The Mississippi Tea Party “MSTP” today released the results of a random telephone survey conducted during the last quarter of 2013 in which more than 3200 Mississippi households were surveyed concerning the issue of the Common Core State Standards for education in Mississippi.
Respondents were asked six basic questions in an effort to gauge citizens’ knowledge of Common Core. The survey was conducted by Mississippi Citizens for Good Government. Results indicated that among respondents:
• 74% are very concerned that the Standards were untested before being introduced
• 79% are very concerned about the data collection aspect of the initiative
• 80% are very concerned about objectionable material in Common Core curriculum
• 80% are very concerned that our State Legislature has never reviewed this Initiative although it has been portrayed as ‘state led’.
• 83% are very concerned that achievement standards for third graders under Common Core appear to set lower expectations for some minority students
• 75% said they received no information about Common Core when it was introduced in 2010. Another 20% say they received some information.
“These results simply substantiate what we have been hearing from citizens all across the State – that the Common Core Initiative needs a lot more scrutiny by our Legislature,” said Laura Van Overschelde, MSTP Chairman. “Our policymakers need to hear from experts on educational standards like Dr. Sandra Stotsky. So far they have relied too much on talking points that have filtered down from the D.C.-based education lobbyists.”
Several bills designed to halt the Common Core Initiative in Mississippi have been introduced and are pending in both the House and Senate Education Committees. “Senate Bill 2526 is crafted after Indiana’s bill passed last year and which Gov. Mike Pence signed, halting the implementation and calling for a complete review of Common Core. That is what we are calling on our Mississippi Legislators to do here,” said Ms. Van Overschelde.
MSTP Release
1/29/14
