Education standards for K-12 students have historically been decided by each state, creating a disparate system of requirements for children across the country. This 50-state model could change if reformists manage to create a uniform set of math and reading expectations that the entire country would follow. An effort to create national education standards is being led by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, which have convinced the governors of 46 states and the District of Columbia to work together to craft a common plan for what children should learn each year from kindergarten through high school. The hope is that a national standard will lead to students being better prepared to take on the rigors of college and to compete for jobs in the global economy.
The drive to change learning requirements has the endorsement of Education Secretary
Arne Duncan, who argues that the current model has resulted in some states lowering the bar just so that students pass state exams. But even when students demonstrate their proficiency in reading or math at the state level, they often fail to meet higher standards crafted in Washington, DC. For instance, in Mississippi, 90% of fourth-graders passed the state reading exam in 2007, according to
U.S. Department of Education, but only 51% achieved “basic” or “partial mastery” levels on the national test known as
The Nation’s Report Card.
Only four states so far have refused to help plan a country-wide set of education rules: Texas, Missouri, South Carolina and Alaska. Even with the support of the governors of all other states, many Republicans are expected to oppose creating nationally mandated standards, arguing Washington should not be in charge of how local schools are run.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Comments