Last week saw the release of a draft of Common Core Standards, which could one day govern how kids across the nation are taught mathematics and reading. The document, developed by the state school superintendents, and urged on by the Obama administration with federal funding carrots, is open to the public for commentary until early-April. Once a final version is rendered, states will decide whether or not to adopt the guidelines for instruction in their schools.
Texas and Alaska have already refused to sign on, as representatives of each state believe nationalization of school curriculums is an attempt to federalize education. Massachusetts may also bow out if the nationally agreed upon goals don't measure up to the state's already lofty ones.
Regardless, from the looks of things, we may want to prepare for a conservative attack on "the liberal media's" mass approval/love-in over the recently released draft.
The Washington Post says, "They are detailed and they aim high. It's important that any changes strengthen, not weaken, the final product."
The San Francisco Chronicle notes: "The standards are written in plain English, and the goals they set seem reasonable: For example, they say that kindergartners should learn to count, first-graders should be able to retell a story, and third-graders should learn fractions."
And The New York Times weighed in, saying:
The United States relies on a generally mediocre patchwork of standards that vary, not just from state to state, but often from district to district. A child's education depends primarily on ZIP code. ... The new standards provide an excellent starting point for the task of remaking public schooling in the United States.
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