A substantial fight could be brewing in Montgomery as lawmakers are again attempting to repeal Common Core curriculum standards.

Republicans supporting the issue, citing Alabama’s low national education rankings, believe the change is long overdue. Educators believe cutting the cord on years of training and professional development in order to teach Common Core requirements is a bridge too far.

Senate Bill 119, designed to repeal Common Core standards and guidelines for public schools, passed Thursday by a vote of 23-7. The bill will be taken up by the House the week of April 1, when the Legislature returns from spring break.

Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, proposed the bill, but it has support of members of Limestone County’s legislative delegation. State Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, was one of more than a dozen senators who co-sponsored Marsh’s bill. He cited Alabama’s low rankings dating back to 2017, including 49th in eighth-grade math scores, 46th in eight-grade reading assessments and 45th in fourth-grade math scores.

“The Common Core curriculum standards and guidelines, which have been in place since 2010, simply aren’t working for Alabama’s students,” Melson said. “The State Board of Education is tasked with setting education policy, but they have failed the take the appropriate action — and it’s time we listened to what our local teachers and parents have been saying for years. It’s time we get back to the basics.”

Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay said he understands lawmakers’ concerns, but he’s concerned about the impact it will have on his school system.

“We’ve put a whole lot into professional development and teacher training,” he said. “There’s no telling how much we’ve spent on curriculum and training.”

If Gov. Kay Ivey signs the repeal into law, Holladay worries how long school districts would have to enact new curriculum. He fears there would be a short turnaround time if that happened.

He pointed out there are other implications lawmakers should consider. For example, advanced placement and career tech standards are tied to Common Core curriculum. If Common Core is repealed, Holladay questioned if those courses would go away, too.

“My opinion, I personally believe our parents in Athens would want us to stay where we are at,” he said. “I’ve struggled with this, even though I support our local legislators.”

State Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, said he was willing to hear superintendents and teachers out if they have concerns about the legislation. Like Melson, he’s worried students are making any academic gains under the current curriculum standards.

“We’ve had it nine years and we’ve seen a deterioration. That’s a concern,” he said. “You can throw all the money at a problem you want to, but if you don’t have a system that will work, you’re wasting your money.”

When asked if repealing Common Core was strictly a political decision, Crawford said he didn’t think politics played a role.

“We gave (Common Core) a good chance,” he said. “We need a system that will prepare our children for careers in critical (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas. We need to get those kids where they need to be.”