American education standards — about as up to date as your dad’s music collection. It’s time to move forward.
Our current education standards have survived eight presidents and countless evolutions in technology, knowledge and the global economy. Yet we’re still teaching our children the same way we did in the 1950s.
It’s not working. We live in a different world. It’s time to give our children the tools they need to succeed today.
In Arizona, 59% of students in two-year colleges are unprepared and end up spending tuition catching up on skills they should have learned in high school.
All children deserve a shot at success in a rapidly changing world, to be ready for college and the jobs of tomorrow. Common Core is our opportunity to change their futures for the better. Join millions of supporters in promoting this positive step forward for all our children.
I support Common Core and the modernization of our school system.
-- Today, only 26% of high schoolers are ready for college coursework. Many drop out. Common Core’s benchmarks promote higher literacy in both fiction and nonfiction, preparing students to succeed in college.
-- Today, our children cannot compete internationally in math or science (our 15-year-olds place 14th in reading and 17th in science). Common Core goes deeper into fewer topics, promoting real understanding instead of rote memorization.
-- Previous state standards vary wildly from state to state. Common Core standards were designed by education leaders from across the country to aim uniformly high yet adapt to local needs.
--Today’s students and teachers are trapped in a rigid testing culture with little flexibility. Common Core is not a curriculum; it’s a clear set of shared goals that give local educators both guidance and freedom.
I agree with the 45 states that have embraced the 21st century by adopting Common Core and its forward-thinking standards. Students deserve an education that prepares them for today’s economic realities — and Common Core will ensure they can get it.
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