Ellington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi education leaders remain supportive of the Common Core academic standards.

Wayne Gann, chairman of the state Board of Education, and state Superintendent of Education Carey Wright said in a statement Friday they were disappointed in remarks made by Gov. Phil Bryant.

On Thursday, Bryant appeared to ratchet up his rhetoric against the Common Core academic standards, calling them "failed." But later a spokeswoman said Bryant's position had not changed.

Critics say Common Core is a federal takeover of education.

The criticism hasn't slowed Mississippi's adoption of Common Core.

Since Dec. 13, the state Board of Education has approved spending about $8.4 million on exams Mississippi helped develop through a multistate group. The board has also adopted new course plans and textbook lists.