Mark Garrison is professor of education policy and research at D'Youville College. He is also a vocal critic of Common Core learning standards.
Garrison spoke Wednesday in Kleinhans Music Hall to a forum sponsored by the Buffalo Teachers Federation where he assailed the private companies which supply the textbooks and many of the tests related to the controversial learning standards.
"Common Core has never been tested. It's never been vetted. It's a shot in the dark," Garrison said.
"I don't have any reason to believe that setting higher standards alone is going to improve education when we know a lot has to do with poverty, jobs, health care and also well-being of the community."
Garrison says New York doesn't need outside private companies preparing the curriculum and preparing tests teachers aren't allowed to talk about.
Instead, teachers in the state could prepare tests to meet needs around the state which could be corrected and fed back to the classrooms instead of the months and months waiting for test results and teacher evaluation results which is what's happening now.
