By Len Lazarick at www.marylandreporter.com
Maryland is taking on a significant fiscal role in developing the tests that will assess students based on Common Core curriculum standards, agreeing to administer $96 million in federal grants to create the tests.
The Board of Public Works approved the contract for the State Department of Education to administer the U.S. grant. Gov. Martin O’Malley said the contract was being done at the request of U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, after Florida decided to stop overseeing the funding.
The tests are being developed for 18 states and the District of Columbia as part of the implementation of new college and career readiness standards usually referred to as Common Core.
“We’re picking up the ball after Florida dropped it,” said O’Malley, who chairs the three-member board that must approve all major state contracts. “We’re doing the president a favor here.”
