New standards will be implemented in all California schools and throughout the countr

[Jeanfromfillmore]

This is part of an article I wrote for our local paper about our schools. There was much more, but what I left out relates to our local schools; this part relates to almost all schools throughout the country. Those of you with family in grades k-12 may find this information very important.


New standards will be implemented in all California schools and throughout the country.

They are a new standard in teaching that the California State Board of Education adopted on August 2, 2010. The new Standards for English-language arts and mathematics called the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will be phased in over the next 2 to 4 years. The CCSS are changes for kindergarten through 12th grade that establish clear and consistent education standards along with a common method to measure and report the performances of all students with a common understanding of what students are expected to learn. The Standards are not a curriculum. They are a clear set of shared goals and expectations and were developed in collaboration with teachers and school administrations with the goal to better prepare students for success in college, career, and the competitive global economy.

Presently each state has its own set of standards, and consequently, what students are expected to learn varies from state to state. Most states, with the exception of Texas, Alaska, Montana, Nebraska, Minnesota and Virginia have adopted the Standards with an explicit agreement that no state would be required to lower its standards.

Local teachers, principals, superintendents and others will decide how the Standards are to be met. Teachers will continue to devise lesson plans and tailor instruction to the individual needs of the students in their classrooms.

This is a step away from No Child Left Behind.