(KCPW News) State Superintendent Larry Shumway received a prompt reply to a letter he sent U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan this week.
Shumway wrote the letter to assert that Utah has complete control over its public school learning standards, amid concerns from Utah lawmakers, who are considering a resolution that urges the State board of Education to reconsider adopting the Common Core standards. In his response, Secretary Duncan said he completely agreed with the superintendent’s point.
“His letter to me said that he was writing ‘to confirm our full and unqualified agreement with your letter.’ I think that’s a pretty clear statement,” he tells KCPW. ” Now, we’re going to have to continue to be vigilant, but my personal view is that it makes the resolution that’s proceeding through the bodies here, SCR 13, unnecessary.”
Common Core is an initiative coordinated by the National Governors Association. It’s made Republican lawmakers skeptical because it’s been endorsed by the Obama Administration, though the White House was not involved in drafting the Common Core standards.
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