Common Core Standards
The Common Core Standards Initiative
Sharen Michalec
MTE/501
January 8, 2012
James Paga
The Common Core Standards Initiative Educational reform was conceived in the1980’s when Peters and Waterman published a report and noted that focused on the social and economic state of the United States. It was also decided that more studies should be conducted on the excellence in education. It was noted that there is a poor quality of education in the public sector. This brought about a need for reform particularly in the secondary level. This reform was small scale at first and only on a local level. It wasn’t until the 1990’s when the reform was taken to the national level, when it was decided that the reform should focus on what the students should learn. The Goals 2000 is an Educate America Act, which was passed by the Clinton Administration in 1994. This required states to use national standards to develop state standards to state assessments (Watt, 2011). The subjects that are within the guidelines are reading and mathematics. Students are tested yearly from grades 3, 5, 6, 9 – 12. In the article it states that there are 4 stages in the Common Core State Standard Initiative. “ In the first stage, planning decisions provide a rationale for determining objectives to address major changes. The need for planning decisions in standards-based education arose from a lack of agreement between what it is intended to be and what it actually is. In the second stage, structuring decisions determine how resources are to be used to meet the objectives. The basis for structuring decisions is an action plan specifying outcomes to be achieved, work to be performed, and resources and time to be used to develop the Common Core State Standards. In the third stage, implementing decisions utilize, control and refine procedures for carrying out the action plan. Implementing decisions involve making choices regarding the procedures for
Sharen Michalec
MTE/501
January 8, 2012
James Paga
The Common Core Standards Initiative Educational reform was conceived in the1980’s when Peters and Waterman published a report and noted that focused on the social and economic state of the United States. It was also decided that more studies should be conducted on the excellence in education. It was noted that there is a poor quality of education in the public sector. This brought about a need for reform particularly in the secondary level. This reform was small scale at first and only on a local level. It wasn’t until the 1990’s when the reform was taken to the national level, when it was decided that the reform should focus on what the students should learn. The Goals 2000 is an Educate America Act, which was passed by the Clinton Administration in 1994. This required states to use national standards to develop state standards to state assessments (Watt, 2011). The subjects that are within the guidelines are reading and mathematics. Students are tested yearly from grades 3, 5, 6, 9 – 12. In the article it states that there are 4 stages in the Common Core State Standard Initiative. “ In the first stage, planning decisions provide a rationale for determining objectives to address major changes. The need for planning decisions in standards-based education arose from a lack of agreement between what it is intended to be and what it actually is. In the second stage, structuring decisions determine how resources are to be used to meet the objectives. The basis for structuring decisions is an action plan specifying outcomes to be achieved, work to be performed, and resources and time to be used to develop the Common Core State Standards. In the third stage, implementing decisions utilize, control and refine procedures for carrying out the action plan. Implementing decisions involve making choices regarding the procedures for
Bibliography: Watt, M. (2011). The Common Core Standards Initiative: An Overview. pp. 5-11.