Governor Walker Calls on Legislature to Repeal Common Core

Late this afternoon, Governor Walker issued a press release calling for the repeal of the Common Core State Standards. In his release, Walker asks that the legislature pass a bill to repeal the standards at the start of the 2015-16 session.

The Standards were the topic of much debate during the 2013-14 legislative session, but Republican legislators were not able to reach a consensus on legislation before adjourning for the session. Senate Bill 619 and a substitute amendment to Assembly Bill 617 would have created a Model Academic Standards Board charged with creating new state standards in English, science, math and social studies to replace the Common Core State Standards.  The board would have been comprised of members chosen by the Governor, state superintendent of public instruction and the majority and minority leaders in both houses of the legislature.  The Assembly version was scheduled to be voted on in committee in February but the vote was postponed, and the Senate version received a  public hearing in March but was never voted out of committee. 

It is not clear if Walker wants to the legislature to act on a proposal similar to SB 619/AB 617 or create an entirely new bill. 

Several states, including Indiana, South Carolina and Oklahoma, have already passed bills repealing the Common Core State Standards.

The full release is issued below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 17, 2014

Contact: Laurel Patrick, (608) 267-7303

Governor Scott Walker Calls on the State Legislature to Pass Legislation to Repeal Common Core

Madison – Governor Scott Walker released the following statement calling for the Wisconsin State Legislature to repeal Common Core:

Today, I call on the members of the State Legislature to pass a bill in early January to repeal Common Core and replace it with standards set by people in Wisconsin.

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