An overview of part one of this article conveys that Common Core is a national initiative to prepare students for college and or the workforce. Furthermore, Common Core is not to be confused with a curriculum, it is what a curriculum should include, not just in one school district or state but in all states and public schools across the nation. Forty seven states have adopted both components of the Common Core Standards. Only three states have adopted only the reading or the math components.
Do All Schools Comply With Common Core Standards?
How do we know if school districts successfully include the Common Core Standards in their curriculum? We know this by standardized testing. Therefore, all children in the public school system will take standardized tests at specific grade levels throughout their school years. Will these tests affect your child’s report card grades?
Standardized Testing
The answer is no and here is why. Standardized testing is designed to assess the ability of your child’s school to teach and help students learn and master the state’s reading and math standards. You could say that the standardized test score results are essentially your district’s “report card grade”. However, depending on the state, this grade could have a profound impact on the school’s funding .
Benefits of Common Core
How does the Common Core affect you as a parent? When choosing the right school district or school for your child it is critical to look at each school’s standardized test scores. Accordingly, it is important to know what percentage of the students in that school district are proficient? Proficiency means that students have learned and mastered the required state standards in math and reading. It could mean that a good percentage of the students are ready for college or that the students may struggle to succeed after high school. Consequently, the answer to that question should determine whether that school district.or school is the right one for your child.
How does the Common Core affect your child’s education? A high performing school or school district will use the results of these standardized tests as valuable data. Next, they will use this data to identify your child’s weaknesses and strengths in the required state standards. This information plots a learning map for your child. Hence, the school will use this map to execute an intervention and correct any identified weaknesses , early in your child’s education. The Common Core Standards consequently become a powerful tool for building a strong foundation for your child’s education.
In conclusion, Common Core Standards (CSS) can help you as a parent and provide a strong educational foundation for your child’s future success .
EDUCATION STAFF WRITER