Under bill approved by House, school districts not required to adopt Common Core

By GARRY RAYNO
State House Bureau

CONCORD — Local school districts do not have to adopt Common Core education standards under a bill the House approved Wednesday.

House Bill 276 would allow local school boards to adopt their own standards that meet or exceed the state’s adopted standards without approval from the state board of education, according to bill sponsor, Rep. Rick Ladd, R-Haverhill.

He said the state board approved the Common Core standards which makes them the state standards. He said federal money supports testing associated with Common Core, but local school districts can decide on their own assessment testing as long they can show their students are proficient.
But Rep. Mary Heath, D-Manchester, said there is no need for the bill because the state board and the Department of Education do not require local school districts to adopt Common Core.

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