State can’t afford Common Core

Common Core is a federally pushed reformation of public education. And with it comes this price tag:

l Expenses of implementation: $1.2 billion for the new assessments, $5.3 billion for professional development, $2.5 billion for textbooks and instructional materials, and $6.9 billion for technology infrastructure and support.

“We project that the annual cost of assessment for states participating in the consortia will increase by a total of $177.2 million each year. These are not one-time costs (which are covered by the federal grants to the consortia), but ongoing operational costs that will be faced each year.”(from “National Cost of Aligning States and Localities to the Common Core Standards,” February 2012)

Initial costs are provided by grants from the government, but how will Iowa fund continuing costs? Our districts are already struggling to meet fiscal goals.

Stop Common Core in Iowa; we can't afford it.

Chris LaBarr

Marion