Common Core Standards Released; Race to the Top Applications Submitted

Common Core Standards Released

The much anticipated Common Core K-12 standards for reading and math, national in scope and aspiration if not in name, were released in Atlanta, Ga. on Wednesday.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is a state-led effort spearheaded by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA) to develop a common core of state standards that prepare children for college, the workforce, and success in the global economy. The initiative's goal, which they have been working on for more than a year, is to create K-12 English language arts and mathematics standards that are  internationally benchmarked; research-based; and aligned with college- and career-readiness expectations. The first step was a set of college and career-readiness standards that were developed last fall and which became the foundation for the K-12 standards just released. ASCD recently became an endorsing partner of the initiative.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been a vocal proponent for the common core standards because of the poor quality of existing state standards. Indeed, Duncan initially required states to adopt the common core standards as a requirement to apply for a Race to the Top grant. After criticism from many education groups, including ASCD, who questioned whether the initiative could be state-led if it was a mandatory requirement of a federal education grant competition, the final Race to the Top scoring rubric gives states extra points for adopting the common core standards.

Still, the Obama administration's blueprint to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) makes state adoption of college- and career-readiness standards a condition for receiving Title I funding.

Recently, the draft of the K-12 standards created some controversy among early educators who questioned whether the standards were too narrowly focused on the academic subjects of reading and math and did not take into account important learning factors such as curiosity, persistence, and problem-solving or the social and emotional development of young children. The CCSSI is said to be planning to start developing early education standards later this year. Standards development for science and social science are also expected to be in the planning stages.

Hawaii, Kentucky, and Maryland had already agreed to adopt the standards before they were officially released this week. And just today Wisconsin formally adopted the Common Core by order of the State Superintendent Tony Evers (Wisconsin does not have a state board of education). All of the states except Texas and Alaska signed on to participate in developing the standards last year, but some states may not be as willing as the aforementioned early adopters to approve  their final product. In Virginia, for example, Governor Bob McDonnell said that their current standards are "superior" to the common core standards and does not plan to replace them.

Read more about the common core standards..

Read Dr. Carter's statement about working with the common core.

Check out ASCD's position on education standards development and implementation

Race to the Top Applications Submitted 

Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia submitted applications for the remaining $3.4 billion Race to the Top fund in the second and final round of the grant competition. Secretary Duncan applauded all of the states that applied, saying, "This took a lot of hard work and political courage. It required administrators, elected officials, union leaders, teachers, and advocates to work together and embrace a common reform agenda. Every state that applied now has a blueprint for raising educational quality across America."

The Department of Education is expected to award between 10 and 15 states grant money in Round 2. By law, winning states must distribute half of their grant award to participating local districts. The one-time grants are also to be spent over four years. There were 16 semi-finalists named in round 1, though only Delaware and Tennessee actually won grants. Nine states that applied the first time-Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming-did not submit an application for this round.

Four states-Alaska, North Dakota, Texas, and Vermont-did not submit an application for either round of the grant competition. Alaska, North Dakota, and Vermont were eligible for $20-75 million (again, to be spent over four years.). Texas was eligible for up to $700 million in Round 2, but Governor Rick Perry said he didn't want Texas to desert his state's education standards in favor of adopting national standards and the costs that go with them. Gov. Perry said that adopting national standards would cost Texas $3 billion and that he believes Texas is doing fine in setting their own college- and career-readiness expectations.

Under the Race to the Top scoring rubric, a commitment to implement the Common Core Standards by August 2, 2010 and a subsequent plan for aligned formative, interim, and summative assessments are worth 70 points (out of 500 total).

The U.S. Department of Education is expected to announce Round 2 grant winners by mid to late September.

Find out what ranges of grant money are available to winning states.

View the scores and comments by reviewers of Phase 1.

Read more about the Race to the Top competition.

 Thank You for Your Calls

Thank you to those Educator Advocates who called their elected officials' offices last week in support of emergency funding legislation intended to help save education jobs during the National Call-In Day. The education community came together and made over 20,000 calls through the 800 number. The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider the $23 billion jobs saving bill next week when they return to Washington from their congressional recess. In the meantime, there is still time to call your representative and ask for their support of this crucial legislation When you call the office of your elected official you may identify yourself as an ASCD Educator Advocate and explain that education jobs are at serious risk in your community, threatening your schools' progress, student achievement gains, and ongoing education reforms.

The flood of calls to Congress may have also influenced the White House, which is now making passage of the school jobs bill a legislative priority. "There are thousands of teachers who will receive pink slips in the coming months," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs last week. "The president strongly supports targeted aid focused on preventing these teacher layoffs in order to stem the education crisis."

Contact your representative.

Read White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Christina Romer's op-ed in this week's Washington Post.

 Meetings Over Recess?

We would love to hear how any of your meetings and connections with your elected officials went while they were home this past week. Please e-mail ASCD Outreach Manager Rhonda Everdyke if you had any visits with staffers or elected officials over the Memorial Day congressional recess week and any details from your visit you would like to share.

 Advocacy Tip of the Week

It is important to sign up for your elected officials' electronic mailing lists or newsletters - typically found on their official congressional homepages - so that you can stay up-to-the-minute with what your senators and representative are saying; what events they may be attending; and what important bills they have introduced, cosponsored, or are following. Becoming informed arms you with knowledge that will help in pursuing your particular education interests and issues.

Friendly Educator Advocate Reminders

Come Follow Us!

ASCD's Public Policy team provides daily tweets and weekly blog posts to keep you up-to-date about what's happening on the Hill, at the Department, and in our policy work. Feel free to follow us on Twitter and retweet to your colleagues and friends!

Follow the ASCD Policy team on Twitter.

Read the latest Policy blog post.

Join ASCD EDge^TM: A Professional Networking Community for Educators

Don't forget to join the brand new ASCD EDge social network and connect with the entire ASCD community, including all Educator Advocates! Get started by creating a profile page and you'll be able to network, invite your colleagues, and share photos and videos with other ASCD EDge members. When you become a member, be sure to join the Educator Advocates group!

Support the Future of Education: Recognize a Young Educator Today

ASCD is awarding $10,000 to young professional teachers and administrators who

• Educate the whole child, helping to ensure each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
• Demonstrate educational leadership in their classroom, school, district, and community.
• Show a positive impact on student achievement.
• Illustrate significant contributions to the education community.

As you think back over the school year, does an individual who demonstrates these qualities come to mind? If so, nominate an educator today! Nominations for the 2011 award close August 1, 2010.

All nominations must align with the criteria for consideration and eligibility requirements.

Those who nominate a winner will receive a complimentary one-year membership to ASCD. The Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) winners will be honored at the 2011 ASCD Annual Conference in San Francisco, Calif., March 26-28, 2011. OYEA Winners and OYEA Honorees receive monetary awards and participate in a yearlong professional development and networking program.

Thank you for your support of sound education policies.

—Rhonda Everdyke, ASCD Public Policy Manager, Outreach 

 Do you know others who support sound education policy? Please forward this message to your colleagues.

If this message was forwarded to you and you would like to receive future updates and alerts, please join ASCD Educator Advocates.

For more information, contact ASCD's public policy team at edadvocates@ascd.org.