Common Core

I haven't given much though to the Common Core, because realistically it isn't likely to affect my children (unless major changes are made to standardized tests, and even then not really - I'm only required to have my children tested every three years beginning in third grade, and the results remain private unless we are audited for some reason).  But I've heard so many different things, both good and bad, that I started doing a little homework. 

At first, I thought Common Core was an excellent idea - without doing much research, I drank the Kool-aid and bought into the concept of national standards of excellence that would improve American students' understanding of math and language arts.  However, seeing more and more negative press, I began to wonder how sound these standards really are.  In particular, this article in the National Review scared the daylights out of me - or it would have, if I had a child in public (or private!) school. 

The final page of that article summarizes the concerns about Common Core as follows (emphasis is mine):

• They are not internationally benchmarked. In fact, for math in particular, they are exactly contrary to the kind of national standards used in high-performing countries.
• The two major experts on content who were on the Validation Committee reviewing the standards backed out and repudiated them when they saw what the standards actually are.
• State legislatures and parents were cut out of the loop in evaluating the standards themselves or the cost of implementing them.
• The Common Core standards are owned by private trade organizations, which parents cannot influence.

If that doesn't scare you, then you're far readier than I am to cede control of your children's education to anyone who touts him- or herself as an "expert".  I'm incredibly thankful to be homeschooling my children and able to pursue the kind of Classical curriculum that I know will give them an enviable education in the long run!

I've found the link for the white paper referenced in the article, and I plan to read it this evening (assuming I survive our first swim team practice, the last PSR class of the school year, and the kids' Taekwondo belt test with enough brain cells intact) so I can become even more knowledgeable.  It's frightening how smoothly Common Core was sold to the American public, and I hope it's not too late for them to see they've gotten a raw deal!