Do the Common Core State Standards live on in Kentucky?

Here’s the word from a highly authoritative source

Kentucky Board of Education member Gary Houchens just Tweeted out an answer about whether or not the Common Core State Standards are totally gone in Kentucky.

The best elements of Common Core remain in KY’s standards, which were revised using a deeply collaborative, teacher-led process outlined by the state legislature. I think most teachers have found the new standards superior. Not sure any of those details come through here. https://t.co/YGZKJSNv6e

— Gary Houchens (@gary_houchens) December 7, 2019

Actually, not every single part of Common Core is bad, but whether or not the “best” parts or something else got retained is another question for subject matter experts to determine.

The point here is that comments we’ve heard about Common Core being gone are not really right, either. Whatever we have now apparently was built around the Common Core.

By the way, concerns about Kentucky’s education standards extend into other areas not covered by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics, as well.

I’ve kept it no secret that Kentucky’s new social studies standards are very problematic. The idea that Kentucky now has social studies standards that mention Washington and Jefferson but don’t include the name “Abraham Lincoln” anywhere – especially when Lincoln was born in this state – is simply inexcusable.

By the way, today is Pearl Harbor Day. On December 7, 1941 the Japanese Empire attacked the US military installations at Pearl Harbor. It was a day of infamy that solidly planted our nation into the fighting of World War II. But, while you can find a mention of World War II in the standards, you will search Kentucky’s new social studies standards in vain to find a mention of this historic and important battle. That’s not the case in new 2018 standards from Massachusetts, which consider the battle important enough to mention it in multiple places.

It gets worse. Even Mississippi’s new, 2018 social studies standards revision mentions Lincoln in MULTIPLE places. Mississippi’s standards mention Pearl Harbor, too.

Imagine that! Is it right for Mississippi kids to learn more about Kentucky’s most famous son and major historical battles than the Bluegrass State’s students will learn? That’s as messed up as being told Common Core was gone in Kentucky when it apparently isn’t, really.(Updated to add Pearl Harbor Comments in honor of all of those who served)