Mention "Common Core" in a crowded room, and you're liable to get several different reactions.  The Common Core education standards have become a galvanizing issue in the political world, with supporters saying that it will be good to get students to learn and be more job-ready after school, as opposed to opponents who say that it's merely an issue of government overreach, and that the White House shouldn't be dictating what should be taught in school.

Because of those reactions, the topic of Common Core is prime debate material that is sure to elicit very strong positions, both for and against.  During a recent North Carolina debate, Senate candidates Sen. Kay Hagan (D) and Thom Tillis (R) touched on the subject.  Responding to a Tillis implication that Common Core was federally mandated by the Department of Education, Hagan had this to say:

"The Common Core was not put together by the Department of Education in Washington.  It was put together by governors and by states, setting high expectations for students all across this country so that we could not only compete against one another within our states but we would be more competitive on a global basis."

Our partners at PolitiFact was monitoring the debate and took a look at Hagan's claim.  PolitiFact reporter Joshua Gillin says that Hagan's claim rates MOSTLY TRUE on the Truth-O-Meter.  Gillin says that Hagan pretty much has her facts together.

"You have to go back to 2007 to find the origins of Common Core," said Gillin.  "Back then, an organization of state education officials got together and collectively thought there should be some kind of national standard when it comes to education standards.  Two years later, in 2009, what we know as Common Core was announced by the National Governors' Association."

But what about the federal government aspect of Common Core?  Are there standards being mandated by the feds over local schools?  "Here's the thing about federal involvement in Common Core... it's really more about funding," said Gillin.  "What I mean by that is that the federal government has offered financial incentives to states who adopt Common Core standards.  If you, as a state, opt in to the voluntary program, you get a leg up in getting grant money, but if you don't opt in, you're not in the best position to get the cash."

Gillin says Hagan is mostly right with her claim, but the federal involvement regarding funding was not fully explained in her answer, which results in a MOSTLY TRUE rating from PolitiFact.

 

SOURCES: Common Core a federally mandated initiative?