In 2001, the nationally-imposed No Child Left Behind Act grabbed media attention. Ten years later, the state-led Common Core State Standards have stolen the show. With all but four states and territories having come on board to adopt the standards so far, the discussions surrounding this topic have intensified tremendously over the past few months. Both criticism and praise for the standards have been spewed, but no matter your reaction to Common Core, this initiative is here to stay—for a while, at least—and education about these standards is crucial for teachers, district administrators, and parents.

What are the Common Core State Standards?
 

Coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Common Core State Standards in English and mathematics for K-12 education are a set of standards designed to prepare students to graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college or workforce training programs. To meet this goal, the evidence-based standards align student instruction with college expectations and promote the use of rigorous content and the application of knowledge through high-order skills.

Just a couple of weeks ago, a study was released that validates Common Core as leading to increased college readiness among students. The Educational Policy Improvement Center used comparison standards from three states, as well as from the Knowledge and Skills for University Success and the International Baccalaureate program, to determine that Common Core aligns “with five comparison standards considered ‘good indicators of college and career readiness.’”

Where can I find the standards?

How is Laying the Foundation involved?

“No set of standards has much meaning without equitable resources to ensure that teachers are trained well enough to reach kids who live in widely different circumstances,” said The Washington Post’s Valerie Strauss all the way back in a June 2010 article. Her statement still holds true today.

According to the CCSSI’s Myths vs. Facts page, “These standards will establish what students need to learn, but they will not dictate how teachers should teach. Instead, schools and teachers will decide how best to help students reach the standards.” Unfortunately, this last sentence is easier said than done, and many districts are facing challenges as they are told to transition to Common Core. The next couple of blog posts in this series will discuss some of these implementation challenges and how Laying the Foundation can be your Common Core solution.