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We Need Your Help to Preserve High Standards for NC Students

High education standards are essential for a competitive state business climate. As the Academic Standards Review Commission has conducted its work, the NC Chamber and our Hire Standards, NC Coalition have consistently supported improved implementation of North Carolina’s high academic standards.

Last week, the ASRC took an important step, releasing draft recommendations for changes to our state academic standards. Our coalition identified a number of potential issues with the commission’s work process. To provide just one concerning example, the math working group recommends repealing the state’s K-8 math standards and replacing them with Minnesota’s standards. The ASRC’s vague process for reaching this conclusion lacked sufficient documentation, such as minutes for meetings, qualifications of working group members or the methodology for comparing standards across states.

Now is a good time to remind the commission about the business community’s interest in protecting high standards. A good place to start is this short video of HAECO executive Kip Blakely presenting to the July ASRC meeting on behalf of the NC Chamber. He details his company’s collaborative workforce development efforts with Guilford County Schools and Guilford Technical Community College. Kip’s presentation highlighted the need for North Carolina’s business community to engage with the students who will make up its future talent pipeline. Now we urge you to remain engaged and support our students by letting commission members know that, in the discussion around high standards, transparency and integrity matter above all.

If you wish to share your perspective with the commission, the co-chairs are Tammy Covil (tammy.covil@nhcs.net) and Andre Peek (andre.peek@nc.gov). The two members of the commission from the State Board of Education are Bill Cobey (william.cobey@dpi.nc.gov) and Olivia Oxendine (olivia.oxendine@dpi.nc.gov). We thank you for your continued support.