New Proposed Common Core Standards in Math and ELA Released

From Dr. Gary Reese, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) recently posted the K-12 Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics on their website at www.doe.mass.edu/candi/commoncore/. These standards represent the work of a variety of groups at the national level in an effort to develop consistency and rigor in academic standards across the states and to ensure students are exiting high school prepared to enter either college or the work force.  DESE is encouraging input from our school community, including faculty, parents, and students. Please take some time over the next few weeks to review these standards and comment on them in the brief survey that is available on the website listed above.  This survey will be available until July 2, 2010 and examines your opinion of the level of rigor of the common core standards in comparison to our current state frameworks.  The purpose of this survey is to collect responses to inform the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which will vote on whether to adopt the Common Core Standards at a Board meeting in July.