Lawmaker wants school tests made in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Republican lawmaker said Tuesday he plans to introduce a bill that requires Missouri universities to create standardized tests for school children in the state, a move intended to make sure educators don’t teach contested Common Core standards.

State Rep. David Wood’s legislation would escalate the fight over school benchmarks adopted by Missouri and 42 other states. Common Core aims to create consistent, high achievement goals for students across state lines, but it has become a magnet for conservative critics who say states should have more say over what students learn.

Missouri lawmakers last session reached a compromise and passed a bill to review the standards. Work groups now are picking apart Common Core and comparing its targets with those from other states.

The work groups have until October 2015 to recommend keeping Common Core or adopting new standards. The State Board of Education has a final say.

Wood said his legislation would prevent teachers from continuing to teach Common Core regardless of what the board adopts.

He said he wants the tests in place for online use by 2017 or 2018.