Common Core is a set of academic standards in math and ELA. It states what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each respective grade. These standards are as followed:
1. Research and evidence based
2. Clear, understandable and consistent
3. Alligned with college expectations
4. Based on rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills.
5. Built upon the strengths and current lessons of current state standards
6. Informed by other top-performing countries to prepare all students for success in our global economy and society
The Common Core State Standards first began during the Obama administration in 2008 where Congress had given the Department of Education $5 billion for reform. President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan introduced Race to the Top, to help motivate states to reform education. To be a part of the federal funding, the states had to agree to certain conditions enlisted by the department.
The English standards did not deviate as much from the subject however as much as math. English with the Common Core standards made sense, but for math, it has complicated it more for both the students and teachers. For example, from a 9th grade student that answered our survey, they said that "There's too much explaining to do, like 2+2 seems pretty self explanatory to me."
In the beginning of Common Core standards, 46 states had initially agreed to it (Texas, Alaska, Virginia and Nebraska did not). As of now in our current day and age, an additonal 5 more states have opted out (Georgia, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Utah and South Carolina). That means that about 20% of the country's states are not continuing to use it. Our outside territories have not adopted this standard as well. Why should we continue using these standards if there is a large number of people not receiving education under these standards? If its been received negatively by parents, students, and teachers, why continue to use it?
One thing we can do is lower the amount of standards within each grade level. There are too many standards for each grade level, which can provide frustration for the student because they want to be able to achieve all of these standards, but there is too many. It can also provide frustration for the teacher because they have to make sure all of their students understand all of the standards, especially in a high school setting.
Many of the standards in elementary grade students are too advanced for them to achieve, so they should be regrouped in a way where it will take multiple grade levels to master certain skills. This will allow them to retain them for later on because they have had more time to master it than in a year. Advancing into the next "level" of standards should be saved for high school, while mastery of certain standards should stay within the elementary schools.
Make the standards more broad for the students so that it can be achieved more easily for them. This is especially true for the ELA standards. Like for example, instead of just discussions or presentations, broaden the speaking and listening standard so that things like recitals, plays or even renactments can meet it. The possibilities could be endless on what you have your students collaborate if you broaden the standards.
The link below is to our doc with all the websites we got our information from.