Teachers, parents consider possibilities after Common Core

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Governor DeSantis' decision to throw out Common Core-like standards has left big question marks hanging over Florida classrooms.

Parents and teachers have questions, triggering an array of responses.

"I'm excited to not have to learn how to teach Common Core to my kid who's now in kindergarten. On the other hand, I have friends who are teachers who feel like it's been a really good system for the kids," said Shana Laflin, a local parent.

With many questions still unanswered, Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning said teachers are unsure what to expect with the new changes.

"If I were a teacher, I would be a little troubled, because we're going to shift what I've been doing for the past eight, nine years," said Browning.

DeSantis hopes that replacing the Common Core-like standards with a new system will increase the quality of students' curriculums. However, this doesn't mean that standards will be going away.

"The standards piece is- what standards are they going to be replaced with?" Browning questioned. "We've always had standards. We need standards. We need to know what the mark is our kids need to hit, and teachers need to know what the mark is they need to teach."

School administrators say any changes won't happen overnight.

New standards will also mean new curriculum, and Hillsborough Superintendent Jeff Eakins said that will take time.

"You can't give an assessment that was aligned with a certain set of standards and now give it to new standards," said Eakins.

However, amidst the changes and differing opinions, both school districts agreed that putting students first remains the top priority.

"We have to makes sure that when our students leave our schools in K-12 and into post-secondary, that they are prepared for a workforce and a job that has demand out there," stated Eakins.

Once lawmakers agree on a plan, educators will need time to develop a curriculum and get teachers on the same page.

That will require a transitionary period, meaning it could be at least three years before any changes are made to the lesson plan.