Posted on March 11, 2010

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Proposed State Education Standards Released for Public Comment

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers have announced the release of proposed K-12 education standards designed to provide a clear and consistent framework for preparing students for college and the twenty-first century economy.

Released as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the proposed standards were developed by governors and state education officers in fifty-one territories, states, and the District of Columbia with an eye to defining the knowledge and skills students should acquire within their K-12 education careers so they graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and workforce training programs. The standards are designed to align with college and work expectations; be clear, understandable, and consistent; include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills; build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards; be informed by standards in other top-performing countries so that all students are prepared to succeed in the global economy; and be evidence- and research-based.

According to the Washington Post, the initiative was funded by the NGA Center and CCSSO with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and other funders. Drafters included experts affiliated with Achieve, ACT Inc., and the College Board, while reviewers included university professors and other educators. Containing a 71-page section on mathematics and a 62-page section on English language arts and literacy in history/social studies and science, the proposed standards will be circulated for public comment before being finalized later this spring.

"We are pleased to release the K-12 standards today and to begin reviewing comments from the public," said Dane Linn, director of the NGA Center's education division. "These standards build upon the goals articulated in the college- and career-readiness standards released last year and will ensure our students are prepared to compete and succeed in a global economy. We look forward to working with educators, leaders, and state board members in the states as they consider adopting these standards that will guide their educational programs."