SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 54

(By Senators Rucker, Stollings, and Cline)

[Introduced February 27, 2020]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to review West Virginia’s academic standards, in particular English Language Arts and Mathematics standards; to compare how West Virginia’s English Language Arts and Mathematics standards compare with the English Language Arts and Mathematics standards of other states, including Florida; and to make recommendations to the State Board of Education for ensuring that Common Core Standards in West Virginia are eliminated and that the state returns to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Whereas, It is in the best interest of all West Virginians to give our children a world-class education that fully prepares them for college and/or a career in the 21st century; and

Whereas, Ensuring that West Virginia’s kindergarten through grade 12 academic standards are the best in the nation will require a review of the standards; and

Whereas, High quality academic standards are the foundation of a high-quality system to which assessments and instructional materials must be aligned; and

Whereas, West Virginia’s education system should ensure that students are prepared to become civically engaged and knowledgeable adults who make positive contributions to their communities; and

Whereas, The State Board of Education in Florida recently adopted the Benchmark for Excellent Student Thinking standards, resulting in Governor Ron DeSantis stating that, “Florida has officially eliminated Common Core”; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to review West Virginia’s academic standards, in particular English Language Arts and Mathematics standards; to compare how West Virginia’s English Language Arts and Mathematics standards compare with the English Language Arts and Mathematics standards of other states, including Florida; to make recommendations to the State Board of Education for ensuring that Common Core Standards in West Virginia are eliminated and that the state returns to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance accomplish this review, comparison, and communication of recommendations by: (1) Creating a subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Education to conduct the review and communicate its recommendations to the state board; and (2) requesting the subcommittee to hear from experts and consult with relevant stakeholders, including parents and students; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2021, on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report, and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.