,,iii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #cde ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #f1 #bjad,mr4 ,graham 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,lee1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 ,mr4 ,scott1 ,mr4 ,inhofe1 ,mr4 ,cochran1 ,mr4 ,cruz1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 and ,mr4 ,enzi7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,,resolution ,strongly supporting the restoration and protection of ,state authority and flexibility in establishing and defining challenging student academic standards and assessments1 and strongly denouncing the ,president's coercion of ,states into adopting the ,common ,core ,state ,standards by conferring preferences in ,federal grants and flexibility waivers4 ,whereas education belongs in the hands of our parents1 local officials1 local educational agencies1 and ,states2 ,whereas the development of the common education standards known as the ,common ,core ,state ,standards was originally led by national organizations1 but has transformed into an incentives-based mandate from the ,federal ,government2 ,whereas in #bjji1 the ,national ,governors ,association ,center for ,best ,practices 7,,nga ,center7 and the ,council of ,chief ,state ,school ,officers 7,,ccsso71 both of which are private trade associations1 began developing common education standards for kindergarten through grade #ab 7referred to in this preamble as the ,common ,core ,state ,standards72 ,whereas sections #iebg1 #iebi1 #iecj1 and #ieca of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #gijg1 #giji1 #giaj1 and #giaa7 prohibit the establishment of a national curriculum1 national testing1 mandatory national teacher certification1 and a national student database2 ,whereas ,federal law makes clear that the ,department of ,education may not be involved in setting specific content standards or determining the content of ,state assessments in elementary and secondary education2 ,whereas ,president ,barack ,obama and ,secretary of ,education ,arne ,duncan announced competitive grants through the ,race to the ,top program under sections #adjje and #adjjf of the ,american ,recovery and ,reinvestment ,act of #bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-e2 #abc ,stat4 #bhb7 7referred to in this preamble as the ,race to the ,top program7 in ,july #bjji2 ,whereas1 on ,july #bd1 #bjji1 ,secretary ,duncan stated1 ,the #d1cej1jjj1jjj ,race to the ,top program that we are unveiling today is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the ,federal ,government to create incentives for far-reaching improvement in our ,nation's schools42 ,whereas1 on ,july #bd1 #bjji1 ,secretary ,duncan also stated1 ,but ,i want to be clear that ,race to the ,top is also a reform competition1 one where ,states can increase or decrease their odds of winning ,federal support42 ,whereas1 under the ,race to the ,top program guidelines1 ,states seeking funds were pressed to implement #d core1 interconnected reforms1 and the first of these reforms was to adopt internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace2 ,whereas1 on ,july #bd1 #bjji1 ,president ,obama outlined the connection between common education standards and ,race to the ,top program funds1 stating1 ,i am issuing a challenge to our ,nation's governors and school boards1 principals and teachers1 businesses and non-profits1 parents and students3 if you set and enforce rigorous and challenging standards and assessments2 if you put outstanding teachers at the front of the classroom2 if you turn around failing schools--your ,state can win a ,race to the ,top grant that will not only help students outcompete workers around the world1 but let them fulfill their ,god-given potential42 ,whereas the selection criteria designed by the ,department of ,education for the ,race to the ,top program provided that for a ,state to have any chance to compete for funding1 it must commit to adopting a common set of ,k-#ab standards2 ,whereas ,common ,core ,state ,standards establish a single set of education standards for kindergarten through grade #ab in ,english language arts and mathematics that ,states adopt2 ,whereas ,common ,core ,state ,standards were1 during the initial application period for the ,race to the ,top program1 and remain1 as of the date of the adoption of this resolution1 the only common set of kindergarten through grade #ab standards in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas1 on ,july #bd1 #bjji1 ,secretary ,duncan stated1 ,to speed this process1 the ,race to the ,top program is going to set aside #cej1jjj1jjj to competitively fund the development of rigorous1 common ,state assessments42 ,whereas1 since the ,race to the ,top program's inception1 ,states have been incentivized by ,federal money to adopt common education standards2 ,whereas ,states began adopting ,common ,core ,state ,standards in #bjaj2 ,whereas ,states that adopted ,common ,core ,state ,standards before ,august #b1 #bjaj1 were awarded #dj additional points out of #ejj points for their ,race to the ,top program applications2 ,whereas #de ,states have adopted ,common ,core ,state ,standards2 ,whereas #ca ,states1 of the #de total1 adopted ,common ,core ,state ,standards before ,august #b1 #bjaj2 ,whereas ,states that have adopted ,common ,core ,state ,standards are given preference in the application process for the waivers issued under the authority of section #idja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghfa7 that provide flexibility with respect to certain requirements of such ,act2 ,whereas ,states that have adopted ,common ,core ,state ,standards are currently collaborating to develop common assessments that will be aligned to the ,common ,core ,state ,standards and replace existing end-of-the-year ,state assessments2 ,whereas these assessments will be available in the #bjad-bjae school year2 ,whereas #b consortia of ,states are developing common assessments3 the ,partnership for ,assessment of ,readiness for ,college and ,careers 7,,parcc7 and the ,smarter ,balanced ,assessment ,consortium 7,,sbac72 ,whereas national standards lead to national assessments and national assessments lead to a national curriculum2 ,whereas education standards help teachers ensure their students have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful by providing clear goals for student learning2 ,whereas challenging academic standards are vital to ensuring students are college and career ready2 ,whereas blanket education standards should not be a prerequisite for ,federal funding2 ,whereas ,states are incentivized to adopt ,common ,core ,state ,standards by the explicit correlation between the adoption of the ,common ,core ,state ,standards by the ,state and the preference provided to such ,states through the ,race to the ,top program and the flexibility waivers issued under the authority of section #idja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghfa72 ,whereas the ,secretary of ,education has created a system of grants and waivers that influence1 incentivize1 and coerce ,state educational agencies1 commissions1 and boards into implementing common elementary and secondary school standards and assessments endorsed by the ,secretary2 ,whereas when ,federal funds are linked to the adoption of common education standards1 the end result is increased ,federal control over education and a decreased ability of schools to meet the individual needs of the students in their schools2 ,whereas the implementation of ,common ,core ,state ,standards will eventually impact home school and private school students when institutions of higher education are pressured to align their admission and readiness standards with curricula based on the ,common ,core ,state ,standards2 ,whereas the #ajth amendment of the ,constitution of the ,united ,states reads1 ,the powers not delegated to the ,united ,states by the ,constitution1 nor prohibited by it to the ,states1 are reserved to the ,states respectively1 or to the people2 and ,whereas1 throughout the course of ,united ,states history1 ,states have maintained the responsibility of education based on the #ajth amendment because the explicit power of educating children was not delegated to the ,united ,states by the ,constitution3 ,now1 therefore1 be it that it is the sense of the ,senate that-- 7#a7 ,states and local educational agencies should maintain the right and responsibility of determining educational curricula1 programs of instruction1 and assessments for elementary and secondary education2 7#b7 the ,federal ,government should not incentivize the adoption of common education standards or the creation of a national assessment to align with such standards2 and 7#c7 no application process for any ,federal grant funds1 or for waivers issued by the ,secretary under the authority of section #idja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghfa71 that occurs after the date of adoption of this resolution should award any additional points1 or provide any preference1 for the adoption of the ,common ,core ,state ,standards or any other national common education standards4