The Florida Department of Education has formally adopted the new B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) Standards to replace Common Core.
ABC Action News reached out to Tampa Bay area school districts to see how they are responding to the removal of Common Core. Below are the responses we've received:
Hillsborough County
Did not respond to our request for comment
Pinellas County
In Pinellas County Schools, the B.E.S.T. will have no impact on students for the remainder of this school year and minimal impact on students next school year. In the coming months, teachers will begin to review the B.E.S.T. and compare them against the Florida Standards to begin the planning process for the transition to the new instructional standards. Teachers and school leaders will receive professional development opportunities leading up to full implementation in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
Pasco County
“In Pasco County our staff has already begun analyzing the new BEST standards. The transition to the new standards begins next year, and will take three years for full implementation. However, the preparation for a successful implementation begins now.”
Polk County
Did not respond to our request for comment
Sarasota County
We commend Governor DeSantis for reassessing curriculum standards in our state. It’s important to review these standards on an ongoing basis to determine what subject areas are most important for our students to learn. As our society changes, so should the standards that we work toward.
Our team is following a similar approach to most districts – comparing new standards with current ones and making adjustments for compliance as efficiently and in as timely a manner as possible. We’ll also hold trainings and disseminate resources from the State to ensure team members understand BEST.
Manatee County
Did not respond to our request for comment
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