Common Core Opponents Supporting Legislation

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi legislators are pushing a plan that could move the state away from Common Core academic standards.

The House voted 79-37 Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 2161, which would create a 19-member commission to recommend new academic standards.

A version of the bill that passed the Senate last month would have created a 27-member commission.

The two chambers must resolve the differences. The House version would require the state Board of Education to accept a portion of the recommended academic changes, while the Senate version would not.

Mississippi has spent millions of dollars implementing Common Core, which seeks to teach students to think more analytically. Many conservatives, including Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, say they fear Common Core could lead to too much federal intervention in Mississippi schools.