TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Florida Department of Education has formally adopted B.E.S.T. Standards and plans to replace Common Core through "the most aggressive transition timeline in Florida's history."
FDEP made the announcement Wednesday.
Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, the new B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) will be rolled out for kindergarten through 2nd grade. Teachers in those grades will also be given new instruction materials.
The move would make Florida the first state with a civics booklist incorporated into English Language Arts (ELA) standards, as well as the first in the nation to have a booklist across all grades.
In the 2022-2023 school year, B.E.S.T. Standards will be established in ELA in Math for all grades. Statewide assessments will also be changed in that school year.
Education officials are calling the established transition timeline the "most aggressive" in the state's history.
The State Board of Education moves to adopt Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards, with the most aggressive transition timeline in Florida’s history. #fledu #flbeststandards @richardcorcoran pic.twitter.com/q4pBvaz37l
— Florida Department of Education (@EducationFL) February 12, 2020
“Florida has officially eliminated Common Core. I truly think this is a great next step for students, teachers, and parents,” said Gov.Ron DeSantis. “We’ve developed clear and concise expectations for students at every grade level and allow teachers the opportunity to do what they love most – inspire young Floridians to achieve their greatest potential. These standards create pathways for students that lead to great college and professional outcomes and parents will now be able to reinforce what their children are learn in the classroom every day. Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards were made by Florida teachers for Florida students, and I know they will be a model for the rest of the nation.”
Corcoran says the B.E.S.T. Standards also get rid of "crazy math."
“Governor DeSantis made it very clear that we had to reimagine the pathway to young Floridians becoming great citizens, and we’ve done exactly that with the B.E.S.T. Standards,” said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. “Florida will be the first state in the nation with an ELA booklist that spans grades K-12, the first state in the nation with a civics booklist embedded in its ELA standards, and a state that has dropped the crazy math. Florida has completely removed ourselves from the confines of Common Core.”
Click here to read more about the Florida B.E.S.T. Standards including the benchmarks and quick facts.
