Kati Haycock, president of The Education Trust, on the Common Core Standards initiative
WASHINGTON (September 21, 2009)–The Common Core Standards Initiative has set the right goal: Get to consistent, high standards that prepare all students, regardless of their zip code, for education beyond high school.
“College ready” and “career ready” are synonymous. That means that the kind of rigorous, college-prep curriculum that was traditionally reserved for a select few is now a basic requirement for everyone. In today’s world, it’s critical for every student in America to have a strong, rigorous academic foundation. This is especially true for the low-income students and students of color whom our schools have underserved for generations.
And young Americans have gotten the message. In fact, they are doing more in high school – taking tougher classes, getting higher grades - than their peers of a decade ago, but they still find themselves placed in remedial courses in college to learn what they should have learned in high school. That suggests a lack of alignment between what their high schools have been teaching them and what is expected of them once they get to college or career training programs.
The Common Core Standards effort marks the first time the K-12 community has stepped up and said, unequivocally,”College readiness is the goal for all students.” I applaud the nations governors, state chief school officers, and all of their partners for taking this giant leap forward in the effort to prepare all of Americas students for the opportunities that lie ahead.
