Test tied to Common Core might be too expensive for Georgia | www.myajc.com

Although Georgia has embraced the controversial set of education standards called Common Core, students here might never take the national test tied to those standards.

That’s because the test — being created by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a consortium of state education leaders — is so expensive that Georgia would have to spend more on the new test alone than it currently spends on its entire assessment budget of $25 million.

And the PARCC test would only cover two subject areas, English and math, not the five areas that are tested on the state’s current exam, the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test.

The cost of the Common Core test — which could run as high as $27.5 million in Georgia — will likely add fuel to the fire of those who already oppose the standards as a federal intrusion into state and local oversight of public education. The cost also puts those who have backed the standards despite political pressure in an awkward spot.

“Because of concerns surrounding the costs of the PARCC assessments, Gov. (Nathan) Deal is currently exploring options available to Georgia,” said Stephanie Mayfield, a Deal spokeswoman.

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