The Common Core Conversation:
Everything You Need to Know to Get Involved
As Spring Break nears and kids prepare for a week of sitting on the couch, many parents, teachers and community leaders may find themselves with time to reflect on the rollout of the Common Core Standards. What are they? What’s going to change? Why did they seem to appear out of mid-air?
Somewhere between the drawing board and the kitchen table, the purpose and logic behind the controversial Common Core Standards got lost in translation.
Here are the facts:
HISTORY
- The Common Core conversation began six years ago
- In 2008, Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security and then governor of Arizona, created a taskforce to improve upon the educational standards put in place byNo Child Left Behind; its findings laid the framework for Common Core standards
- States began adopting the standards in 2010; now totaling 45, many states have already begun implementing the reforms
- While many teachers and principals have come out against the regulations, a recent poll by the National Education Association found that more than half of educators surveyed support the Common Core Standards
CONTENT
- The Common Core Standards are based on research, current test scores and international trends
- According to the Common Core website, they’re meant to:
- Lay out a clear understanding of what students are expected to learnBreak down those expectations based on grade level to guide teachers and parents along the wayFocus on the skills needed to succeed in college and beyond
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST
Teachers, unions, parents, state legislators, even students have joined the debate over the Common Core Standards.
For
- Stricter standards of excellence are sorely overdue, and will help make the US competitive in the future
- Common Core is merely a framework, and teachers themselves still dictate how they teach their students.
Against
- The standards were hurried into existence without the consultation of lawmakers, educators, parents or students
- Common Core will actually lower the standards in schools and even present a threat to students’ privacy as states share test results
HAVE YOU WEIGHED IN?
With 90 percent of states and the District of Columbia intending to implement the Common Core standards over the next couple of years, now is the time to join the conversation. Some districts are hosting discussions on forums on their websites and others are hosting town hall meetings.
School districts with MindMixer sites have seen the issue raised, from parents both in favor of the standards and against them. If you want to share your opinion, check to see if your school district has a MindMixer site. There, leaders in your community will be listening, making sure your interactions are focused and productive, and committing to turning your feedback into action.
To learn more about the Common Core Standards, read the FAQ on the official website.
Originally published on 3/5/14 at http://mindmixer.com/2014/03/the-common-core-conversation-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-involved/
