By Perry Chiaramonte

Tennessee may be the next state to put the Common Core Educational Standards on the chopping block.

Two Republican state senators introduced legislation this week to repeal the national curriculum, a move that came on the heels of Gov. Bill Haslam calling for a public review of the English and math standards being pushed by Washington. The efforts show building momentum that could make the Volunteer State the third to opt out of the controversial program, which is aimed at establishing minimum national standards but has met with broad criticism from parent groups, conservatives and even some teachers unions.  

“Like many other states, this is a key issue this year in Tennessee," said Sen. Mike Bell, chairman of the government operations committee. "I believe we need control over our own state standards. This legislation will start the discussion about how we will accomplish that task, while ensuring we have the highest standards to give our students the career- and work-ready skills they need in a competitive 21st century workplace.”

Bell was joined by Sen. Dolores Gresham, who chairs the Senate education committee, and said Tennessee became the "fastest-improving state in the nation" in education by employing its own, locally and state- controlled standards.

“We need to be a leader and take the next logical step, which is to use the knowledge we have learned and tailor it to Tennessee students, exerting state responsibility over education,” Gresham said.

Although 46 states initially signed on to all or part of Common Core, Indiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina have repealed it and similar movements are underway in Missouri, North Carolina and Louisiana. Alaska, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia never signed on. Most of the participating states implemented the standards at the beginning of the current school year. In addition to objecting to national control over curriculum, critics have complained that a creeping left-wing agenda has made its way into Common Core approved curriculum, including textbooks and lesson plans designed to conform to the standards.