NYSUT has won an AFT Innovation Fund grant http://www.nysut.org/news/2014/november/aft-awards-grants-for-new-york-connecticut-teachers-to-have-voice-on-standards for teachers to offer solutions to problems with their state's rollout of the Common Core State Standards. It will help the union fulfill the mandates of a resolution adopted at the NYSUT RA earlier this year.
NYSUT will use its six-month, $30,000 grant to make recommendations to address the state's implementation of both the Common Core State Standards and assessments. A union task force will review and critique the state's math and English language arts modules, developed by outside vendors, which have received wide criticism from teachers.
The task force also will scrutinize the state's process for developing standardized tests; probe whether practitioners were involved in the local implementation of the state Common Core Learning Standards and development of curriculum; and consider whether the state's professional development afforded teachers enough support.
"Given the profound problems with the state's materials used for the initial Common Core rollout -- units that weren't developed with educators -- we're anxious to roll up our sleeves and get to work on a critique aimed at improving the materials and making sure they are developmentally appropriate for students," said President Karen Magee.