UPDATE: The Senate passes the conference committee version. I believe the count was 33 in favor -12 opposed. *The tally is not confirmed. Others reported 34-10.

The Common Core bill  that was placed in a conference committee has been placed on the Senate calendar for Thursday, July 10th.

It would appear the final version scraps the substitute put in place by the House. That substitute replaced the language of SB 812 with that of HB 1061. The letter from the conference committee states, “Delete the entire House Committee Substitute Favorable 6/23/14, Fifth edition engrossed 6/23/14 and substitute the attached Proposed Conference Committee Substitute S812-PCCS35584-TL-3.”

Boiled down,  we are back to the language of SB 812.

• Latest version: S812-PCCS35584-CSTL-3
• Conference Committee letter: S812-CR-NBC-676

 Highlights:

The bill still removes Common Core from the state statutes:

“SECTION 3.(a) G.S. 115C-174.11(c)(3) is repealed.”

The bill still establishes the commission to replace the standards. The 812 version has a total of 11 commission members:

• Four members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
• Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• Two members of the State Board of Education as follows: (i) the Chair or
• the Chair’s designee and (ii) a member appointed by the Chair, representing
• the State Board’s Task Force on Summative Assessment.
• One member appointed by the Governor.

No elected official may serve on the commission.

The bill keeps the ACT and it’s subset of tests, the SAT and NAEP on the table – all of which are Common Core aligned, but still blocks purchase of new ones without authorization:

SECTION 5. The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by July 15, 2015, on the acquisition and implementation of a new assessment instrument or instruments to assess student achievement on the academic standards adopted pursuant to G.S. 115C-12(9c). The State Board shall not acquire or implement the assessment instrument or instruments without the enactment of legislation by the General Assembly authorizing the purchase. The assessment instrument or instruments shall be nationally normed, aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, and field-tested. Examples of appropriate assessment models would include, but not be limited to, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), ACT Aspire, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Parents should also be aware the national GED is Common Core aligned as of 2014. Clearly, the next fight coming to North Carolina will be on testing.

Bill History:
SB 812 (id H 1061)
Soucek, Tillman

REPLACE COMMON CORE TO MEET NC’S NEEDS.
Conf Com Sub

5-21-14
Ed/Higher Ed.; if Fav Appro./Base Bud.

6-4-14
Unfav bill; Ed/Higher Ed. Com Sub Adopted; (Chgs title)
MAINTAIN STATE AUTH. OVER ACADEMIC STANDARDS.

6-4-14
rerefer Appro./Base Bud.

6-5-14
W/D Appro./Base Bud.; Rules Susp; Cal today; Tillman Amd. No. 1 Adopted; Tillman Amd. No. 2 Adopted; Tillman Amd. No. 3 Adopted; Passed 2nd & 3rd Rdgs; Engrossed
REPLACE CCSS W/NC’S HIGHER ACADEM. STANDARDS.

6-25-14
Rec’d for concurrence House Com Sub; Rules Susp; Cal today; Fails to concur H Com Sub

6-26-14
Senate Appts Conferees

6-30-14
House Appts Conferees

7-8-14
Conf Rpt Submitted; Cal 7‑10‑14