Anyone would be hard-pressed to find a politician in recent years who has been elected to a national office without promising to improve education and focus their efforts on the betterment of their constituents’ children. Many of these politicians have succeeded at passing legislation to do so, but the latest of these, the Common Core standards initiative, is facing a very important query right now: does it work in America? Although Common Core is very well intentioned and in selective ways could be considered a success, there are many failures to consider as well. When dealing with such education, a vital issue, these failures must be dealt with. In order to ensure not only an equal education but also one of higher quality which the citizenry …show more content…
Many will state that the achievement gap between different races has actually narrowed as of recent. Indeed it has, very slightly so, statistically speaking. Carol Burris (2016), who co-authored an article on the NAEP 2015 results for the Washington post, addresses this when she states “The gaps have remained, however, and this year, the ever so slight narrowing of gaps between white and black students is due to drops in the scores of white students- hardly a civil rights victory” (p. 2). The fact that white students are doing worse on tests just goes further to illustrate that how Common Core is failing to improve the education of students, and does indeed provide insight into why the public is revoking their support for Common Core at alarming rates. Many more will state that education needs to be standardized nationally for progress to be measured. Common Core is not the only way to do so. Standardized tests have put state curriculums on trial for decades, leading to a similar curriculum in many ways between states. For a more uniform education, more rigorous testing could replace a one-size-fits-all curriculum, which would allow states to adapt things for themselves. Even if this option is not able to be taken, more options exist, and since Common Core is failing, at least one alternative should be given a
The modern day has brought upon many improved aspects, whether technological, medical, or even personal details, but also many defective facets, such as the topic of issue, Common Core Standards. The system that seems to not work in some places, but continues to stay. The Common Core Curriculum is a set of standards that a student has to be “proficient” in by the end of the school year, and the standards vary by state. It also tests students by having them do benchmarks, so they can show the teachers that they are where they need to be. Many claim that these standards will improve the education, career, and life of the students that are in the program, but is it truly the case? With three main flaws in the system, such as how cursive writing
The educational system in the United States was originally developed using concepts from around the world, created using ingenuitive ideas from countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. However, as the United States quickly moved into position as the leading country for state-directed educational standards, America looked less and less to the systems of other nations and more into how we could improve what was locally and currently being applied in education. Consequently, an improved type of education instruction was officially launched in 2010. These new state standards, practically titled Common Core, were declared to focus on developing a child’s skills in reasoning, problem solving, communication, and competition (Conrad, et al. 52). While the standards are professed to be an extremely practical and beneficial method of teaching today, there are issues which have recently surfaced and raised some concerns. The Common Core State Standards are emerging as the subjects of a provocative controversy in society today as they prompt discussion on global economic efficiency, nationwide academic standards, and the ultimate well-being of school-age children.
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was first implemented in 2010, nine years after I graduated from high school. Although I wasn’t personally affected by the new academic standards, it has a direct impact on the current and future generation of leaders, innovators, and world changers including my future children. The initial purpose of the Common Core Standards is to set high-quality learning goals designed to prepare students to be college and career ready. Given the current controversies surrounding CCSS, studies have shown that although the intent was to benefit students in the long-run it may actually be hindering their mathematical and reading skills. To further explore the arguments behind the Common Core initiative, I will
Esteemed teacher at Elk Grove High School was arrested Thursday morning. Two Elk Grove police officers barged in on her first class of the day not only to find that she had controlled substances on her, but she also tried planting them on a student in said class.
Caroline Kerr English 100 Mira Costa Community College April 2, 2015 Argumentative Essay In 2014, graduating college students debt on average increased by 25% — in 2008 going from $23,450 to $29,400; in 2004 only 900,000 students graduated in debt, in 2008 1.1 million students graduated from debt and in 2012 1.3 million students had gradated from a four year in college loans and debt (71% of all students). An even scarier statistic is that just from public schools in the United States over 65% of gradients had student loans as of 2012. The worst thing about this is that students who received Pell Grants (families that on average earn less that $40,00 per household) were more likely to have student loans, in fact 88% of Pell Grant students
Prior to writing this response paper, I had no pre-existing knowledge revolving around Common Core other than the negative ideas and opinions I’ve only vaguely heard, often including photos of honestly outrageous equations. What exactly is Common Core, according to them, and what is the goal? By definition, the Common Core State Standards Initiative details a list of subjects for students kindergarten through twelfth grade to have learned the by the end of each specific grade. The ultimate goal is to be certain that students across all of the states receive the same education and reach the same requirements in order to be prepared for college work; or, rather, the standardized tests that will determine whether or not they are even granted access into college in the first place.
“Nineteen countries and education systems scored higher than the United States in reading on the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, up from nine systems when the test was last administered in 2009. “While we’re standing still, other countries are making progress,” said Jack Buckley, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which issued the U.S. report on PISA.” (Heitin). From the outside the initiative, “Common Core” that President Obama and the government have been pushing since 2009 seems like it would be a great thing for education ,our children, and the future of our society, but once you look closer it is not. I believe that we definitely need serious improvement in the US
Common Core State Standards is being heard throughout the education world. Many cringe when the words are spoken and many fight to support what the words stand for. Common Core was introduced in 2009 by state leaders. Common Core State Standards were developed to prepare children for the business world or the reality after grade school. “The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy, also known as ELA” (About the Standards, n.d.). The goals for the standards outline what students should know before leaving his or her current grade level. “The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless of where they live” (About the Standards, n.d.). This is an ambitious goal, but with much support can be accomplished. According to Common Core State Standards Initiative (n.d.) The Common Core has been adopted by forty-two states already and is accompanied by District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity. Common Core was developed to improve the academics in society’s schools. Academics in the past years have not been successful and the United States has fallen behind international education. “One root cause has been an uneven patchwork of academic standards that vary from state to state and do not agree on what students should know and be able to do at each
Politics and education have been intertwined since the establishment of public education in the United States. In other words, it is a well-known fact that public education is an extension of our political system. This has never been more apparent to the public than over the last three decades, beginning in 1983 with “A Nation at Risk” which is considered a significant event in modern American educational history. For the last few years, it has been the controversial topic of the Common Core State Standards Initiative in the headlines. One can hardly turn on the news or read a newspaper or web site without hearing something about Common Core State Standards (CCCS). People either seem to be adamantly for or against the standards. Educational reform and educational standards are not new and date back much further than many people realize. Furthermore, if the public understood what the standards actually encompass, there may be more support for Common Core State Standards. However, the public is being inundated with a multitude of reasons why states should not adopt Common Core by making it a political issue in order to gain votes. Regardless of what standards are adopted, common standards in education should be implemented in the United States to prepare students for college and career in order to compete and succeed in a global economy.
Conversely, the Supreme Court struck down a school board policy requiring any school employee who became a candidate for public office to take a leave of absence. Laws or policies prohibiting all public employees from running for any political office have been struck down as overly broad. Several courts have held that public educators, unlike public employees who are directly involved in the operation of governmental agencies, have the right to run for and hold public office. The Utah Supreme Court, for example, ruled that public school teachers and administrators were not disqualified from serving in the state legislature.
Great question Amanda about the what results would we see nationwide if all states chose to incorporate the Common Core Standards? To look at the big picture of the Common Core State Standards Initiavtive, the purpose is to create a standard set for all students in the United States. When talking about the Common Core State Standards and how they affect students and educators we must remember where this argument started from. In the 21st century of learning Barth (2004) reminds us that "we are not just preparting workers, we are preparing citizens. It is our interest ,then, as much our responisbility to make sure that all our young people are prepared for the furture."
In his article, Common Core is Rotten to the Core, Brian Farmer offers facts that support his opposing opinion on the recently implemented education standards called Common Core. Back in 2001, George Bush issued his education policy “No Child Left Behind” because the nation was thought to be at risk of a weak education system. It set high standards, thus failing to deliver lasting success. In 2007, the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers started to work on a common set of standards in the math and English curriculums. The next year, in 2008, those same organizations, with the funding provided by the Gates Foundation, started a federal education grant program known as “Race to the Top”. In order for states to get the educational grant money, they had to commit to a set of standards that outlined what students have to know and must be able to do. Common Core also recently set out to realign state standard
The Common Core education program, and more specifically the testing added on, is broken, and needs reform to assist in educating the country’s youth. From all of the standardized testing, students are experiencing tons of stress, they’re generally quite difficult, and the companies that create the tests aren’t up to par, and can be somewhat questionable. Students aren’t truly learning anything, other than how to regurgitate information and teaching the test.
Times. http://www.nytimes.com.2008/02/19/world /americas/19iht-princeton.1.10175351.html Fitzsimmons, W. 2014. Time out or Burn out for the Next Generation. Retrieved from
Education today is one of the utmost important possessions people cling on to, and lately has been a major topic in debate. Parents want to ensure that their children are brought up in a school system that provides not only the tools to become successful in the education aspect of their lives, but a well-structured system that provides the course work to do so as well, in which giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. The common core procedures, that schools are expected to abide to, were thought to be the answer to this call for equality in education. However, some political entities believe that it is not the place for the government to invest its power in, that it should be left to state or even local level governments (Rich, 2015). Some states have even chosen to go back to their own standards because of the great division on the issue (Rich, 2015).