Missouri to join push for Common Standards
The State Board of Education voted yesterday to join the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a national project to establish more consistent academic standards in English and math for K-12 students.
The State Board of Education had been opposed to the adoption of “national standards” or national tests. Missouri was one of three states that had not yet agreed to join the project.
But Gov. Jay Nixon recently announced his commitment to the effort and sent a memorandum of agreement to the National Governors Association signaling his intent to participate.
And, at its board meeting yesterday, trustees agreed.
“We believe it is essential for Missouri to be part of the national dialogue about academic standards and expectations,” David Liechti, president of the board, said in a prepared statement.
Missouri’s new commissioner, Chris Nicastro, said the state has nothing to lose, and the country has much to gain from the push.
“We now have a patchwork of differing state-developed standards, and that has become a barrier to improving academic performance for all students,” Nicastro said. “The Common Core project is a constructive effort, led by the states themselves, to define academic goals and priorities for all schools.”
The program is being conducted by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, in partnership with Achieve, Inc., ACT and The College Board.
Given events and recent history, I’m so happy that my state, Missouri, is looking to join more enlightened society.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/education/story/45D31437A6F0DB9A862575D90007DD46?OpenDocument
“Only Missouri, Texas, South Carolina and Alaska have not yet signed the agreement, championed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.”
Hmmmm…. First and foremost as a future social studies educator I am annoyed by the latest attempt to funnel more money through the Federal Department of Education. Upon repeated readings of the constitution one does not find anything about a constitutional mandate for the Federal Dept. of Education. As for Mr. Duncan you need to be very leary of this man. No degree in education, but he has a degree from Harvard in sociology? Connections to radical Chicago pastor Father Michael Pfleger! What in the world is he doing at the helm of this beast that is the Dept. of Education?
I have no problem with the Common Core State Standards effort. States should work together to promote commonality in the standards. Education is not geographical and is the responisbility of the states.
Speaking of cores the last time I checked we had four cores, not two. We have failed at teaching social studies in this state and this country, our current political discourse is evidence of that. The government that we currently have is a byproduct of our blissful ignorance through the years. More focus on sports and entertainment than things that matter. In a representative republic like ours it is imperative that our citizens have a solid foundation in their history and government. They don’t, many Americans can’t even name their elected representatives. Ignoring social studies is harmful and promotes the mindset that the study is not important, this must stop.
For the record, it doesn’t specifically state it here but every article I have read so far only mentions the Common Core initiative in the context of Reading and Math. Hence the reason I made my comment.