuton system und
sounded yet unother government cu to ucton und,
thereore, more government contro.
Cne o the report's 38 ndngs served to undermne
u key Reugun pocy poston to emnute the L.S.
Depurtment o Lducuton utogether. lnsteud, one o
the ndngs sought to cement the ederu government's
contro o ocu pubc educuton: \e beeve the
lederu Covernment's roe ncudes severu unctons o
nutonu consequence thut Stutes und ocutes uone ure
unkey to be ube to meet. 1h 1h 1he e re rr po po ort cccont t nu nues: 1he
lederu Covernment hus thhhe he he hhh ppr r r mu mu mury ry ry rrres es espo po pons ns nsb b b ty to
denty the nutonu nteresttttttt n educ uc u ut ut u o on. n llltt t sh sh shou oud d d usoo o
hep und und support eo oooooort rts s to to to prote te tect u und pro omo m te
thutnterest.
\hut sturted vth lresd ddddddden ent }o }oohn h son' n' n ss dreu uuum mm o uuu
Creut Socety und evoveeeeeeed dd u urt rthe he her un unde derr lresd d den ntt t
Curter vus nov strengtheneeed d d by by by SS Sec ccre re r tury ry y e e unde eer
Ronud Reugun's vutch.
1990s
ln l994, lresdent Cnto to oooooon s sgn gn gned ed edt the he he Co C u u us s 20 00000:
Lducute Amercu Act, u stttttuuun un uuun uuu du durd rds- s- s bu bu buse se s d d ed edduc uc cut u o oon nn
pocy thut outned eght nut on on on ooo u u go go gou u uss th thhut voud dd bbe
ucheved through vountury gggggggggov ov over ernm nm nment t nterventon nn
|und government money) by th hhhhhhhhhe ye yeeur uu 2000. Note thut
n the most creutve nuton n tthhe hhhhhhh vord, u nuton thut
hud thrved n purt due to ts vvvvvvvvvurety o educutonu
gous, government set tse up to ooooo decure mono-gous
und stundurds or the vhoe counnnnnnnntry. Stundurds und
uccountubty vere byvords empppp pppppp oyed to spreud the
presumpton thut government uctors rs rs s rs sssss ure smurter und
knov better -- thun vho: -- thun youu und me und the
rest o us, uppurenty.
lederu egsuton over the pust three decudes hus
vorked eectvey to normuze the creeppp p p p p p pp ng ederu u u
reuch nto educuton. Cous 2000 took yet unnnnnnnnot oooooooo her stteep
orvurd by creutng the Nutonu Lducuton S SStu tu tu tu tu tu tu tu und dduurds
und lmprovement Counc, vhch vus estubshed to
certy und perodcuy revev vountury nutonu
content stundurds und vountury nutonu student
perormunce stundurds thut dene vhut u students
shoudknovundbeubetodo.
v

LookngbuckontheotygousoCous2000,dsmu
perormunceundoutrghttotuuurenuchevngmost
o these gous s u thut remuns. Cou 2000s second
gouvustoncreusethenutonugruduutonrutetout
eust 90 percent by 2000. Cruduuton rutes nutonuy
ventrom73.7percentnl990to72.6percentn2000,
udecreuseol.lpercent.
x
Cnceugungovernments
promsesued.
Early 2000s
Cn }unuury 8, 2002, lresdent Ceorge
\. ush sgned nto uv No Chd Let
ehnd|NCL),ureuuthorzutonoLSLA.
Aong vth reuuthorzng LSLA, NCL
ncudeduhostoneveducutonreorms
thutocusedonmeusurnguccountubty
usng Adequute Yeury lrogress |AYl).
NCL vus even more prescrptve thun
Cous 2000 n thut t requred stutes to
estubsh u set o stutevde ucudemc
stundurds und benchmurks to estubsh
ubove, ut or beov procency. 1hen
stutes vere to put n puce u stutevde
stundurdzed test to meusure the
procency eve o u students bused on
thosestundurds.
NCL coned the nevest educutonu buzzvord
uccountubtyundbroughtvthtusevoederu
consequences or ocu underperormunce. luure
to meet meusurube benchmurks trggered u seres o
requredschoo-eveuctons,munyovhchrequred
moreundmoreudmnstrutveundteuchngtmespent
on ng out orms und vrtng out puns ruther thun
teuchngstudents.
Ater u decude n puce, NCL uso hus et u
egucy o government uure. 1est scores huve not
seen sgncunt mprovements vhe gruduuton rutes
contnue to remun steudy uround 78 percent. Cne-
hundred percent procency n muth und reudng one
o the mpossbe-to-ucheve ppedreums o NCL
unsurprsngyhusnotbeenucheved.
x

2009-Present
Cn }uy 24, 2009, lresdent uruck Cbumu und
Lducuton Secretury Arne Duncun unnounced the
creutonoRucetothe1op,uS4boncompettve
educutongruntorstuteseuturnguvertubeCordun
knotouttuchedederustrngs.
1hs brngs us to the most recent ederu push, the
Common Core Stute Stundurds lntutve. \he other
ederuncursonsntondvduustute
educuton progrums snce the l960s
huve been ury strughtorvurd n
thermsson,CCSSlsderentnthut
proponents o those stundurds cume
upvthuruthercevervuyomuskng
ederu nvovement. Most mportunt,
noederuegsutonvusused.
Ruther, usng the trude ussocutons
Nutonu Covernors Assocuton
|NCA) und the Counc o Che Stute
Schoo Ccers |CCSSC) us ronts or
the progressve ntutve, nutonu
pubc und prvute stutsts uttempted
to hde behnd the ruse thut Common
Core vus u stute-ed ntutve vth
noederuornutonuconnecton.
Yetcosernspectonshovsurgeumountsoederu
grunt dours ovng nto the NCA und CCSSC rom
theverybegnnng,undederuRucetothe1opdours
vereusopurtotheederuhook.
lnuncu stutements reveu thut betveen 20l0 und
20l2bothtrudeussocutonsrecevedmorethunS28.4
monnederugruntmonesortherpeteducuton
ntutves, che umong them Common Core.
x x
ln
uddton,theseorgunzutonsusorecevedsubstuntu
donutons rom corporute eovs such us Mcrosot,
AppeundCeneruLectrc,lnc.,usveusdonutons
rom such or-prot educuton gunts us leurson
Lducuton, lnc., und nonprot educuton gunts AC1
undLducutonu1estngServce|L1S).
Financial
statements reveal
that between 2010
and 2012 both
trade associations
received more than
$28.4 million in
federal grant monies
for their pet
education initiatives,
chief among them
Common Core.
1hepushtoseCommonCoretothestutesddnot
stopvthederudours,hovever.Cneotheeudng
nutonu prvute orgunzutons, the und Mendu
Cuteslounduton,hususogventheNCAundCCSSC
more thun Sll.4 mon over the pust ve yeurs to
supporttheCommonCoreStuteStundurdsvorkund
vork vth stute pocymukers on the mpementuton
otheCommonCoreStuteStundurds.
x

ln u recent urtce or1he lounduton or Lconomc

Lducuton, Lenore Luy ponts out thut the Common
Cores:
Areentessundcoordnutedpushbyphunthropc
und bureuucrutc experts to sht uuthorty und
responsbty rom ocu ctzens und ndependent
schoo dstrcts to the ur-removed hgh cover o
centru uuthortes. 1he Cbumu udmnstruton
qucky ted Ruce to the 1op dours to Common
Core udopton by the stutes, not ony tuntng the
uppeurunce o the Common Cores vountury roots
butcompromsngtherreuty,too.
xv
ln u 2009 press reeuse, Arne Duncun
promsedstutesuchunceutS4bonn
ederumoneytheysmpympemented
our eurmurked reorms one o them
ncuded rusng stundurds.
xv
At the
tmethegruntvusvrtten,theCommon
Core Stute Stundurds lntutve vus the
ony set o nutonu stundurds thut ued
thegruntrequrements,undvusveghted
or 50 ponts o the overu 500 ponts u
stute coud receve. ln un uppcuton
vhere every pont counted, pucng the
udoptonotheCommonCorestundurds
onthesumepontseveusrusngscores
nov-perormngschoosceuryshoved
the ederu governments prorty to push
the Common Core Stute Stundurds onto
stutesusngederudours.
Wyomings Path to the Common Core
\hen the utest ederu Ruce to the 1op progrum
vus reveued, stutes ke \yomng rushed to on the
nutonustundurdsmovementvththehopeoobtunng
bg-government money und uttunng bg-government
promses, promses o nev stundurds thut vere n
the vords o the und Mendu Cutes lounduton
lever, Ceurer, Hgher.
xv
Cutsde o government,
proponentsketheCutesloundutonhudbeenmukng
spurous promses such us fewer overu stundurds,
vhchverebothclearerundutuhigherevethunu
otherstutestundurds.
\th the stroke o u pen n the sprng o 2009,
\yomng Covernor Duve lreudenthu und Stute
Superntendent o lubc lnstructon }m Mcrde
sgned u Memorundum oAgreement |MCA) vth the
buckersotheCommonCoreStuteStundurdslntutve,
entungng\yomngnthenutonuCommonCoreStute
Stundurds.
xv
lnonng,\yomngpromsedtosubmt
totheeudershpotheCommonCorentutve,submt
tothedeveopmentprocessothestundurdsusveus
the nutonu vuduton process. Ltmutey, \yomng
vus on the hook to compy vth the rgd stundurds-
udoptonprocessvthnoputhor\yomngtodrecty
mpuctthecontentothestundurdsthemseves.
1he MCA, ke the phunthropc
poverhouse buckng the Common
Core, promsed yet unother round o
decudes-od bg dreums ncudng
nutonu stundurds thut ure ugned
vth coege und vork expectutons,
so thut u students ure prepured or
success upon gruduutng rom hgh
schoo und ncusve o rgorous
content und uppcuton o knovedge
through hgh-order sks, so thut u
students ure prepured or the 2lst
century.
xv
Note thut the cum s to produce
youngpeopevhovhuveeconomc
utty. 1hs s ur rom the Amercun
Dreum thut euch person shoud become the most
thutheorshecunbe,uccordngtoupersonupursut
o huppness. Such du muterustc thnkng s
churucterstcosocustcvuues.
1he umbguty o these promses seemed to u on
deu eurs umong \yomng's pubc gures. lndeed,
the exuct vords n the MCA vere repeuted tme und
A relentless and
coordinated push by
philanthropic and
bureaucratic experts
to shift authority and
responsibility from
local citizens and
independent school
districts to the
far-removed high
cover of central
authorities.
ugun by\yomng bureuucruts n memos to descrbe
the Common Core, euvng the reuder to vonder
theproponentshudevenreudbeyondtheMCAtothe
stundurdsthemseves.
1he memorundum sgned by the governor und
stute superntendent uso stuted very ceury thut
deveopmentol-l2LngshLunguugeArts|LLA)und
Muth stundurds voud huppen ut the nutonu eve
speurheuded by the NCA und CCSSC, vhch voud
oversee the deveopment-process group thut ncuded
Acheve,AC1undtheCoegeourd.
Stutes vere encouruged to provde nput vth no
reuunderstundngohovthutnput
voud be used to shupe or possby
chunge the stundurds. lnsteud, the
memorundum ud out un urtght
deveopment und vuduton process
thutetnoroomorstutestocouborute
onthevrtngonevstundurds.
And governors und stute educuton
chesromuoverthecountrysgned-
on,creutngtheusonthutstutesvere
eudngthecreutonothestundurds.
ln notes duted Apr 29, 2009,
und obtuned rom the \yomng
Depurtment o Lducuton |\DL),
normutonromuteeconerencecu
betveen nterested stutes |ncudng
\yomng)undCCSSC/NCAorgunzers
noted thut the MCA voud not be
mude pubc unt receved by u the governors und
stute educuton ches.
xx
Stutes vere then gven ony
three veeks to respond, gruntng no tme or stute
pocymukerstoseeknputrompurentsundteuchers.
1henotesdescrbenormutonromthecuregurdng
the nk betveen stundurds und currcuum: CCSSC
recognzes thut stundurds ure ony one pece the
deveopmentocompunoncurrcuuundnstructonu
muterusshoudbeuddressedutuuterdute.
1he notes contun concerns expressed by cuers
regurdngthergdudoptonprocessorthestundurds:
1heMCAncudesucommtmentthutmemberstutes
v udopt' the common core o stundurds. Curcuton
sneededonvhutudoptmeunsnderentstutes.
xx
lssues urose even beore the MCA vus sgned,
hovever, us \yomng stututes puts the settng und
revsng o \yomngs Stute Stundurds soey under
the \yomng Stute ourd o Lducuton |SL). 1he
SL possesses no uuthorty to deegute thut stututory
duty to the Covernor or the Stute Superntendent.Yet
the MCA vus sgned by the Covernor und the Stute
SuperntendentvthnoconsututonotheSL.
1hs ust uct vus u potentu stckng pont or
SuperntendentMcrdeundthe\yomngDepurtment
o Lducuton |\DL) n the sprng o
2009. Accordng to u breng memo
provdedbythe\DL,uuthoredby\DL
stumembersAunMooreundChrstne
Steee, concerns vere rused to the
Covernor over the uck o nvovement
by the SL n the uppurent three-veek
rush to sgn the memorundum vth the
CCSSC: 1he \yomng Stute ourd
o Lducuton hus not been purt o
the dscusson regurdng ths proect.
1hey ure churged vth revevng und
udoptngthestuteStundurds.Sgnngthe
MCA beore they ure nvoved muy be
probemutc.
xx

lrobems ursng rom the

Superntendent und Covernors
upprovu o the MCA und the SLs
uck o nvovement vere never reuzed, hovever,
und \yomngs compunce vth the memorundums
tght deudne und rdged udopton process contnued
throughthesummero2009.
ln the SLs August 5, 2009, meetng, \DL stu
updutedtheSLonthestundurdsrevsonprocesstukng
puceundtedthsprocessnvththeCommonCore
Stute Stundurds or seemngy the rst tme pubcuy.
1heDepurtmentestubshedutmeneorudoptono
these stundurds, begnnng vth lne und lerormng
Arts, loregn Lunguuge und Heuth. Lngsh Lunguuge
Arts und Muth, the tvo content stundurds covered by
the Common Core stundurds, voud not sturt beng
The WY State Board
of Education has
not been part of
the discussion
regarding this
project. They are
charged with
reviewing and
adopting the state
Standards. Signing
the MOA before they
are involved may be
problematic.
reveved untApr 20l0 vth u competon dute set
or}unuuryo20l2.
xx
lnthe}unuuryl4,20l0,teeconerencemeetngothe
SL,SuperntendentMcrdebreedthebourdonthe
stutesRucetothe1opuppcuton.Mcrdenotedthe
uvurdgruntvoudbeSl62mon,vthS8lmon
upportonedorschoodstrcts.Heusostutedthutthe
\DL hud upped or un Sll mon dutu grunt the
prevous December, und he usserted the stute hud un
exceentchunceorecevngbothgrunts.
xxv
\yomng
vus n u ruce to receve urge sums o ederu dours,
vhchseemedtopromptthestutentoucceerutngts
ovnCommonCoreudoptontmene.
AttheAprl6,20l0,SLbourdmeetng,uccordng
tothemeetngmnutes,Mcrdestressedthut\yomng
voud need to gure out hov ve cun vork vth
common core stundurds by 20l5, othervse, t coud
uecttheederudoursvereceve.
xxv
Cn }une l6, 20l0, the SL voted to upprove the
udoptonotheCommonCorestutestundurdsnvhut
cun ony be nterpreted us u premuture vote to udopt
stundurdsthutverenotuyvetteducrossthestute.
\ththutvote,thedevuscustorthestutetocompy
vth the MCA und estubsh u urce o revevng
the stundurds over the next yeur. 1he vote ensured
\yomng voud move orvurd vth nu udopton n
20ll, despte the ourd recevng |ut the very sume
meetng) revevs rom \yomng content stundurd
revevteumsusveusrevevsby\yomngteuchers
vho purtcputed n un onne survey o the stundurds
both stressng ureus o deep concern und u ot o
ununsveredquestonssuchus:
Sttoomunyunknovns,
l voud not uccept the Common Core Stundurds
usnovvrtten.lnovngthereurechungescomng,
l voud vunt to see them rst beore l coud
recommendthestundurds.
lthnkthereuretoomunyquestonsuboutthem.l
thnk the deveopmentu questons thut need to be
unsveredtoucceptthemuss.
ConceptDeveopmentsnotstressedenough.
lhutetthutLunguugeArtshusbeenreducedtouset
osks.Lteruturedoessomuchmorenconnectng
usvththevordundeuchother.Someothesks
|theme)urenotdeveopmentuyuttunubeevenn
9thgrudevthoutgudunce.CLRllDSARLMCRL
1HAN1LS1SCCRLS.
1he reseurch s not nev rom 1lMSS 1rends n
lnternutonu Muthemutcs und Scence Study
or yeurs. \e need to rene und streumne the
currcuum und stop ettng textbook compunes
dctuteeducutonupructces.
lromvhutsourceddthesestundurdscome:\hut
uretheLSSLN1lALstundurdsthutureguurypuced
students must meet n order to muke ucudemc
progress: Hov do these proposed stundurds uppy
eurnng opportuntes thut meet the needs o the
studentsAND provde the essentu knovedge the
students must ucheve: l knov thut l vus never
contucted to enguge n ths composton process.
\hovus:
Youhuvetobekddngme.1hesestundurdsureso
pooryvrttenthutudoptngthemvoudbeuoke.
Nothng n them supports reseurch bused eurnng
or grude eves. 1hey ure vugue, untestube, und
shov no understundng o brun bused reseurch.
\yomng voud be better o to udopt the NC1M
muth stundurds und huve somethng thut uctuuy
hussomethoughtbehndthem.|Nottomentonthut
leurson lubshng s u sponsor they ookng to
tuke more \yomng money on poory deveoped
tests:)
xxv
Despte the bourd und the \DL contnung or the
nextyeurvthunopencommentperodundmeetngs
uround the stute to get pubc nput, the tmene or
udoptonotheCommonCorestundurdsn\yomng
ceury shov thut the stundurds vere udopted or
compuncereusonsundnotnthenterestopromotng
quuty educuton. ln the process o udoptng the
stundurds,\yomngddnotcompurethestundurdsto
otherstuteshgh-quutystundurds.1hedeuoookng
esevhereorstundurdsever,ceurerundhgherthun
those beng pushed n the Common Core vus never
evenentertuned.\yomng,keuotheotherstutes,
hushuduhu-centuryoeurnnghovtosvuovevery
ederuhook,noquestonsusked.
ln the second, nu und dentcu vote by SL ut
therSeptember23,20ll,meetng,thestundurdsvere
upprovedvthubsouteynochungesmudetotheLLA
und Muthemutcs content ureus, vhch vere coped
und pusted verbutm rom the orgnu copyrghted
Common Core Stute Stundurds nto \yomng's nu
upprovedstundurds.
xxv
Desptevhuthusbeenbed
by proponents o the Common Core us u engthy und
open three-yeur process vhere purents und teuchers
vere uorded the opportunty to comment, not one
sngechungevusmudetotheCommonCoreStundurds
nLLAundMuth.Notone.
\yomngsputhtotheCommonCoresyetunother
oss or \yomngs umes. lurents, students und
teuchersvhopurtcputentheeducutonusystemon
uduybussveresmpynotuovedtopurtcputen
theprocessnunymeunnguvuy.1hedehudureudy
beencust.
The Race to the Bottom: Losses in the
Classroom.
1hrough the pust hu century o potcu posturng
or contro over educuton, t s umes und teuchers
vhohuvecomeouttheceurosers.1estscoresremun
ut, educuton spendng contnues to skyrocket und the
oncebedrockprncpeoocucontrosubutextnct
undnovmereygvenpservcebystuteundederu
potcuns. ureuucruts ur removed rom Amercun
umes und ther chdrens cussrooms ure doubng
dovnoncontro.lmpementutonotheCommonCore
s ust unother n u ong ne o governments empty,
uedpromses.
LeRubenstensoneothecountessteuchersund
purents vho huve vtnessed these osses rsthund.
Rubenstenenteredhercureerneducutonuttheend
otheCous2000eruundthebegnnngoNoChd
Let ehnd, Ruce to the1op und the Common Core
Stute Stundurds lntutve. She descrbed the sturtng
chungesshehusseennthecussroomoverthoseyeurs.
Currcuum s munduted, mnutes spent teuchng
subectsureuudted,undscheduesuredctutedby
udmnstrutors.1he cussroom teucher s no onger
trusted or n contro o vhut, vhen or hov she
teuches.. More und more ve ure beng orced to
udmnster puper und penc tusks, mutpe-choce
teststhutcunbegrudedbyucomputerundskund
dr ussgnments thut don't requre or reect hgher
evethnkng.Authentcteruturehusbeenrepuced
vth dry, unnterestng text und teuchers ure beng
orcedtodouvuyvthconstructveproectsnorder
to t n u those munduted nstructonu mnutes und
ussessments.
Chrsty Hooey, u sxth-grude teucher rom Creen
Rver,\yo.,hususovtnessedtheossocreutvtyund
reedom n the cussroom. Hooey vent nto teuchng
becuuse o u ove or schoo und teruture, und hus
beenteuchngorsxyeurs.
HooeybegunherteuchngcureernLtuhuterNCL
hud been put nto puce. At rst, she ddn't reuy notce
uny eects n her cussroom. Hovever Hooey udmts
thut she, ke muny other teuchers, dd not uvuys
understund the ederu und stute progrums thut vere
beng enucted n her cussroom. lor her, t vus ubout
ocusngonherkdsundgettngthroughthebusyduys.
utvhenshemovedto\yomng,shenotceduhuge
derence.
l vus oored by hov much testng vus huppenng n
ourschooundtvusntmedongthetestng,tvus
outsde sources. Meusures o Acudemc lrogress
|MAl) ure gven three tmes u yeur, Dynumc
lndcutorsouscLuryLterucySks|DlLLS)uso
three tmes u yeur und lrocency Assessment or
\yomng Students |lA\S) ut the end o the yeur,
uong vth other tests. l vus oored ut hov much
tmevustukenuvuyrommyteuchng.
1hspustyeurthngsbeguntochungeorHooeyuter
she und other teuchers vere tod ubout the Common
CoreundtsdeveopmentntheCreenRverschoon
vhchtheytuught.Hooeybeguntoseethutthsnev
currcuum vus much more thun ust fewer, clearer,
higher stundurds. She qucky reuzed thut somethng
bgvushuppenngundthutteuchersvereosngther
ocucontroundtherocuvoce.
Cneothepeopelreuyrespectsud,etsustdo
t,thutsvhutvehuvetodo,dovhuttheyveus.
1hutsvherelcumeupvth-ookutus,vereke
sheep.Dovereuyugreevththspocy:lnsteud
ve ure gven vdeos, propugundu to re us up ubout
hov greut ths s.. Admnstrutors shoved us three
vdeos,butvevereneveruovedtostdovnund
hushoutvethnkthssreuygoodorourkds.
lor Hooey, she coudnt ust do t und nsteud
sturted dong her ovn homevork. \hen the lrocency
Assessment or \yomng Students |lA\S) test vus
bengputntopuceucrossthestuteseveruyeursugo,
uccordngtoHooey,teuchersnherbudngsutdovn
undhushedoutvhutvusvrongvthlA\S.Hooey
sud the process vus dcut, but teuchers vere ube
tostdovnundmukethosechungesunddovhutthey
knevvusbestortherstudents.ltvusucouborutve
processnvhcheveryteucherpurtcputed.
utusHooeyeurnedmoreubouttheCommonCore
undthesubsequentussessmentsthutverecomnguter
thempementutonotheCore,shebeguntoseeubg
probem vth the compete uck o teucher nput.1he
CommonCorevusceuryunedctnottobequestoned
orchunged.
Hov s ths gong to ncreuse the couborutng or
our kds there s no umendment process: \hen
veuretodthey|teuchersessonpuns)uhuveto
becommoncoreundyetsupposedyvehuvel5%
ve cun udd, yeuh rght, but thut l5% s not gong
to be tested so thut's the rst thng thut's gong to
go.And those ure the thngs thut ure deur to most
teuchers,thethngsthutbrngoutthectzenshpo
ourstudents,\yomngshstory,undthegeoogyo
our stute..thut stu's gong to go uvuy.
Hooeysentunemutocoeuguessheknevundhud
vorkedvth,stutngherconcerns.Aeovcovorker
sheudmredsentbuckurepythutstunnedher.ltsud,
Common core s gong to be the uv und the uv s
vhut ve huve to oov. Cther coeugues, hovever,
thunked Hooey or the normuton, und rused muny
o the sume concerns. Hooey sut dovn vth her
udmnstrutortotukubouttheemu.
l et the meetng eeng thut ve voud ust huve
tougreetodsugree.Myudmnstrutorddntteme
lcoudntshuremyvevs.Aevomycoeugues
sud l shoud shure my normuton vth others,
so l shured t n u stu meetng. 1huts vhen my
udmnstrutor got up und sud ve vere done. \e
coudnottukubouttheCommonCoreugun.
lorHooey,tvusthebegnnngotheend.1hutvus
upurtovhutedmetonotgongbuck.lovedteuchng.
utlusovunttogetmykdsoutothepubcschoos
rghtnov.Hooeyvnotbereturnngtoherbudng
ths u, she hus chosen to euve teuchng or the tme
bengundsvorkngutmetoremove\yomngrom
theCommonCore.
AteucherromSoutheust\yomngvthllyeurso
experencehususoseentheossoteuchngreedom
rsthund. She ugreed to be nterveved or ths vork
underthecondtonsounonymty,usshedoesnotee
reetospeukopenyuboutherconcerns.Shebegunher
cureerteuchngmdde-schooundhgh-schooLngsh,
undventntoteuchngbecuuseshevuntedtohuveu
postveeducutonumpuctonstudents.
l thnk the chunges huve been most dcut n the
Lngsh cussroom becuuse vhen l rst sturted l coud
chooseunynove,unytext.lhudurmoreouchoce
und l vus ony mted to vhut my coeugues vere
dong.Asuvorknggroup,vhutveudecded,even
vthnthutlhudreerunge.
1heubtyorthsteuchertohuveureumpuct|the
orgnu reuson she got nto teuchng) on her students
hus contnued to dmnsh. Nev nnovutons n the
cussroomhuveedtouossnthepersonuone-on-one
reutonshpbetveenherusuteucherundherstudents.
Cudedreudngsvhereveudscussubook,uter
ugreengonvhuttheyvunttoreud.Comprehenson
comesbecuusetheykethebookundkedscussng
t. So vhen l do guded reudng ther test scores
skyrocket. ut nov ve huve ths computer system.
\eventuvuyromthereutonshppurtnguded
reudngtogongtoucomputerundeveryteucherl
knovhutesthem.1euchersgetntoteuchngbecuuse
theykethereutonshps.
}ustusdscussedbyLeRubensten,uteucherrom
lnos,ths\yomngteucherusonotesthedetrmentu
eectsonteucher-studentreutonshpsshehusseenn
teuchng n her ll yeurs n the cussroom und udds
she voud muke un mportunt chunge to mprove
educuton:
lustvunttobeubetohuvemycreutvtybuck.ll
veretopckonethng-thutvoudbet,uovmeto
teuchkelknovhovtshoudbedone.
HerthoughtsonthempementutonotheCommon
CoreusosoundverysmurtothoseoChrstyHooey,
theteucherromCreenRver.Shenotcednute2009
thut stu deveopment meetngs vere suddeny beng
centeredontheCommonCore.
Cnce you've been n the ed, you come to reuze
thut every ev yeurs there comes the thng thut
s gong to chunce everythng ts ke the cure
or cuncer.And ve u knov t snt gong to vork
undths|CommonCore)sntgongtovorkether.
Anyone vho hus been n the ed or onger thun
5 yeurs s skeptcu, becuuse youve seen the huge
dumporesourcesundtrunngundthenyouseeu
thestudovnthehunuboxcoveredndustthut
oncevusthegreutestthng.
}udy Hemck, u l6-yeur veterun
o teuchng vho ended her cureer n
Dubos, \yo., cun uso testy to the
chunges n pubc educuton. lrom
l973 to l98l, }udy took u hutus rom
teuchng. \hen she returned to the
cussroom n the u o l98l, she vus
umuzedutvhutsheound:
\hutlnotcedvustheprogrumslvus
n u urm communty und there vus
u ths specu educuton stu und specu reudng
progrums, there vus so muny progrums. And kds
verebengpuedoutothecussroom.Lverythng
becumeuboutubes.Lveryonevusgettngubeed,
und the more ubeng thut huppened, the more
ederumoneythedstrctsvoudget.
Hemck uso hus very strong eengs ubout the
CommonCoreStundurds,undvhuttheyvmeunor
chdrennthecussroom.
lrst l rst heurd ubout the Common Core there
vusuthstukubouthovtvoudmukeeveryone
coegeundcureerreudyundthutsvusrgorous.l
don't ke the vord rgorous, t's u pretty ugy vord
you ook t up. Lveryone voud be common,
the sume. 1hut ust sent up reu red ugs becuuse
everychdsderentundeurnsutuderentrute.
ldontkethedeuoussumngthesumeormutor
everychd.Youhuvetomukechungesbusedonthe
chd.
1hrough the pust hu century o potcu posturng
orcontroovereducuton,ts\yomngumesund
teucherske}udyHemck,ChrstyHooeyundothers
thuthuvecomeouttheceurosers.1estscoresremun
ut, educuton spendng contnues to skyrocket und
the once bedrock prncpe o ocu contro s u but
extnctormereygvenpservcebystuteundederu
potcuns |or openy denounced by progressves.)
Moreundmorecontrosbenggunedbybureuucruts
urremovedrom\yomngumesundtherchdrens
cussrooms. lmpementuton o the Common Core s
ustunothernuongneogovernmentsempty,ued
promses.Andthroughtu,purentsundteuchersure
hedcuptvenusystemtheycunnethergetoutonor
vorktochunge.
Wyomings Pathway Out
Common Core s unother expensve,
out-o-touch und ubstruct educutonu
noton osted on purents, teuchers und
students. ut ke mues stuck n the
mud, those dong the ostng reuse to
open ther mnds to the very ucts und
probemsthutoccurvhentheseubstruct
notonshtthereutyokdsundteuchers
nthecussroom.
Cutruged \yomng purents vunt reeuse rom u
bureuucrutcgrpthutsqueezestheoyunduchevement
outotherchdrenseducuton.1hedeuthutusnge
etegroupcungetuvuyvthpresumngtodecdethe
educutonu ute o every one o the unque umes
ucross \yomng enruges them. Cur umes, our
cuture und our uth ure ureudy vth us, here n our
communtesn\yomng,undtheyureunderuttuck.
Reguuton ntereres vth the smpest o ntutves.
lor exumpe, one home-schoo umy shoud get
together vth unother home-schoo umy und hre u
teucher, they voud ncur so muny rues thut they ure
n eect prevented rom ths commonsense meuns o
udvuncng the educuton o ther chdren n the vuy
Common Core is
another expensive,
out-of-touch and
abstract educational
notion foisted on
parents, teachers
and students.
they deem best. An educutonu monopoy munuged
by those vho knov better und enorced by poce
shoudhuvenopucen\yomng.
lnourreesocety,compettonmustnotbedeemed
egu, nor must government uctors be the soe voce
n denng educutonu quuty. Let pubc educuton
und non-reguuted prvute educuton exst sde-by-sde,
et them cooperute und creute, et them compete, und
uboveu,etresponsbeeudersendorsetheprncpe
thutpurentstogethervthteuchersbestdetermnevhut
srghtortherchdren.
1heputhtoeducutonureedomor\yomngnvtes
reshthnkng.Hereureuevuctonsuggestons|thss
notunexhuustvest)orrestorngexceencetopubc
undnon-reguutedprvuteeducuton:
l. Stute-Leve: Dereguute prvute schoos und
homeschoong,uovngorureeundnnovutve
prvuteschoosystem.
2.Stute-Leve:RepeutheCommonCoreStundurdsn
LLAundMuthemutcs.Remove\yomngromthe
SmurteruunceConsortum.
3. Stute-Leve: \yomngs uppcuton or u vuver
under the L.S. Depurtment o Lducutons
Condtonu NCL \uver lun shoud be
umended to deete the Depurtments our non-
stututorycondtonsundncudeonythestututory
requrementso20L.S.C.786l.
xxv
4.Stute-Leve: Restructure the Stute ourd o
Lducuton,mukngtuneectedbourd.1hsvoud
uov purents und teuchers more representuton
stutevde,notessdusngpoverovereducuton
rutherthunconsodutngt.
5.Stute-Leve: Recubrute the stute educuton-
undngmodetoonethutdoesnotocusmoneyut
thedstrcteve,butrutherservesusumodethut
creutesunndvduuchd-ocusedbackpackor
every educuton dour spent.1he money shoud
beocusedonthechd,notthedstrct.
xxx
6.Dstrct-Leve: lncentvze dstrcts to support
student/veghtedbuckpuckbudgetng.
7.Stute-Leve: Decreuse the umount o requred
testngnthecussroom.
8.StuteundDstrctLeve:Lstubshusepurutechurter-
schoouuthorzerndependentothedstrct.
Ater hu u century o ung to x u system thut s
not subect to xng vu mstuken edcts, ve understund
better hov to restore und promote exceence. lrst
lrncpes recognze thut educutonu gudunce o
chdren s propery the responsbty o purents und
theteuchersotherchoce.\eneedtohuvetheuth
undhumtytoetthetrueexperts,thosecosesttothe
chdren,mpementoveoeurnng.
The Wyoming Liberty Groups next education policy
brief will detail steps needed to move Wyoming off
the road to educational serfdom and onto the road to
educational freedom.
Endnotes

LeRubensten,lnlursutoHuppness,Muy26,20l3,
http://vvv.youtube.com/vutch:v=uH9vxql}VM

lresdentLyndon}ohnson,Remurksn}ohnsonCty,1exus
Lpon Sgnng the Lementury und Secondury Lducuton
, Apr ll, l965, http://vvv.bb.utexus.edu/ohnson/
urchves.hom/speeches.hom/6504ll.usp

lutrck McCunn und lrederck Hess, lreedom rom

gnorunce, 1he Creut Socety und the evouton o the
Lementury und Secondury Lducuton Act o l965, 1he
CreutSocetyundtheHgh1deoLberusm.Amherst,MA:
LnverstyoMussuchusetts.2005
v
Nutonu Center or Lducuton Stutstcs, lnsttute o
Lducuton Scences, Achevement Cups, Hov buck und
vhtestudentsnpubcschoosperormnMuthemutcsund
reudngontheNutonuAssessmentoeducutonuprogress,
2009,http://nces.ed.gov/nutonsreportcurd/studes/gups/
v
Nutonu Center or Lducuton Stutstcs, lnsttute o
Lducuton Scences, Achevement Cups, Hov buck und
vhtestudentsnpubcschoosperormnMuthemutcsund
reudngontheNutonuAssessmentoeducutonuprogress,
2009,http://nces.ed.gov/nutonsreportcurd/studes/gups/
v
ReudngundMuthemutcsScore1rends,NutonuCenter
or Lducutonu Stutstcs, Lpduted Apr 20l3, http://nces.
ed.gov/progrums/coe/ndcutor_cn.usp
v
DepurtmentoLducutonReorgunzutonActStutements,
lresdent }mmy Curter, Cctober l7, l979, http://vvv.
l9021homesAve.,Ste.20lCheyenne,\Y8200l
(307) 632-7020 ~ www.WyLiberty.org
presdency.ucsb.edu/vs/ndex.php:pd=3l543
v
1he Cous 2000: Lducute Amercu Act |l.L. l03-227),
secton 2ll, lederu Legsuton, http://vvv2.ed.gov/
egsuton/CCALS2000/1heAct/sec2ll.htm
x
lubcHghSchooCruduutonRutes,NutonuCenteror
Lducuton Stutstcs, Lpduted Muy 20l3, http://nces.ed.gov/
progrums/coe/ndcutor_co.usp
x
lercentuge dstrbuton o 4th- und 8th-grude students
ucross Nutonu Assessment o Lducutonu lrogress |NALl)
reudng uchevement eves: Seected yeurs, l992-20ll,
Nutonu Center or Lducutonu Stutstcs, Lpduted Murch
20l3,http://nces.ed.gov/progrums/coe/ndcutor_cnb.usp
x
NutonuCovernorsAssocutonundNutonuCovernors
AssocutonCenterorestlructce,
x
Consoduted lnuncu Report, }une 30, 20l2, }une 30,
20ll und }une 30, 20l0, http://vvv.ngu.org/cms/home/
ubout/nuncu-stutements.htm
x
Counc o Che Stute Schoo Ccer, lnuncu
Stutements,20l0-20l2,http://ccsso.org/\ho_\e_Are.htm
xv
1heundMenduCuteslounduton,AvurdedCrunts
Dutubuse, http://vvv.gutesounduton.org/Hov-\e-\ork/
uck-Lnks/Crunts-Dutubuse
xv
Lenore Luy, 1he lounduton or Lconomc Lducuton,
Common Core: A 1ocqueveun Lducuton or Curte
lederusm:Muyl4,20l3.http://vvv.ee.org/the_reemun/
detu/common-core-u-tocqueveun-educuton-or-curte-
ederusmruxzz2L8CMHCp
xv
L.S.DepurtmentoLducuton,DuncunCersStmuus
lundsorStutestoDeveopRgorousAssessmentsLnkedto
Common Stundurds, }une l5, 2009, http://vvv2.ed.gov/
nevs/pressreeuses/2009/06/06l52009u.htm
xv
und Mendu Cutes lounduton, lever, Ceurer,
Hgher:MovnglorvurdvthConsstent,RgorousStundurds
orAStudents,vvv.gutesounduton.org

xv
1he Counc o Che Stute Schoo Ccers und 1he
Nutonu Covernors Assocuton Center or est lructces,
CommonCoreStundurdsMemorundumoAgreement,sgned
byDuvelreudenthuundDr.}mMcrde.

xv
1he Counc o Che Stute Schoo Ccers und 1he
Nutonu Covernors Assocuton Center or est lructces,
CommonCoreStundurdsMemorundumoAgreement,sgned
byDuvelreudenthuundDr.}mMcrde.

xx
Documentuton on e
vththeuuthor.

xx
Documentuton on e vth the uuthor.

xx
Documentuton on e vth the uuthor.
xx
Aun Moore, Chrstne Steee, \DL stu, reng to
Covernorlreudenthu,CommonCoreStundurdslroect,Muy
7, 2009, document on e vth uuthor.
xx
\yomngStuteourdoLducutonMeetngMlNL1LS,
August5,2009,LtteAmercuConerenceRoom,Cheyenne,
\Yhttp://edu.vyomng.gov/stutebourdoeducuton/Meetng_
Muterus.uspx
xxv
\yomngStuteourdoLducutonMeetngMlNL1LS,
}unuury l4, 20l0, 1eeconerence, http://edu.vyomng.gov/
stutebourdoeducuton/Meetng_Muterus.uspx
xxv
\yomng Stute ourd o Lducuton Meetng MlNL1LS,
Apr l6, 20l0, Coshen County Schoo Dstrct rl
ourd Room, 1orrngton, \Y http://edu.vyomng.gov/
stutebourdoeducuton/Meetng_Muterus.uspx
xxv
\yomng Depurtment o Lducuton Stundurds 1eum,
Recommendutons Reuted toAdoptng the Common Core
StuteStundurdsnLngshLunguugeArtsundMuth,
xxv
Common Core Stute Stundurds lntutve, http://vvv.
corestundurds.org/pubc-cense
xxv
Robert S. Lte und lent D. 1ubert, 1he Roud to u
Nutonu Currcuum: 1he egu uspects o Common Core,
Rucetothe1opundtheCondtonu\uvers,leb.l6,20l2,
http://vvv.ed-soc.org/pubcutons/detu/the-roud-to-u-
nutonu-currcuum-the-egu-uspects-o-the-common-core-
stundurds-ruce-to-the-top-und-condtonu-vuvers
xxx
http://reuson.org/es/vs/poudre.pd