Common Core discussions continue at the capital and several legislators continue to express concern with the curriculum.

State Representative Ralph Watts says he feels that education standards should be set in Iowa, rather than trying to match them with other states.

“I would prefer that we set our expectations high for our schools in Iowa, and we set them high so that our students can compete on a global scale” says Watts.

Watts says Iowa was at the top for education and it’s important that we work together back toward that direction.

“The gold standard, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, was used nationally across the country.  I took them when I went through school in Wyoming and people that have grown up in other states probably remember that they took them there.  I want Iowa to become that kind of standard again.  We must sever that relationship right now as it’s beginning to form and really set our expectations high for Iowa schools.

He adds that while the thought of central planning sounds attractive, it doesn’t appear to be in the best interest of our children.