In Part One of this series, Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios talks about the basis for education reform in Massachusetts, and how that state-driven success model differs from Common Core national education standards. He corrects some of the myths about Common Core, drawing on Pioneer Institute’s extensive research to show that the national standards…

SB 129, a bill to overturn the Common Core in South Dakota, will be heard in the Senate Ed Committee on February 13, 2014. We don’t so much need you to come to Pierre, as we need you to email and call the senators on the Senate Ed Committee. Please urge them to vote “YES”…

On a personal note, there are some things I just don’t understand. I don’t understand the reluctance to hear a dissenting view about the Common Core Standards. Isn’t it the job of government, the people’s representatives, to hear all sides of an issue? I don’t understand that instead of listening to the concerns of parents…

SB 129 will be heard in Senate Ed Committee at 7:45 am on Thursday, February  13, 2014. SB 129 is a bill to supplant the Common Core. It’s time to contact legislators. If you are able to make the trip to Pierre on Thursday, 2/13/14, that would be fantastic. Even if you do not want…

HB 1237 is an attempt to get the failed SB 62 passed, but this time it is being brought in through the House. It creates a council to study the Common Core. This bill is in the House Education Committee on Monday, February 10, 2014. Please get educated about this bill and contact your legislators. HOUSE BILL…

Thank you to everyone who attended Legislative Coffees and Cracker Barrels last Saturday.  Your attendance was noticed!  So much so, that the opponents spent the week begging people to write and show up at the coffees and cracker barrels this week.  Last week in Sioux Falls, one legislator polled the audience by a show of hands. There was…

With the implementation of the Common Core, more and more parents across the state of South Dakota are seeing the benefits of homeschooling. Understandably, not everyone chooses to homeschool.  SB 131 is a step to further limit your rights as a parent to decide how to educate your child.  Whether that education is public school,…

When I spoke with former Governor Mike Rounds, now Senate candidate, at the Sioux Empire Fair in August 2013, he told me he was glad I was working to get rid of the Common Core in South Dakota. After a very brief exchange, he invited me to coffee so we could discuss this further. And…

On January 23, 2014, thirty-four Chief State School Officers, including our Dr. Melody Schopp, sent a letter to United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, regarding students’ personally identifiable data being shared with the federal government. This was done to try to assure the public that their childrens’ information is safe. You can read that…