Why do we need standards?

The goal initiative is to develop internationally-benchmarked standards that ensure all students are held to consistent expectations that will prepare them for college and career. These standards ensured that no matter where a child lives, all would have equal access to a high quality education. The standards were informed by the best state standards at that time, feedback from teachers, content experts, the business community, higher education, parents and the public. The final standards were released in June, 2010, giving states the opportunity to update their old standards that were often patchwork set of standards or standards that in some cases were over a decade old.

In the years since their original creation, many states have re-named and updated the standards to fit their specific state needs – adding state-specific learning objectives, and in many cases, raising the bar even further in different content areas. Illinois calls its standards New Illinois Learning Standards or NILS. More than 40 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoan Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands and the Anchorage, AK School District currently use these standards in their original form or an updated version.

Academic standards set a goal for what a child should know and be able to do at the end of each grade level, but higher standards cannot stand alone. Quality implementation of the new standards requires aligning new curriculum and assessments, providing professional development for teachers, providing sufficient resources and support for students, ongoing communication with parents and balanced and comprehensive accountability systems. The goals of the pages on the Curriculum pages aims to help parents understand the standards at each grade level for all the subjects so they can work with children at home to meet grade level expectations for school success.

Students who enter kindergarten with early math and literacy skills are better prepared to learn the standards and most often progress as expected throughout their formative years.

5 Pillars of Successful Implementation of College and Career Ready Standards:

1. Alignment of standards, curriculum and assessments.

2. Adequate professional development for teachers and principals.

3. Sufficient resources and support for each child to meet high standards.

4. Ongoing communication about the importance of standards and accountability.

5. Balanced and comprehensive accountability systems.