Alabama House Bill HB387

Alabama 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/22/22
• Refer: 2/22/22

Caption

Common Core Curriculum Standards, terminated

Impact

The bill primarily impacts the structure of educational standards in Alabama, arguing for a return to state control over educational guidelines. By prohibiting the adoption of any national standards, the bill emphasizes the state's goal of maintaining local oversight over education. This shift may alter the framework for educational assessments and data collection, as it seeks to remove the influence of federal education policies that were earmarked for Alabama's academic programs.

Summary

House Bill 387 aims to terminate the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards in K-12 public education. The bill mandates the State Board of Education to revert to previous curricular standards in math and English Language Arts that were in place before the adoption of Common Core. This change is set to take effect starting with the 2023-2024 school year, ensuring that Alabama's educational curriculum is not influenced by any national standards or guidelines from external entities.

Contention

Supporters of HB 387 argue that the bill allows for greater flexibility and autonomy for Alabama educators by stripping away national guidelines that some perceive as detrimental to local educational needs. However, critics of the bill express concern that such a move may limit educational opportunities and create disparities in educational quality, particularly with regard to updated learning methodologies that are recognized nationally. This debate touches on broader themes of education reform and local versus national governance in public education.