A shift away from Common Core education in Alabama is looking likely.

On Thursday, the Alabama Senate passed a bill requiring the State Board of Education and Department of Education to adopt new learning standards that would replace the current standards.

The bill, sponsored by Senate President Del Marsh of Anniston, was unveiled on Tuesday. In its original form, the bill would have repealed Common Core immediately and force educators to adopt pre-2010 education standards until the new system was in place for the 2021-22 school year. An amendment was added today that keeps Common Core in place until the adoption of new standards, while also allowing current national assessments like the ACT and tests related to workforce credentialing to continue.

Senator Andrew Jones of Centre released a statement following the passing of the bill in State Senate by a vote of 23-7, with Jones in favor of the bill.

“I was pleased to co-sponsor Senate Bill 119, which passed the Alabama Senate today and stops Common Core in Alabama. I’ve heard from my constituents and they are overwhelmingly opposed to Common Core. After 9 years, we are still at or near the bottom in national math and reading scores. Common Core is obviously not working. As the State School Board develops new curriculum standards for the 2021-2022 school year, I think our teachers need to be part of that discussion. We need our teachers to tell us what works in the classroom, what doesn’t, and what direction we need to move in to make things better. I look forward to having that discussion. We have some of the best teachers in the nation!”

Common Core was voted on and adopted by The Alabama Board of Education in 2010, with the standards incorporated into Alabama’s College and Career Ready Standards. They apply to math and English language arts.

The bill will make its way to the State House of Representatives once lawmakers return from their 2 week spring break.

We want to extend a thank you to AL.com for their coverage of this story.