Story highlights
Republicans gathered in New Hampshire to discuss education policy
Jeb Bush has long been a supporter of Common Core educational standards
Other supporters in the party have changed their minds about the standards and testing
Republicans trekked to New Hampshire in search of the mantle as top conservative education reformer Wednesday and were promptly met there by Common Core – the flash point that has become shorthand for too much testing and has split the party and riled conservatives.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a leading proponent of the education plan now often derided as “Obamacore,” tempered his language on the issue before the crowd at Londonderry High School in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
“If people don’t like Common Core, fine. Just make sure your standards are … much higher than the ones you had before. We can’t keep dumbing down standards,” said Bush, who’s previously been a fierce advocate for Common Core but has toned down his support since running for president. Instead, he has pushed for a broader definition of higher standards.
