Palmesano Glad Governor Has Come Clean On Common Core

A Statement by Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning)

“This afternoon, I was pleased to read a statement from Gov. Cuomo acknowledging that Common Core is simply not working. I am pleased he has finally reached this conclusion.

“I am, however, wary of another commission controlled by the governor. We need to act quickly and decisively to reform our broken education system in New York State. We need to work together to develop appropriate standards and generate a world-class education system by getting input from educators at all levels across our state. We need to make sure that school districts have the local control that allows administrators to make decisions that work for their students. And most of all, we have to quit our over-reliance on high-stakes, standardized testing.

“If we want to ensure our children receive the best education possible, it is critical that we treat parents as partners, teachers as professionals, and ensure our children's self-worth is not measured by what they do on a standardized test with a number two pencil.

“I am proud that our Conference has led the way on this issue. We laid the foundation for comprehensive education reform by reaching out to parents, students and educators and really listening to them. We will continue to do that as this process moves forward to ensure that the voices of our parents, educators and children are heard.”