Common Core State Standards Initiative: Too Close to a National Curriculum
In 2010, the National Governors Association published their “Common Core State Standards” (CCSS). These were meant as voluntary math and English guidelines which individual states could adopt.
Numerous organizations grew concerned about this push to standardize what public school students are taught. They explained that states were being enticed by the federal government—through the Race to the Top program—to align their state curriculum with the CCSS, resulting in de facto national standards. They were concerned that this would lead to a national curriculum and national test, and that the pressure would grow for home school and private school students to be taught using this national curriculum.
During President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union speech, the president stated, “We’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards.” How were the states convinced to adopt the CCSS? (more…)