Utah signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in May 2009 which was included as Appendix 8 of our Race to the Top grant application. To be clear, this is an agreement between the sovereign state of Utah, and two private, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and the National Governor’s Association (NGA).

Here are some quotes from the document, and the entire document is embedded below if you want to read it. Thanks to Morgan Olsen for providing these quotes, comments, and the document.

“CCSSO and the NGA Center will convene, Achieve, ACT, and the College Board in an open, inclusive, and efficient process to develop K-12 standards that are grounded in empirical research and draw on best practices in standards development.”

Where’s that research again?

“The parties support a state-led effort and not a federal effort to develop a common core of state standards; there is, however, an appropriate federal role in supporting this state-led effort…”

Not constitutionally there isn’t. Do they only not support the federal effort during the development stage of the CCSS?

“…In particular, the federal government can provide key financial support for this effort in developing a common core of state standards and in moving toward common assessments such as through the Race to the Top Fund authorized in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009….”

Evidence they’ve been working with the department of education from the beginning. Those who claim the Federal Government came in and hijacked the innocent standards no longer have a leg to stand on.

“Further the federal government can incentivize this effort through a range of tiered incentives, such as providing states with greater flexibility in the use of existing federal funds, supporting a revised state accountability structure, and offering financial support for states to effectively implement the standards.”

Flexibility – NCLB Flexibility waiver comes to mind. It’s all part of the plan.

“Additionally the federal government can provide additional long-term financial support for the development, other related common core standards supports, and a research agenda that can help continually improve the common core standards over time.”

Did you ever hear of the golden rule? Whoever has the gold makes the rules. Long-term federal involvement has been the plan from the beginning.

“Finally the federal government can revise and align existing federal education laws with the lessons learned from states’ international benchmarking efforts and from federal research.”

How will this federal research be accomplished without data?

The last paragraph in its entirety is below:

“Federal Role. The parties support a state-led effort and not a federal effort to develop a common core of state standards; there is, however, an appropriate federal role in supporting this state-led effort. In particular, the federal government can provide key financial support for this effort in developing a common core of state standards and in moving toward common assessments such as through the Race to the Top Fund authorized in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009. Further the federal government can incentivize this effort through a range of tiered incentives, such as providing states with greater flexibility in the use of existing federal funds, supporting a revised state accountability structure, and offering financial support for states to effectively implement the standards. Additionally the federal government can provide additional long-term financial support for the development, other related common core standards supports, and a research agenda that can help continually improve the common core standards over time. Finally the federal government can revise and align existing federal education laws with the lessons learned from stats’ international benchmarking efforts and from federal research.”

CCSSO NGA MOU Signed by Utah