Ohio House panel OKs bill to repeal Common Core

COLUMBUS — A Republican proposal to repeal Common Core learning standards in Ohio easily cleared a House committee Wednesday, despite doubts over whether the bill has enough support to survive a full floor vote.

Rules and Reference Chairman Matt Huffman said he timed the vote for as soon as possible after Tuesday’s election to allow maximum time to educate fellow House Republicans about concerns over the standards before the session ends in December. “Minds change,” he said. Nearly every state has adopted the standards, which emphasize critical thinking and spell out what reading and math skills students should grasp at each grade level, while leaving how those skills are mastered up to districts and states.

Huffman, a Republican from Lima, said that too little was done to research Common Core and its potential negative impact before Ohio adopted it in 2013.

He and co-sponsoring state Rep. Andy Thompson, of Marietta, have the backing of House Speaker William Batchelder in their repeal effort.

Wednesday’s 7-2 vote along party lines came as school districts across Ohio are working to implement the standards, which are supported by a diverse coalition including teachers’ unions and a host of influential community and business groups.

The Ohio School Boards Association, Buckeye Association of School Administrators and Ohio Association of School Business Officials issued a joint statement expressing disappointment with the committee’s approval of the repeal.