California, Wisconsin Lead Rival State Blocs Creating Common Core ELL Standards

Education Week (6/8, Zehr) reports, "California and Wisconsin each have formed a consortium with other states and applied for the full $10.7 million available in a grant competition to create English-language-proficiency tests for the states' common-core academic standards." The rival applications will "force [ED] to decide if it will split up the money or choose one winner." Both groups include at least 15 states, as required to receive "bonus points" on their applications, and observers believe that no other states have applied. However, "Some states with a large number of English-language learners are not on the list of either consortium."