As another state begins to pull away from the Common Core Standards, Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) is calling on Gov. Cuomo to follow suit.

Over the weekend, according to the New York Times, the state of Massachusetts’ commissioner of education announced that the state will abandon the standardized testing based on national Common Core Standards for its own independently designed, statewide assessment.

“Across the country, we have seen many states struggle with the one-size-fits-all curriculum and high-stakes testing that has come along with the hasty implementation of Common Core,” said Ra. “Many states have taken a step in the right direction by rejecting components of the flawed curriculum and moving forward. At the risk of falling behind, we cannot allow ourselves to remain stagnant.”

The sudden rejection of testing comes as a result of recommendations made by Commissioner Mitchell Chester, a significant contributor to the early development of the Common Core movement.

“As we await the recommendations of Governor Cuomo's Common Core Task Force, it is time that we realize it will take bold strokes to correct our course in education, not nibbling around the edges,” Ra continued. “Massachusetts’ rejection of this national testing consortium reflects a growing feeling throughout the United States that the Common Core and its associated testing is too rigid. It is too difficult for states to make adjustments that suit their students’ unique educational needs. New York needs to move forward. We need high standards, but they need to be developmentally appropriate. We need to track student progress, but we need flexibility that allows us to accommodate many different learning styles and achievement levels. This session, we need to reclaim our position as education leaders, not followers.”