Answering Common Core Standards Questions

While teachers and classrooms are doing everything they can to differentiate and personalize instruction for every student, policy-makers are focusing on creating uniform standards across the map.

Are these seemingly divergent paths moving in the right direction?

As a trend or hot topic in education, common core standards have always been one of those ideas that resurface every few years. This time, they are gaining momentum and taking hold across the nation.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative has created college-readiness, career-readiness, and K-12 standards. This initiative has the potential to impact 91% of the student population in this country.

According to its mission statement:

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

As of July 2011, 43 of 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core State Standards with all the other states except Alaska and Texas agreeing to adopt them, showing that this movement is now a reality. These states will adapt their teaching and learning standards in English/language arts and mathematics to match the rest of the country.

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