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Rep. Bob Hensgens

Vermilion State Rep. Hensgens going to Oklahoma to talk Common Core

Vermilion Parish State Rep. Bob Hensgens is one of six Louisiana Representatives who will travel to Oklahoma on Aug. 22 to meet with legislators and explore options for replacing Common Core with higher educational standards that are state-controlled.
In June, Oklahoma became the third state to withdraw from the Common Core. The Delegation will meet with Oklahoma legislators and educational grass roots leaders who authored and passed the legislation to reassert state control over standards and assessments. The Delegation consists of: Rep. Brett Geymann: Rep. Cameron Henry; Rep. Lance Harris; Rep Kenny Havard and Rep. Rogers Pope.
“We are pleased to have this opportunity to meet with Oklahoma leaders who are replacing Common Core with better standards and assessments developed at the state level” said Representative Brett Geymann. “We share their commitment to protecting Louisiana students from Federal overreach and the unintended negative consequences of ceding state authority over establishment, development or review of academic content standards, teaching standards, student assessments or student data in the public school system” Geymann said. “We look forward to learning more about how Oklahoma and other states are working to replace Common Core with better solutions, developed at the state level” Geymann concluded.
The Delegation will be meeting with, among others, the authors of HB 3399, which passed both houses of the legislature overwhelmingly, and was signed into law by Governor Mary Fallin.
The Oklahoma approach to replacing Common Core, guarantees higher standards by:
• Establishing a process to develop new standards superior to both current standards, and Common Core.
• Repealing Common Core.
• Prohibiting the state from ceding control or authority over standards and assessments.
• Establishes standards and aligned test to be used in transition period.
• Addresses concerns about ‘fuzzy’ math.
• Calls for comparing new standards with Common Core to ensure they are better and not a relabeling.
• New standards are subject to legislative approval.
• Requires standards and assessments to be developmentally appropriate.
• Allows for the use of paper and pencil tests if online testing creates problems for students.
• Creates a “firewall” from Federal overreach in educational standards and curriculum.
The legislators will integrate their findings from Oklahoma into their ongoing leadership in efforts to craft sensible solutions for replacing Common Core. They will report back to their colleagues and the people of Louisiana following the trip.

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