FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Adrienne Rupp
Business and Industry Association
Office: 603.224.5388 x114
Mobile: 603.731.7754
arupp@BIAofNH.com

BIA supports Common Core standards

CONCORD, N.H. – Oct. 16, 2013 – The Business and Industry Association – New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading business advocate – announced its support for the Common Core State Standards. The BIA board of directors voted unanimously to support the more rigorous educational standards at a recent board retreat.

The Common Core is a state-led effort that establishes a single set of clear educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in mathematics and English language arts. The standards are designed to ensure high-school graduates are prepared to enter associate or bachelor’s degree programs or enter the workforce. They are clear and concise to ensure parents, teachers and students clearly understand student expectations in reading, writing, speaking and listening, language, and mathematics. States voluntarily adopt the standards, and 48 states, including New Hampshire, the District of Columbia and two territories have adopted them.

“The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn and are robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that students will need for success in college and careers,” said BIA President Jim Roche.

“BIA is in the final stages of completing a strategic economic plan for New Hampshire and educating our state’s emerging workforce plays a key role in our future economic prosperity,” continued Roche. “The focus on math and related skills that are a part of the Common Core complements the focus on increased STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education called for the strategic economic plan, which will be released in November.”

The National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the development of the Common Core, which also incorporated input from teachers, parents, school administrators and business leaders from across the country. New Hampshire’s state board of education adopted the standards in 2010 and school boards across the state are now reviewing and approving the standards for their districts.

“A robust advanced manufacturing and high technology sector is critical to New Hampshire’s future economic success,” said Roche. “BIAbelieves the Common Core is an important part of ensuring our future workforce has the education and skills necessary to fill these high-paying, challenging jobs.”

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About the BIA: The Business and Industry Association is New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading business advocate. The BIA represents more than 400 members in a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, high technology, professional services, financial services, health care, hospitality and tourism, public utilities, higher education and insurance. Member firms employ 86,000 people throughout the state and contribute $4.5 billion annually to the state’s economy. Through advocacy with state legislators and regulators, the BIA works to promote a healthy business climate and robust economic future for New Hampshire.

The BIA’s 2013 public policy priorities include: preserving the New Hampshire Advantage through  support of fiscally conservative state budgets with a business-friendly regulatory and tax structure; supporting business tax policies that foster economic growth; supporting infrastructure development; supporting efforts to increase the availability and affordability of housing for working people; supporting pro-business labor rules and regulations that consider the rights and responsibilities of workers and management; supporting efforts that enhance outcomes and reduce/slow the growth of total healthcare costs for employers and the state; supporting efforts to develop New Hampshire’s future workforce; working towards mitigating the long- and short-term costs of energy; supporting efforts to reform the state’s telecommunications regulations to ensure fairness and equal competition among all service providers; and supporting environmental policies, legislation and administrative rules that balance economic development with the long-term viability of the state’s natural resources through a collaborative process. For more information about the BIA, visit http://www.biaofnh.com/.