ATLANTA — Could Georgia be in store for changes when it comes to Common Core?
Florida governor Ron Desantis recently announced an executive order to eliminate Common Core standards in his state, prompting critics of Common Core to ask Georgia governor Brian Kemp to follow the Sunshine State's lead.
Kemp shared his priorities for Georgia education multiple times on the campaign trail, tweeting in July 2018 his commitment to end the standards in Georgia schools. "As governor, I will immediately end Common Core and eliminate burdensome regulations, testing and mandates," he said.
As a result, 11Alive reached out to the Georgia Department of Education to check on the procedure of executive orders when it comes to changing student curriculum statewide. A spokesperson said the department would not be able to answer this question, adding, "Whether a specific action can be accomplished by executive order is a legal question."
11Alive also reached out to Gov. Kemp's office for clarification on whether he could potentially pursue an executive order similar to Florida's governor.
“Governor Kemp promised to dismantle Common Core, reduce high-stakes testing, and remove weighty burdens on our educators," Candice Broce, Dir. of Communications & Deputy Executive Counsel for the governor, said in an email.
"He is committed to working with state leaders, lawmakers, and stakeholders to accomplish these objectives.”
As a result, Gov. Kemp appears to be sticking with his campaign promise, and according to the chairman of the Senate Education Committee state Sen. P.K. Martin, the governor could indeed call for the elimination of the standards.
However, state Sen. P.K. Martin told 11Alive that the governor cannot implement anything new without the Georgia Board of Education's approval.
In 2015, Georgia renamed and revised the Common Core standards to “Georgia Standards of Excellence.”
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