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Essay on Common Core State Standards and Its Impact on Curriculum

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Common Core State Standards and Its Impact on Curriculum
Introduction
Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is a voluntary state led initiative that looks to establish clear expectations for learning in grades kindergarten through twelfth that are standard from state to state. The purpose of the standards is to make certain that there is uniformity in student proficiency and high school graduates have the know-how and ability needed for college and a competitive workforce in the twenty-first century. Along with forty-three other states and the District of Columbia, Mississippi adopted CCSS in 2011 in English and mathematics (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2010).
Two primary components make up the Common Core State Standards. The …show more content…

Statement of the Problem Mississippi, as well as our school district, is offering a wide range of activities to aid in implementing CCSS. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring that students master the knowledge and skills in the standards rests with our district, schools, administrators, and teachers (Center on Education Policy, 2011). Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) allows our school district the flexibility to decide how accomplish the goals outlined in CCSS. First and far most, our district had to hastily make changes to the curriculum, instruction, assessments, and professional development to align the curriculum with this new initiative.
Mississippi legislation requires school systems to test students annually in grades 3-8. Students in grades 9-12 must take a test at the end of certain courses. In a system that places the results of a statewide test as the sole indicator of student achievement and proficiency, it is important to understand the relationship between the common core standards and how these standards will impact the current curriculum structure on such short notice.
Literature Review
The American College Testing (ACT), 2010 concluded that a large number of high school students and high school graduates do not possess the knowledge and skills for college level work or career training. With the creation and implementation of common core standards, states and school districts have a clear set of student expectations to target

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