Lawmakers propose bills addressing Common Core

Friday, February 7, 2014, Vol. 38, No. 6

NASHVILLE (AP) - Lawmakers have proposed a number of measures this legislative session that seek to make changes to Tennessee's Common Core standards.

A panel discussion on the new benchmarks for reading and math was held at The Associated Press-Tennessee Press Association's annual legislative preview session on Thursday.

Panelist Harry Brooks is a Knoxville Republican and chairman of the House Education Committee. He says the legislation ranges from repealing parts of the standards to doing away with them altogether.

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam told reporters following a luncheon at the session that the standards have played a part in Tennessee students' academic improvement and that repealing them would not be a good idea.

Brooks says lawmakers could start debating the Common Core bills as early as next week.