Common Core Standards Repealed

West Virginia is replacing K-12 math and English educational standards based on Common Core with new learning requirements. The West Virginia Board of Education on Thursday approved the new standards and repealed the K-12 Next Generation Standards for math and English. The new standards, which will be effective July 1, 2016, include handwriting instruction in grades K-4, and the expectation for students to learn multiplication tables by the end of third grade. Board members also voted to eliminate social studies testing in all grades, along with science testing in grades three, five, seven, eight, nine and 11. They also tossed out requirements to administer the ACT Explore, Plan and Compass assessments, marking a big drop in formal testing.