The Common Core Emphasizes Close Reading. Its Critics Should Try That Sometime.

Jun 11, 2016 12:00:00 AM

by

Note the nuance in a press release from the ACT regarding an analysis of the Common Core State Standards based on a survey of 9200 K-12 and college educators (emphasis mine):
New research from ACT points to certain discrepancies between portions of the Common Core State Standards and skills some educators believe are most important for college readiness.
This is hardly a condemnation of the standards, which ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda makes clear in his opening quote:
ACT’s findings should not be interpreted as a rebuke of the Common Core. However, the data highlight the disconnect between what is emphasized in the Common Core and what some college instructors perceive as important to college readiness.
Nevertheless, the Washington Post’s resident Common Core critic Valerie Strauss pounced. Under the headline, “Common Core Isn’t Preparing Students Very Well for College or Career,” she wrote:
A new report that surveys curriculum nationally and reaches thousands of K-12 and college instructors as well as workplace supervisors and employees has some bad news about the Common Core State Standards: Many people in education and the workplace don’t think some of the English Language Arts and math standards—which are being used in most states—are what students and workers need to be successful in college and career.
Sure enough, in my inbox arrives an email from Jamie Gass of the right-wing Pioneer Institute sharing the Strauss column as further proof that the standards have to go. His organization is leading an effort to repeal the standards in Massachusetts. I don’t question the findings of ACT’s survey. With nearly 1,000 separate standards spread across 13 grades and two subjects, it’s likely we can find, “certain discrepancies” between some of the standards and what some educators think is needed to be college-ready. The responsible policy response is to set up an appropriate and thoughtful process to revise or upgrade the standards based on input from classroom teachers. In fact, this is exactly what has happened or is underway in states like New Jersey, New York and Tennessee. For the most part, the standards remain largely intact in about 43 states. So thank you to the ACT for surveying educators on the critically important question of whether our states’ educational expectations are in line with our childrens’ educational needs. The findings are duly noted and will hopefully lead to improvements in the standards. As for the critics, I have some bad news: As educators from Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Colorado and elsewhere will tell you, the case for Common Core remains strong. And, politically-driven efforts to repeal the standards not only create chaos in our accountability systems and unnecessary costs, but they also create uncertainty for students and teachers.

Peter Cunningham

Peter Cunningham is the founder of Education Post and serves on its board. He served as Assistant Secretary for communications and outreach in the U.S. Department of Education during the Obama administration’s first term. Prior to that he worked with Arne Duncan when he was CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. Peter is affiliated with Whiteboard Advisors, a DC-based education policy, research and communications firm. He serves on several non-profit boards, including Oakland-based Great Schools, which provides school quality information to parents through a national online platform, The Montessori School of Englewood, a Chicago public charter school, Manufacturing Renaissance, a career education program that trains public high school students for jobs in manufacturing, Unbounded, an organization supporting teachers in schools that are transitioning to higher standards, and Foolproofme.com, which is focused on financial literacy for students. Peter founded Cunningham Communications, serving public, private and nonprofit clients, worked for political consultant David Axelrod, and was a senior advisor and speechwriter for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. A native New Yorker, Peter began his career as a journalist with small weekly newspapers in New York. He earned an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University and a B.A. in philosophy from Duke University. He is married to artist Jackie Kazarian, and they have two adult children who are proud graduates of the Chicago Public Schools. Peter joined the Education Post board in 2018 after stepping down as the organization's Executive Director.  Meet our board →

The Feed

Explainers

  • What's an IEP and How to Ensure Your Child's Needs Are Met?

    Ed Post Staff

    If you have a child with disabilities, you’re not alone: According to the latest data, over 7 million American schoolchildren — 14% of all students ages 3-21 — are classified as eligible for special...

  • Seeking Justice for Black and Brown Children? Focus on the Social Determinants of Health

    Laura Waters

    The fight for educational equity has never been just about schools. The real North Star for this work is providing opportunities for each child to thrive into adulthood. This means that our advocacy...

  • Why Math Identity Matters

    Lane Wright

    The story you tell yourself about your own math ability tends to become true. This isn’t some Oprah aphorism about attracting what you want from the universe. Well, I guess it kind of is, but...