Kansas House panel reviews school standards bill

TOPEKA — A Kansas House committee has heard testimony from an overflow crowd on a bill that would bar use of the Common Core standards for reading and math in public schools.

Supporters and opponents of the standards filled the House Education Committee meeting room and the adjacent corridor for Wednesday’s hearing.

The measure seeks to reverse a 2010 State Board of Education decision to adopt the standards. It would also create an advisory group to develop new guidelines for math and reading.

Witnesses had 90 seconds each to address the committee, which asked no questions and took no action on the bill.

Kansas was part of a multi-state consortium that developed the Common Core standards to create common material that students should master.

States were able to add content to the standards.