The Missouri Senate has given first-round approval to legislation requiring the state education department to hold public hearings on new standards for math, reading and writing.
Known as the Common Core State Standards, the new benchmarks represent an effort adopted by 45 states to come up with a consistent means of determining what students should know when they prepare for college.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education conducted a round of hearings on the changes last week, but Republican Sen. John Lamping, of St. Louis, wants more public input.
The measure advanced by the Senate on Monday would also create an interim legislative committee to study the current school funding formula. It needs one more vote before moving to the House.