Deal executive order protects students, local control
May 15, 2013
Gov. Nathan Deal today signed an executive order that prohibits the state from collecting or sharing with the federal government any personally identifiable data on students or their families, that firmly asserts the state’s sovereignty over educational standards and that maintains local control over curriculum and instruction.
“We’re all committed to giving Georgia students the best education possible and preparing them for highly skilled jobs so that they are competitive in the global marketplace,” Deal said. “We can achieve these worthy goals while at the same time protecting student privacy and maintaining local control over how and what we teach Georgia’s children.
“Common Core standards do not require information sharing with the federal government and they do not impose a federal curriculum. This executive order aims to send a clear and unambiguous message that, in Georgia, we will maintain local control over curriculum while working diligently to achieve high educational standards.”
The executive order reads as follows:
WHEREAS: The federal government has no constitutional right to determine how children in the State of Georgia will be educated; and
WHEREAS: The Georgia Constitution provides that an adequate public education for the citizens shall be a primary obligation of the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS: Education is economic development and strong schools are the only proven route to tomorrow’s good jobs; and
WHEREAS: Intrusive data tracking is an invasion of student rights.
NOW, THEREFORE, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, IT IS HEREBY
ORDERED: That no educational standards shall be imposed on Georgia by the federal government.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED: That all decisions regarding curriculum and instruction shall be made at the local level.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED: That all proposed state education standards shall be posted for public review and comment for at least 60 days. Any proposed changes to state educational standards of any magnitude shall be posted for public review and comment for at least 60 days. Any comments received during the notice period of educational standards adoption or modification shall be made public. All education standards shall be voted on in a public meeting.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED: That no personally identifiable data on students and/or their families’ religion, political party affiliation, biometric information, psychometric data and/or voting history shall be collected, tracked, housed, reported or shared with the federal government.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED: That no student data shall be collected for the purpose of the development of commercial products or services.
This __15th__ day of May, 2013.