‘Race’ gives a boost to push for common core standards
Published: January 1, 2010
Long before the Obama administration adopted common academic standards as a focus of education reform, the Common Core State Standards Initiative was well on the way to producing a set of draft standards for states to adopt. Currently, 49 states have signed on to the initiative, a project of the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.
In July, the project produced a set of proposed college and career readiness standards, with which the K-12 standards in English-language arts and math that are expected in early 2010 will be aligned.
“This next generation of students must be prepared to compete with not only their American peers in the next state, but with students from around the world,” the CCSSI Web site explains. “These standards will help prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and careers.”
Although the initiative originally allowed a longer timeline for states to review and adopt the standards, “Race to the Top” federal guidelines have set Aug. 2 as the goal for adoption to allow all funds to be awarded by the September deadline.
CSBA and California officials have reservations about the constraints that common academic standards could place on the state’s own high standards, and so they have hesitated to fully support the initiative until it’s demonstrated that the common core standards would meet or exceed California’s existing standards.
Though participation in the initiative is voluntary, many educators believe that including the adoption of common standards in RTTT criteria clearly signals the Obama administration’s intentions regarding national standards, assessments and curricula. The administration has already set aside $350 million of RTTT money to develop such assessments.