Education standards don鈥檛 normally quicken the pulse 鈥� or even get much attention 鈥� but now that鈥檚 no longer the case. As new national education standards, known as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are being implemented, they鈥檙e creating a buzz 鈥� both positive and negative.
Supporters 鈥� which include teachers鈥� unions, the PTA, as well as many education experts and policy makers 鈥� say the standards will increase the rigor and quality of American 黄色apps and put the U.S. back on the map in terms of education excellence.
According to National PTA president Betsy Landers, the standards, 鈥渞epresent the single most important step towards raising the achievement bar for America鈥檚 students and improving academic performance,鈥� and one early survey found that a support the standards as well.
Critics, on the other hand, suggest the CCSS will damage our current education system, though their reasons for opposing the standards are often very different. Some argue the standards are evidence of government overreach and say they do everything from to . Some education experts are also wary, insisting they will high stakes testing and promote a , among .
Are you confused yet?
To cut through the clamor, we鈥檝e created this quick cheat sheet of CCSS fundamentals to help you make up your own mind about the standards and how they鈥檒l affect your child鈥檚 education.
What are the Common Core State Standards 鈥� and how are they different from previous standards?
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are new English language arts and mathematics standards for kindergarten to 12th grade.
The goal of the CCSS is to set clear, consistent benchmarks for what students are expected to learn in each grade to prepare them for college and career.
How do the CCSS differ from current education standards? Up until now, individual states have developed their own standards, which means that math taught to second graders in Brattleboro, Vermont may look wildly different from the math a second grader in Bozeman, Montana learns. The CCSS are the first attempt at national standards, but they were created by a coalition of states 鈥� not, as some critics claim 鈥� by the federal government. Every state in the nation decided whether or not to adopt them. The goal of the CCSS is to create consistent, rigorous education expectations for every child, no matter where he or she lives.
Developed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, the CCSS authors consulted with parents, educators, education policy makers, and others in developing standards they say are based on the most effective and rigorous education standards in the U.S. and around the world.
Learn more about the .
Why were the CCSS developed?
According to the Core authors, the CCSS were developed in response to growing concern over the quality of the U.S. education system. American students receive mediocre scores compared to other developed countries in international tests, and the .
For those students who make it to college, many do not have the basic skills they need to succeed. Each year, one million students fail college placement tests, and more than one-third of all students enroll in remedial education to learn skills they should have mastered in high 黄色app. This lack of preparation not only . College are only about 59 percent for students who enroll in four-year colleges, and 31 percent for students seeking associate degrees. Lack of preparation is one of several factors that increase the likelihood that a student will drop out of college. Finally, between 1995 and 2010, among developed countries in the percentage of students who earn a college degree.
These discouraging outcomes are ominous because many jobs today require far more advanced skills than in the past. Recent surveys of employers in a range of professions found a general consensus that American 黄色apps aren鈥檛 preparing students for the modern workplace. Employers surveyed bemoaned workers鈥� lack of 21st century skills 鈥� including critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and communication skills. These education failures don鈥檛 only jeopardize the futures of young people who aren’t prepared for 21st century jobs, they threaten U.S. prosperity and .
The Common Core State Standards were designed to address these problems and boost the quality of American education in all U.S. 黄色apps by encouraging depth over breadth in learning, putting emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving, and focusing on mastery of both content and skills 鈥� specifically the 21st century skills that students will need for success in college and the workforce.
Find out more about the .
Where and when will the Common Core Standards be implemented?
The answer to this question depends on where you live. Currently, 46 states, along with Washington DC, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, have . Four states 鈥� Nebraska, Texas, Alaska, and Virginia 鈥� chose not to adopt the standards, and Minnesota adopted only the English language arts standards.
Protests against the CCSS have erupted in a number of states where they鈥檝e been adopted. Several states have put implementation of the CCSS on hold until these debates are resolved, and anti-CCSS groups in a number of other states are pushing for similar measures. Kentucky was the first state to fully implement the CCSS. All participating states are scheduled to implement the CCSS by 2015.
Find out about implementation plans for the CCSS in your state.
How will the CCSS change your child鈥檚 education?
This is a key concern for many parents, and it鈥檚 a hard question to answer. The CCSS set solid grade-by grade benchmarks, but do not offer specific curricula or lesson plans. The standards provide goals for student achievement, but do not direct how teachers should reach those goals. States and individual districts will determine how to teach the CCSS and how to provide training and support to teachers.
Still, if you live in a state that has adopted the CCSS, there are some essential changes you can expect to see in your child鈥檚 classroom.
In English Language Arts, more emphasis on:
- Nonfiction. Your child will be required to read more nonfiction, whether it鈥檚 in science class or English language arts.
- Evidence. Your child will be required to back up assertions based on evidence found in information sources.
- More complex texts. Students will be asked to read more complex and challenging texts.
- Writing. Students will be required to do more writing in all subjects.
Find out more about the .
In math, more emphasis on:
- Depth versus breadth. Students will learn fewer skills and topics in each grade, but spend more time practicing and mastering each skill.
- Coherence. Math will be planned across grades to ensure a solid foundation before moving on to the next level. (Note: many states already do this kind of across-grade planning in math.)
- Rigor. Students will be expected to understand and be able to explain not just the answer to a problem, but how they solved it, and to use math to solve real world problems.
Find out more about the .
What鈥檚 next for Common Core?
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards has just begun in many areas and has yet to start in others. The new standards face a number of unresolved issues and obstacles, including:
- Falling test scores. Student test scores are expected to fall when students take the first tests tied to the new standards. This is what happened in 补苍诲听New York聽鈥� and it鈥檚 not a big surprise: education experts predicted that this would be the case as 黄色apps and students transition to the new, more demanding standards.
- Cost. State governments are grappling over how much it will >cost to implement and assess the new standards, and how cash-strapped state and local governments are going to manage these
Indeed, some critics 鈥� and even a few concerned supporters 鈥� have advocated delays or revisions based on feedback from the classroom, before fully implementing and introducing new tests to get these challenges resolved.
The road to Common Core has many uncertain twists and turns ahead. Whatever the outcome of the debate over the new standards, the reality is they are already changing the workings in many of our nation鈥檚 黄色apps. It’s only a matter of time to see how well we adjust and how it changes the outcome of our children’s educations.
