Education

The Alabama Board of Education will decide next week whether to join 38 other states in adopting common standards for math and English language arts.

The Common Core State Standards outlines what students are expected to learn in those subjects in each grade. It's an initiative led by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The standards have been controversial throughout the country. Some state board members say they fear it's the first step toward a nationalized education system.

Deputy Superintendent Tommy Bice says four public hearings across the state have been held on the issue, and comments received were "overwhelmingly in support" of the standards.

I think this would be a wonderful idea. This would boost the academic performance rating as an entire state. We will be comparing our students with the students from other states and countries. Teaching is very beneficial and the students would want to take their knowledge everywhere, and if the teachers are not touching on certain basis the students would be clueless once they get to where they are going. Whether it is out of state or in more an advanced school. Students need to have the privilege of learning in advanced levels to succeed and the bias and race issues need to be extinguished.