Proud parents and grandparents are sharing photos of their kids’ first day of school. And as students head back, many states are pushing back—telling the Obama Administration that its federal education plan isn’t right for their students.
Anyone who has taught in a classroom knows how different children are from school to school—even from class to class. Teachers understand that the content, methods, and evaluations they use will differ depending on the makeup of the class. A teacher might teach her 9:40 a.m. Algebra II class differently than her 1:40 p.m. Algebra II class. And she’ll make that decision based on the pace of her students and their comprehension levels.
Kids have different needs and dreams. Are they working toward Advanced Placement Calculus with the hopes of attending a selective college, or are they planning to use the math skills they acquire in high school in a technical field in the workforce shortly after graduation?
The Common Core State Standards Initiative—an effort underway to set national standards and tests for what every child in public school will learn—turns a blind eye to the unique nature of teaching and learning, and to the fact that education is a quintessentially local issue.
The Obama Administration has tried to entice states into Common Core by tying states’ acceptance of the standards to education funding and waivers.
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