Update on Missouri and Common Core
When Missouri's State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in 2010, more than 40 other states had also gotten on board with the new educational model. In the years since, both supporters and opponents have made their voices heard. Here in Missouri, opposing sides in legislation have finally reached a compromise.
Last month, Missouri representatives voted to stay on-course with implementing Common Core---for now. Officials have also set up plans for work teams to be formed who will develop new math and English language arts standards by October 2015--standards which will be unique to Missouri. These groups will be chosen by legislative leaders and educational offices as well as the state board and will make regular public reports throughout development. The state school board will approve these new standards to go into effect in 2016-2017.
So what does this mean for Missouri students?
Common Core implementation will continue for the next two years, including plans to begin using the Smarter Balanced Assessments in the spring of 2015 instead of MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) testing. The first year will be considered a pilot year and the test results will be published but not count against a district’s accreditation review, nor can they be used to evaluate teacher performance.
In the meantime, several books have been published in the last year dealing with the topic of Common Core Standards. For these further reads, check out what we have on the shelves of the Library:
Common Core Standards for Parents for Dummies by Jared Myracle
Conform: Exposing the Truth about Common Core and Public Education by Glen Beck
The Story-Killers: A Common-Sense Case Against the Common Core by Terrence O. Moore
Engaged Instruction: Thriving Classrooms in the Age of the Common Core by Tom Hierck
Find this article at http://thelibrary.org/blogs/article.cfm?aid=3353&lid=0