

Second, under the old system, it was hard to compare students in different states. Policymakers and business leaders hope that tougher standards will help the US catch up globally. First, American students are middle-of-the-road at best on academic skills when compared to other countries on international tests. What problems is the Common Core trying to solve? The standards were finalized in June 2010 with a report explaining the groups' reasoning. A draft was released for public comment, and a committee of experts also provided comments. Writing the standards took about 18 months, beginning with a report from the three main groups involved in late 2008. The groups brought in the two major teachers' unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, as well as other national organizations that represent teachers of math and English. Achieve, a nonprofit education reform group, also helped. The other is the National Governors Association. One, the Council of Chief State School Officers, represents the top K-12 education officials from all US states and territories. Two nonprofit groups led the effort to write the new standards, and others contributed. The Common Core standards are more challenging than what most states used to use, and kids aren't doing as well on these tests. As the standards move from theory to reality, they're becoming better-known and, often, more controversial among parents and legislators. But they're in the news now because states are beginning to use the Common Core as the basis for state tests. Two state groups, the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers, created the Common Core standards in 20. Writing assignments are more about evidence-based arguments and less on personal narratives like "What I did on my summer vacation." Math standards focus on fewer topics in more depth that are meant to progress logically from grade to grade. The goal of common standards is to make sure all public school students are prepared for college and for jobs when they graduate from high school, regardless of where they live. States used to set their own academic standards, and they could vary widely in rigor. In math, the standards focus on fewer concepts, but in more depth. They'll also be asked to read more nonfiction. Students will write fewer personal narratives and more opinions. Language arts standards focus on basing arguments on evidence.

The Common Core includes a lot of those benchmarks at each grade level, but there are a few unifying themes. They're benchmarks for what students should know and be able to do in math and language arts from kindergarten through senior year of high school. The standards are meant to prepare students for college and careers and to make the US more competitive academically. The Common Core State Standards are a new set of academic standards adopted by 43 states.
