Common Core State Standards

Common Core State Standards
Another acronym I must identify, CCSS Common Core State Standards. As an educator I think there should be a course titled, Acronyms for Educators, so we would all be on the same page. Speaking of being on the same page the intent of the CCSS is to improve teaching and learning to ensure that high school graduates in every part of the nation have the knowledge and skills they need for college and a career. According to the National Governors Association the process is designed to produce standards that are researched based and evidenced based as well as internationally benchmarked. The claim is that if students meet these new rigorous and clear standards, they will have better choices in their lives and the nation will be more competitive in today’s global economy.
Like all issues everyone has an opinion. According to the Governors Association, “the Common Core Standards establish clear and consistent goals for learning that will prepare America’s children for success in college and work.” “When American students have the skills and knowledge needed in today’s jobs, our communities will be positioned to compete successfully in the global world.” “American students are now competing with children around the globe for jobs and opportunities after graduation.” The CCSS provide a consistent, clear, understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents have a roadmap for what they need to do to help them. The standards provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live, and allow states to more effectively help all students to succeed, commented by , West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools. With students, parents, and teachers all on the same page and working together for shared goals it will ensure that students make progress each year and graduate from school prepared to succeed and build a strong future for themselves and the country. According to the Governors Association the standards are aligned with college and work expectations, clear, understandable and consistent, include rigorous content and application of knowledge through higher–order skills, build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards, and informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society. The CCSS are not intended to be new names for old ways of doing things. It is a time for states to work together to build on lessons learned from two decades of standards based reforms. It is time to recognize that standards are not just promises to our children, but promises we intend to keep. According to Education Week the common academic content standards that dozens of states are adopting are better overall than 33 individual states’ standards, according to an analysis released by a Washington research-and –advocacy group. The differences between state standards and the Common Core are different in topics they address, but a big difference is the Common Core emphasizes different cognitive skills; devoting less time to memorization and performing procedures, and more to demonstrating understanding and analyzing written material. The Common Core seems to reflect a change for the better when it comes to higher order cognitive thinking. On the other hand according to ASCD on June 30, 2011, “Most students have far to go before they master the skills and knowledge outlined in the new common standards that have been adopted by all but seven states.” Some say that loss of teacher creativity is a drawback of the standards. An article from Education Week states that communications is needed to help educators and administrators understand how the common core standards are different from previous state standards. In Curriculum Matters the common standards might be great, but the states need help to afford to put them into practice. Adopting the standards was the easy part, but affording the cost of professional development needed to make the standards and assessments work the way they should is the hard part. Now that most states have adopted the Common Core Standards a forgotten link is Principals. As schools across the country are preparing to implement the common standards principals are finding little or no guidance on how to know good instruction for the common core when they see it and how will they be evaluated on it? The NCTM states that unless technology is woven throughout the Common Core Standards the claim that that they will better prepare students in the 21st century is diminished. Some of the issues that still need to be addressed in order for the Common Core Standards are effective are how teachers should teach all that can or should be taught, the nature of advanced work beyond the core, the interventions needed for students well below grade level, the full range of support for English language learners and students with special need, everything needed to be college and career ready.
In conclusion, there are many issues that need to be resolved before the CCSS are effective and fully implemented. My question is did more than forty states adopt the CCSS because it would help students or did federal funds that were tied to state approval of the CCSS have an influence?