Common Core State Standards

The public at large was disappointed in the status of Education in the United States in the 1980’s.  To help tackle this problem, an agreement was reached between the states and the federal government that governors and states lead and adopt standards and testing for their respective states.  A federal law was enacted noting this decision in 1990 (Shanahan).

Public schools in the United States are still not preparing our students for rigorous academic college level studies.  Depending of the reporting agency, different national agencies report that between 20% to 36% percent of college freshmen are needing remedial courses before they can take some of the college level courses.  In fact, about 75% of colleges and universities have made remedial courses available out of necessity (Burks et al.).  American students are generally behind that of many other countries. 

The Common Core Standards were developed by educations chiefs and governors of 48 states (Frequently), as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Shanahan).  The Common Core State Standards are grade level specific learning goals in reading, writing, and math.  The goal of these Standards is to prepare students for life after high school.  Today, a majority of states have adopted the Common Core Standards.  The way in which the standards are achieved is entirely up to local and state governments (Frequently).  The Common Core State Standards Initiative claim the Standards will make education have more universal standards across the United States, with more consistent information that is learned and tested across the nation (Frequently).  

In 2009, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers met to come up with the Common Core State Standards to better prepare student for life after high school, whether that be more education or starting to work directly out of high school (Burks et al.).  The Common Core Standards were developed using best practices and standards from high achieving states as well as other countries.  According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, “The federal government was not involved in the development of the standards” (Frequently 2).  In order for teachers to be prepared to use the Common Core Standards in their classrooms, funds will be needed to train teachers and develop new education materials.  A potential avenue to save money is that states can share education materials, software, etc. developed, since the standards would be the same between states (Frequently).  Supporters of the Common Core Standards realize that it will take time for test results to show improvement. 

Many reputable education agencies, as well as many teachers and business leaders in the United States support the Common Core Standards.  The Common Core Standards are focused on English and math skills, because they are the fundamental building blocks for learning other subjects.  The Standards are focused on critical thinking, problem solving, and real world math skills.  Standards are currently being developed for science, foreign languages, and arts (Frequently).  The Common Core Standards are helping teachers by giving them clear benchmarks and goals for themselves and their students and by helping colleges and universities prepare new teachers for the new standards, as well as developing training programs for current teachers.  Under the Common Core Standards, teachers set their own curriculum and each state, as well as local governments say how the standards are to be implemented and tested (Frequently).  According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the Standards have and will always be up to each state, completely voluntary, and “Federal funds have never and will never be used to support the development or governance of the Common Core or any future revisions of the standards” (Frequently).

In a survey of teachers, 57% felt at least somewhat comfortable with the Common Core Standards, but in the same survey, 55% of teachers felt that they had not received enough training.  A problem with the Common Core is that the state standards don’t always sync with what is really being taught in the classroom.  Those who support the Common Core Standards argue that students across the nation should be getting the same education for their grade level. 

In a survey of teachers that are currently practicing Common Core Standards, most teachers felt that the Common Core Standards would make them better teachers, but they lacked training to successfully implement the Standards (Burks et al.).  Even though some training has been done, a majority of the teachers surveyed didn’t feel like they had enough.  The same survey showed that newer teachers were more open to teach under the new standards and it was harder for veteran teachers to imagine making these changes in their classrooms (Burks et al.).   

            An article arguing against Common Core Standards notes that Common Core Initiatives are supported by governors, the United States Department of Education, as well as many State’s Department of Education, media, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, as well as many educators and that Microsoft, HP, IBM, Exxon, and several large textbook publishers have put a lot of time and money into developing curriculum for the Common Core Standards (Sower).  Some parents, teachers, unions, private schools, and homeschoolers oppose the Standards and testing.  This article claims that the Common Core Standards are not based on current research, are not led at the state level, and are not based on international standards, and that businesses stand to gain financially from contracts at the local, state and federal levels (Sower).   The same businesses that are pushing for and developing Common Core Standards are the ones that will stand to benefit financially.  This article argues that these companies are not subject to the normal scrutiny and accountability of government personnel and offices, leaving them largely unaccountable for their actions and that, “The more teachers, parents, and state officials learn about the Common Core, the less they like it (Sower 20). 

In 2009, the United States Department of Education started offering additional funds for education in states that agreed to adopt the Common Core Standards (Sower).  This means that federal funds are used to supplement education in states that voluntarily agreed to use the Common Core Standards.  It makes sense then, that a majority of states have accepted and adopted the Common Core Standards.  States who declined to adopt the Common Core Standards are essentially being punished by the federal government withholding these funds from that state.  The United States Secretary of Education has allocated $350 million dollars to develop testing in line with the Common Core Standards, plus over $9 billion was allocated only to states that adopted the Standards (Sower).  Texas has chosen not to participate in the Common Core Standards Initiative.  Therefore, Texas is being punished and Texas schoolchildren are losing out on additional funds available to most other states.  In at journal article about the Common Core State Standards, Professor of Education Timothy Shanahan argues that the federal government didn’t punish any states who chose not to adopt the Common Core Standards since they didn’t lose any federal funding, yet also noting that the federal government encouraged states to adopt the Common Core Standards by offering financial incentives to do so (Shanahan). 

The Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, is being revised to align more with Common Core Standards.  This move could set up children in states not using the Common Core Standards to not perform as well on the SAT test, and ultimately affect their acceptance into colleges and universities.  Former professor of math at Stanford University, Dr. Milgram, was the only mathematician at the Validation Committee for the Common Core Standards.  Milgram rejected adoption of the Standards because he noted that they were as “unchallenging as possible,” and would delay or reduce math learning skills (Sower 21).  Dr. Stotsky, a professor of education reform, as well as Dr. Milgram both did not approve the Common Core Standards due to the low level of the Standards.  The main writers for the Common Core Standards never taught in the classroom and lacked any qualifications to develop scholastic curriculum or standards;  the Standards developed were subpar compared to other countries.  Dr. Stotsky and Dr. Milgram both agree that the Common Core Standards are “poorly written and very confusing” (Sower 23).

            It makes sense then, that Texas chose not to adopt the Common Core Standards.  Texas was the first state in the nation to develop College and Career Readiness Standards.  Texas College and Career Readiness Standards have been in use for many years and these standards are already integrated within Texas current learning and assessment testing standards throughout Texas in K-12 classrooms (Williams).  Texas College and Career Readiness Standards not only include English and math skills, but also include science, social studies, and cognitive problem solving skills.

            The Texas Legislature went so far as to put into law that Texas would not adopt these Standards.  In 2013, Texas passed an act amending the Education Code;  House Bill 462 specifically notes that the Texas State Board of Education, school districts, and charter schools may not adopt or require any part of, nor use any testing assessments based on the Common Core Standards (Texas).  Unfortunately, this still leaves many schools and school districts in Texas yearning for the possibility of the extra federal funds.  The Texas Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, has even posted on the Texas Education Agency website a reminder about House Bill 462, “As you consider funding opportunities, especially those offered by the United States Department of Education…” (Williams).       

            Because education is truly up to the states and not the federal government, the federal funds should not be specially designated or withheld from any state for any reason.  The Texas Legislature and the Texas Department of Education obviously feel that the standards that we have set for our own state are far superior to the Common Core Standards that many other states have chosen to adopt.  When the federal government is offering “incentives” for states to act in a certain way and adopt the Common Core Standards, they are in fact punishing Texas and other states by withholding funds that should be given freely to all states or none.  The federal government has already given up their authority to states for all education standards and evaluation methods and standards and is in fact overstepping their current authority.

Works Cited

Burks, Brooke A., et al. "Adapting to Change: Teacher Perceptions of Implementing the Common Core State Standards." Education, vol. 136, no. 2, Winter 2015, pp. 253-58. Academic Search Complete, dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=111972225&site=ehost-live. Accessed 30 July 2017.

"Frequently Asked Questions." Core Standards, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010, www.corestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/FAQs.pdf. Accessed 28 July 2017.

Shanahan, Timothy. "What Teachers Should Know About Common Core." Reading Teacher, vol. 68, no. 8, May 2015. Academic Search Complete, dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=102289740&site=ehost-live.

Sower, Craig. "Common Core's Leviathan." Eye Magazine, no. 8, Autumn/Winter 2015, pp. 18-23. Academic Search Complete, dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=118131819&site=ehost-live. Accessed 30 July 2017.

Texas, Legislature, House of Representatives. House Bill. 2013. Texas Legislature Online, www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/HB00462F.pdf#navpanes=0. Accessed 8 Aug. 2017. 2013 Legislature, House Bill 462.

Williams, Michael. "New Statutory Requirements Prohibiting the Adoption or Use of Common Core." Texas Education Agency, tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Correspondence/TAA_Letters/New_Statutory_Requirements_Prohibiting_the_Adoption_or_Use_of_Common_Core/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2017.