The Common Core: A Set Of Standards For Student Education

The Common Core provides a consistent understanding of requirements and is a set of standards for expected student learning. With a baseline, teachers know what to teach and how to help students achieve the best education possible. These concepts are to prepare students for college and their future. Throughout most of formal education’s history, the purpose of education has been to prepare its citizens. The question once asked was, what should a student know to become an educated citizen? Historically, education prepared one for college or career, certainly, but more broadly, for life. Education in America began as a preparation for the good life. Chingos reported, “The Common Core State Standards represent the most significant change to the

Although the federal government did not draft the standards, there are those who oppose the idea of a single curriculum because of the belief the government will be in charge. Dianne Ravitch, in a speech to the Modern Language Association (MLA) stated, “The advocates of the standards saw them as a way to raise test scores by making sure that students everywhere in every grade were taught using the same standards” (qtd in Strauss). Is this the best practice for education? “The Common Core standards are an essential step toward equal opportunities for all children in a new global environment” (Tirozzi). The standards show a straight path from kindergarten to high school graduation. However, not everyone is happy with Common Core. Brooks and Deitz have said, “The Common Core State Standards Initiative is not the solution for what ails education; standardization can never be the solution” (67). “Leaders can’t ignore the need to promote communication among stakeholders about the value of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, how best to implement it, and what the standards mean for us all” (Phillips &