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By Delia Pompa, Senior Vice President, Programs, NCLR and Lucille Davy, Senior Advisor to the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute
Where goals and consistency in education are concerned, the past two years have brought positive developments. For the first time, education standards across the majority of states will provide our young people, parents, and teachers with a clear understanding of what students need to know in order to be successful at the end of high school, regardless of where they live. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have voluntarily adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) because they are clearer and higher than most state standards and are designed to make sure that students are ready to meet the demands of college and the 21st century workplace.
We are strong supporters of the CCSS because we see the promise that they hold. However, while having high expectations for students is one thing – helping them reach those expectations is another. That is why we must work together to ensure that states and leaders are being thoughtful and proactive in providing supports that will help teachers and students reach these new standards.
Providing professional development opportunities that help teachers learn the new standards and developing curriculum and classroom tools that match the standards are just a few of the important steps states must take to make sure that the process of implementing new standards goes smoothly. Over the coming months, it will be important for parents to take action and find out what their states are doing and make sure that the work being done takes into consideration the needs of all children.
To help parents figure out what questions to ask and how to be part of the process, please find below some examples of the work already being done by states working to put their new standards in place.
• California is working to provide educators, practitioners, policymakers and parents with meaningful information on the standards through its state website and by presenting at over 40 conferences and workshops. It has commissioned review of electronically-available learning resources and is preparing to create new curriculum frameworks.
• Kentucky carefully mapped out the similarities and differences between the old and new standards. This exercise helps teachers understand the new standards by comparing them to what they have been teaching and helps them identify the necessary curriculum materials needed to effectively teach to the new standards.
• Indiana is working to prepare incoming teachers to teach to the new standards when they enter the classroom. For example, Indiana was the first state to align its teacher preparation standards to the CCSS and require that state colleges incorporate them into their teacher pre-service preparation programs.
• Utah has made early strides in making sure that teachers and principals are working together to reach the new standards by establishing the Utah Common Core Academy. This academy brings together teachers and principals to make sure their collective thinking is brought to important tasks, such as developing curriculum around the new standards.
• Massachusetts has begun helping school districts develop curriculum and is providing professional development opportunities for teachers. They have also started incorporating the CCSS into their state tests, the MCAS, and will begin using those tests in the 2012-2013 school year.
While the timelines and approaches states are adopting in order to implement their new standards may vary, what must remain constant is the involvement of parents and communities in making sure that their students are receiving the support necessary to reach higher expectations.
Additional Resources:
To learn more about the Common Core State Standards and the early work of states, check out the Hunt Institute’s piece in this month’s GOVERNING Magazine: http://www.governing.com/papers/Impacting-the-Future.html
To see a short, animated video on the development of the Common Core State Standards go to: http://www.hunt-institute.org/knowledge-library/articles/2011-9-1/common-core-state-standards-a-new-foundation-for-student-success/