the new education standards common core:

story by | student success what are the common core education standards?

These are nationalized standards that have been adopted by 45 of the 50 states at the present time. The purpose for the standards is to ensure that every state is working towards the same benchmarks in the core areas of reading and math at every grade level. These standards are very new to all of the states, North Dakota and Minnesota being no exceptions. The standards will be much more challenging for every student.

The standards were developed as the next logical step from “No Child Left Behind.” The goal is to make students in the United States more competitive educationally in a global economy where high standards of education are and will be needed.

how do they differ from previous standards?

The Common Core standards are the same for all 45 states that have adopted them. So instead of each state having its own set of standards, each of these 45 states will have the same exact standards in Reading and Math. Previously, for example, a child may have moved to a different state during the school year. The child may have never learned division in third grade in State “A” and might move to State “B” where division is expected to be covered during third grade. The child would be at a major disadvantage as soon as he steps into the new classroom. Common Core standards would eliminate much of this, if schools implement the standards as directed. It is also meant to be more on par with international standards of countries that have traditionally outperformed U.S. students on standardized assessments. Also, it would be much easier for parents and schools to compare children's performance to students around the country and even around the world. Common standards and common assessments should allow parents to have a more realistic picture of where their child stands relative to the country and the globe. who established these new standards? have all states adopted these standards? how will the implementation of these new standards affect children of different ages [elementary, middle school, high school]?

The standards were developed by two main organizations. The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers are the main contributors but have consulted with teachers, principals, leading educators, and other nations leading in the education arena.

Not all states have adopted the Common Core standards. As mentioned previously, 45 out of 50 states are using these standards, North Dakota included. Minnesota has adopted the English/Reading portion of the common core but not the Math. The remaining states have complained that the Common Core was a creation of the federal government, which takes away states’ rights over what has traditionally been seen as a state issue.

Most states have adopted the Common Core because it is a major step towards receiving funding via the “Race to the Top” initiative put forth by the Obama administration. States have to prove that their standards meet the challenge required to be college and career ready. The Common Core is a convenient way to comply with this requirement.

The Common Core will dramatically increase the level of difficulty and expectations at each grade level. The transition will be hard on today’s students as they will be asked to perform more challenging tasks right away. An example of a first grade problem that will be seen on the new assessments: You collect pencils. Suppose you start out with 1. Mike gives you another 11 pencils. Maria gives you another 1 pencil. Tiffany gives you another 7 pencils. How many pencils do you have at the end? Where we as parents would have just been learning how to read in first grade, students will now be expected to solve multi-step word problems. A third grader will now be expected to solve a problem like this on the state assessment: You collect balls. Suppose you start out with 7. John takes half of one more than the number of balls you have. Since his mother makes balls, Peter decides to triple your balls. How many balls do you have at the end? This student will have to be able to understand and apply fractions, addition, and multiplication within the same problem. The problem will also require that the student comprehend at a very high level of proficiency. These are basic examples of how both their math and reading skills will need to be higher functioning than before in order to succeed in today’s classroom. as a parent, how can i help my child be successful? The best thing parents can do is be proactive as much as be looking to advance their child in reading and math so that the child is confident when he starts kindergarten. The pre-school that parents choose should be able to spell out for parents what academic skills students will learn and how that correlates with what they will need to know when they reach kindergarten. The pre-school must also be able to show if the student is mastering those skills through nationalized assessments. Too many pre-schools claim to have an academic foundation but are still under the old mode, which stressed play, with limited academics. Also, this will mean that some students will need additional resources if they are not meeting the standards. Parents should search for these resources to make sure that their child can keep up. Schools will most likely have difficulties initially because of the major transition. This can have negative consequences for students if, parents are not proactive in their approach. how can student success help students and parents transition to these common core standards?

Reading will also have significant shifts. It has been a long tradition for students to read much more fiction than non-fiction in school. The Common Core attempts to address this imbalance by requiring much more nonfiction throughout the curriculum. This would include books such as biographies, autobiographies, newspapers, journals, and informational texts. Students will also be expected to obtain a higher level of vocabulary, especially within the content areas.

One of the other issues for states is that teachers and administrators have not been fully trained on all of the new standards and how to teach them effectively.

This is very apparent by some states that have already assessed with the new Common Core state assessments. Minnesota announced that reading scores dropped significantly from the 2011-2012 school year versus the 2012-2013 reading assessment. In 2012 Minnesota students tested at 76% proficiency in reading. This number dropped to a staggering 58% proficiency in reading for 2013. This means that currently over 40% of the states’ students would not be considered proficient in reading according to the Common Core standards. Did students really regress this much in a year? No, it just reflects how rigorous the new standards will be. The State of New York had more sobering numbers that suggest that only 35% of all students graduating high school had a proficient score on the new Common Core state assessment. Only 31% scored proficient for grades 3-8 in reading. This all points to a much more demanding curriculum that will challenge students in unprecedented ways.

Student Success is built on the foundation that, if given the necessary tools, every student can succeed in today’s classroom. We have programs that specialize in solidifying foundational skills. We are highly effective at filling in any skill gaps that students may have. Our comprehensive skills assessment will point out the exact skills your child is missing, giving us the information we need in order to build the personalized instruction targeting those specific skills. Our main programs include math, reading, early reading, writing, ACT prep, homework help, and a new Pre-K class. Each is personalized to the individual student’s needs. We have developed these programs to align with the Common Core standards. While schools may not be able to modify their curricula to help every student, especially those who have skill deficits, Student Success’s individualized program will help to improve the student’s skill level so he can meet the common core benchmarks. We will also work hand-in-hand with the school and teacher to give your child the supplemental education that fits his needs.