Coming to Your School District

Common Core Curriculum

Why is it needed?

In my opinion it won’t solve all of our problems but it is a start.  What we are doing now is not working. A student in Nebraska should be able to compete nationally and internationally for a good job that will provide for the parent generation.

The United States has fallen to "average" in international education rankings released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, according to the AFP.

America has received scores around 500 on a scale that goes up to 1,000: 487 in math, 500 in reading and 502 in science. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/us-falls-in-world-education-rankings_n_793185.html

·                          After World War II, the United States had the #1 high school graduation rate in the world. Today, we have dropped to # 22 among 27 industrialized nations. (OECD, 2012)

·                          American students rank 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading compared to students in 27 industrialized countries.(OECD, 2012)

·                          By the end of the eighth-grade, U.S. students are two years behind in math compared to their peers in other countries. (OECD, 2009)

What is it?

(Edited) The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.

The standards are informed by the highest, most effective models from states across the country and countries around the world, and provide teachers and parents with a common understanding of what students are expected to learn. Consistent standards will provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live.

These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs.

Much more information on the good and bad at: http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2013/05/03/common-core-testing-problems-crop-up-in-other-states/  

Schools will have to make a major investment in computers in order to comply with the new testing methods. One Southwest Ohio district with 2,300 students will spend $30,000 to purchase 120 chromebooks for this rotational testing.

Paul Hunter contact paulhunter45177@gmail.com

The Columbus Dispatch looks at Common Core: