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States that have worked individually to set rigorous academic standards for high school students have inadvertently subscribed to a 鈥渃ommon core鈥� of expectations in English/language arts and mathematics, an analysis by has found.
The apparent agreement among a 鈥渃ritical mass鈥� of states on the kinds of complex knowledge and skills students need to master in those subjects suggests, according to the report, that a state-led effort toward creating common standards is feasible.
鈥淭here is a clearly identifiable common core across the states. It鈥檚 not that they have identical standards, but there鈥檚 a high degree of commonality,鈥� said Michael Cohen, the president of Achieve, a Washington-based group governors and business leaders formed to promote rigorous state standards.
鈥淥ne of the lessons from this work,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s that if you anchor your standards in the real-world expectations of what students need to succeed in college and the workplace鈥攁nd those are not state-specific鈥攖hat ought to lead to larger numbers of states developing a common core of expectations.鈥�
The report, released July 31, looks at the content of standards for grades 9-12 in states that joined Achieve鈥檚 shortly after it was formed in 2005. That network now includes 33 states, representing 80 percent of the nation鈥檚 public school population.
Those states have worked to align their English/language arts and math standards with the demands of college and the workforce. The new analysis found that of the 12 states that have done so in English/language arts, and the 16 with aligned math standards, most incorporate the broad range of high-level college-readiness skills identified by Achieve.
鈥淭he common core reflects the reality of the world鈥攖hat there is fundamental knowledge in English and mathematics that all graduates must know to succeed and that is not bound by state lines鈥攂ut the common core also respects the traditional role of state decisionmaking in education,鈥� the report says. 鈥淩igorous state standards anchored in real-world demands can and should drive the rest of the states鈥� education reform agenda鈥攊ncluding graduation requirements, assessments, accountability, and data systems.鈥�
Consistency across states, moreover, could allow partnerships in developing assessments and other tools for helping students meet the standards, Mr. Cohen said.
A number of states have aligned their English/language arts and math requirements with select standards recommended by the American Diploma Project.
Note: Twelve states were reviewed for English/language arts, and 16 for math.
Source: Achieve
Framework Comparisons
Achieve analyzed the standards for secondary English/language arts and math for Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Tennessee, and the math standards for Arizona, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Texas. All those states have aligned their standards in grades 9-12 with the American Diploma Project recommendations.
The state standards were then compared against frameworks in each subject created by Achieve as part of the ADP project to match what experts identified as essential skills for college and work.
In English/language arts, for example, the ADP benchmarks fall into eight categories: language, communication, writing, research, logic, informational text, media, and literature. In addition to such basic skills as grammar, punctuation, and spelling, they cover traditional tasks such as analysis of literature and other texts. The benchmarks also emphasize the need for students to learn how to develop an argument, interpret information from multiple types of texts, and work on team activities.
In math, five categories are covered: number sense and numerical operations; algebra; geometry; data interpretation, statistics and probability; and mathematical reasoning. The benchmarks include computational skills, the ability to solve real-world math problems, use of math models, and use of appropriate techniques to solve them.
The guidelines also require that students learn 鈥渢he mathematical reasoning inherent in applying geometric properties to solve problems, prove theorems, and perform constructions,鈥� as well as to interpret data and statistics.
Some experts, though, have called for a more coordinated national standards initiative. , for example, recommended this year that a plan for devising such standards be written into the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. (鈥淧rincipals鈥� Group Calls for National Academic Standards and Tests,鈥� June 11, 2008.)
Lack of Faith
The Reston, Va.-based NASSP is urging Congress to establish an independent panel of educators and scholars to set those standards, and assessments aligned to them.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 share the same sense of optimism that across the country we鈥檙e moving toward common standards in English/language arts and math,鈥� said Gerald N. Tirozzi, the NASSP鈥檚 executive director. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 have faith in the states to reach agreement on these standards individually. I think we鈥檒l still end up with this discrepancy among states.鈥�
A number of experts and organizations have called for a renewed discussion on academic standards over the past several years. While they mostly suggest that the standards would be voluntary, the proposals include providing states with grants or other incentives for adopting them.
Recently, some such proposals have included states aligning their standards with those of top-performing countries around the world as a means of ensuring that students in the United States can compete with their peers around the globe. (鈥淎merica Scouts Overseas to Boost Education Skills,鈥� April 23, 2008.)
And at a hearing on Capitol Hill last month, mayors and school leaders from Atlanta, Chicago, the District of Columbia, and New York City urged Congress to establish national content standards.
But some observers say that states are best positioned to lead any standards effort, with the American Diploma Project as a first step.
鈥淭he only way to really drive these [standards] home and into the classroom is through raising and calibrating grading practices to align with performance expectations, and through statewide assessment,鈥� said David S. Spence, the president of the Atlanta-based Southern Regional Education Board. 鈥淵ou might get consensus ... to describe these [national] standards in general content terms, but to get it down into the classroom, only the states have the leverage to do that.鈥�
Gene Wilhoit, the executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, in Washington, agrees, but he said he doesn鈥檛 see the ADP approach as being at odds with the call for national guidelines. He hopes all the groups will work together to strengthen and clarify academic expectations.
鈥淧eople, mostly out of frustration, are calling for a solution to the problem [of low achievement and inadequate preparation for college], but they aren鈥檛 really focusing on how to do it,鈥� said Mr. Wilhoit. Through the ADP benchmarks, he added, 鈥渨e鈥檝e laid out how you get there.鈥�
Achieve is working with states and other groups on finding ways to measure progress toward helping students meet the standards.
But focusing on the classroom is necessary to help students succeed, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a statement.
鈥淪etting high expectations in state educational standards is an essential first step in improving America鈥檚 schools,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o reach high standards, there must be a high-quality curriculum, solid professional development, and fair, objective assessments.鈥�
