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A coalition of 24 states is asking for comments from the public on a new set of standards for evaluating student progress in the K-12 grades, aiming to boost students' preparedness for post-secondary education or entry into the workforce.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) initiative for math and English language arts would seek to harmonize the patchwork of educational curricula across the states, a fragmented landscape that the movement's backers say results in severe inconsistencies in K-12 education from one state to the next.

"The standards clearly communicate what is expected of students at each grade level. This will allow our teachers to be better equipped to know exactly what they need to help students learn and establish individualized benchmarks for them," the group says on the Common Core website. "The standards clearly communicate what is expected of students at each grade level. This will allow our teachers to be better equipped to know exactly what they need to help students learn and establish individualized benchmarks for them."

The consortium behind the initiative, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), is accepting comments on the standards through Aug. 31.

All together now: standardizing student state standards

In seeking to bring cohesion to state standards, the Common Core movement aims to make student expectations clear to parents, teachers and the public. The participating states are hoping to develop textbooks, digital media and other educational materials that will conform to the standards.

Members of the initiative would also replace their current testing systems, which they say "too often are inconsistent, burdensome and confusing," with new assessment measures calibrated to the Common Core framework.

"Standards do not tell teachers how to teach, but they do help teachers figure out the knowledge and skills their students should have so that teachers can build the best lessons and environments for their classrooms," the group said. "Standards also help students and parents by setting clear and realistic goals for success. Standards are a first step--a key building block--in providing our young people with a high-quality education that will prepare them for success in college and work."

The development of the Common Core standards comes as the Obama administration is preparing to roll out a framework through which states can apply for relief from the most stringent achievement requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.

The standards are the product of input from a broad array of teachers, parents, education experts, school administrators and others, and are pegged to international curricular expectations in an effort to ensure that students will be able to compete in a global economy.

Higher education and job training prep on same level

The Common Core initiative begins with the premise that the core knowledge in the foundational subjects of English and math that is necessary for success in college is equivalent to what is now expected from workers in good jobs, and therefore makes no distinction between preparedness for higher education and the workplace.

"The CCSS, because they are anchored in college- and career-ready expectations, will ensure that students graduate from high school ready to enter and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses without the need for remediation. Improved aca­demic preparation in high schools is expected to contribute to increas­ing college completion," Jacqueline King, an assistant vice president at the American Council on Education, wrote in a paper on implementing the standards.

By harmonizing the interstate education standards, the Common Core movement would seek to streamline the testing process and eliminate inconsistencies and inefficiencies in the various states' evaluation systems. They draw on elements of the best state systems, and are designed to have a net effect of raising standards, ensuring that "students are not taught to a lower standard just because of where they live."

"For states that choose to adopt these common standards, having one set of standards will make it easier for states to pool information and resources to develop a shared set of high-quality tests to better evaluate student progress," the Common Core backers said. "The goal is not to have more tests, but to have smarter and better tests that help students, parents and teachers."

PARCC notes that the federal government is not involved with the Common Core movement, but rather that it is a state-led initiative in which each state chooses whether or not to adopt the standards.

To date, 41 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core standards, most of which plan to begin implementing them in the fall.

PARCC is developing the Common Core State Standards with funding from a four-year, $185 million Department of Education grant.

PARCC is accepting feedback on the draft frameworks through a survey posted here.

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