AP Wire

Even Jindal's kids will take PARCC exams

by The Associated Press

After failed attempts to derail the exams, Louisiana's public school students are taking the heavily-debated Common Core standardized tests this week.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — After failed attempts to derail the exams, Louisiana's public school students are taking the heavily-debated Common Core standardized tests this week.

About 320,000 students in grades three through eight are expected to take the tests over five days, beginning Monday. Education officials are watching closely to determine if an anti-Common Core "opt-out" movement becomes widespread.

The Common Core standards are benchmarks of what students should learn at each grade level in English and math. They've been adopted by more than 40 states, though recently they've faced criticism they are part of a federal attempt to nationalize education.

Gov. Bobby Jindal tried to disrupt the exams. But a state judge blocked his efforts. The governor told The News-Star that his children will take the tests, despite his opposition to Common Core.