Divided board approves new NC guidelines for reading and writing

State-approved guidelines that teachers will begin using in 2018 aim to help public-school students learn to read, write and interpret literature.

The State Board of Education approved the new grade-by-grade guidelines for English/language arts in an 8-4 vote Thursday. Some in the minority pushed for an outside assessment or more work on details.

North Carolina is moving away from the Common Core standards that have roiled the state for years.

“I’m not afraid of having someone from the outside take a look at what we’re doing,” said board member Amy White.

Vice chairman A.L. Collins, who pressed for an independent review of the new standards, said he would vote for them, with reservations, because they are “better than what we have.”

Board member Eric Davis, who also voted for the changes, suggested there may be another review to come, though he would not provide details.

The board wants frequent updates on how the new standards are being picked up in school districts and classrooms. Mixed in the debate over Common Core’s problems was whether the standards were flawed or whether teachers didn’t have enough time to adapt to them.

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Divided board approves new NC guidelines for reading and writing."