Jump to…<\/h3>\n\n- Common Core<\/a><\/li>\n
- Race to the Top<\/a><\/li>\n
- No Child Left Behind<\/a><\/li>\n
- Standardized Tests<\/a><\/li>\n
- Accountability<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
That\u2019s a familiar refrain in K-12 education. And the latest big thing may be bigger than all the others: It\u2019s the Common Core education standards<\/a> that Florida and 45 other states are now putting in place. And it has public schools across the country sitting on the cusp of a massive change in nearly every aspect of how math and English<\/a> are taught, learned and tested.<\/p>\nBut how does this big thing relate to all the other big things in education that you\u2019ve probably heard about? Here\u2019s a StateImpact<\/em> survival guide to recent education overhauls.<\/p>\nCommon Core State Standards<\/h3>\n
What is it?\u00a0<\/strong>States have their own academic standards guiding what students are expected to know in each grade. Common Core is a cooperative effort by state officials around the country to unify these standards \u2014 at least for math and English \u2014 in the states that decided to adopt them. This will change much about how teachers teach and how students learn: New curricula, textbooks and tests<\/a> are being devised to line up with what the Common Core standards say kids should know. In many states, the standards are more rigorous than what were in place before, which is why supporters of the standards say this \u201cbig thing\u201d will eventually produce more high school graduates who are truly ready for college.<\/p>\nRace to the Top<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/indiana\/files\/2013\/03\/109237980-300x204.jpg\" "\\"US")
Jewel Samad\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>
<\/p><\/div>\n
What is it?<\/strong> This is the Obama administration\u2019s \u201cbig thing.\u201d States and school districts that adopted Obama\u2019s preferred policies<\/a> \u2014 like designing teacher evaluation systems and using \u201crobust\u201d data systems to track student progress \u2014\u00a0were given cash grants as an award. Some 18 states and 16 districts were awarded money, including Florida.<\/a><\/del><\/p>\nHow it relates to Common Core:<\/strong> In their applications for Race to the Top funds, states also got points for adopting \u201cinternationally benchmarked academic standards and assessments\u201d<\/a> \u2014 in other words, the Common Core. That motivated many of the states that went on to adopt the new common standards. It also fueled some of the opposition around them. Although a bipartisan coalition of governors and state school officials helped craft the new standards, there\u2019s been a backlash from conservatives<\/a> who tie the Common Core to Obama.<\/p>\nNo Child Left Behind<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/indiana\/files\/2013\/03\/2845869-218x300.jpg\" "\\"US")
Paul J. Richards\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>
<\/p><\/div>\n
What is it?<\/strong> \u00a0This was President George W. Bush\u2019s \u201cbig thing.\u201d The federal law passed in 2001 set ambitious goals for schools, particularly around improving outcomes for poor and minority students. NCLB<\/a> leaned heavily on standardized tests to measure progress and penalize schools deemed as \u201cfailing.\u201d Recently, the Obama administration has granted states waivers<\/a> from the law\u2019s requirements in exchange for state-developed plans to improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps.The U.S. Department of Education approved Florida’s waiver in 2011. Florida’s plan continues the state’s focus on grading schools based, in part, on test performance. Florida also emphasizes improving scores among students who scored in the lowest 25 percent on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.<\/p>\nHow it relates to Common Core:\u00a0<\/strong>Despite the waivers, the philosophies behind NCLB remain prevalent in K-12 education, especially standardized testing and accountability (see below). Common Core doesn\u2019t really change any of that, although it comes at the question of what students should know in a more holistic way. \u00a0Many of the states that applied for waivers from NCLB pointed to their adoption of the Common Core as a signal of their continued commitment to strong educational standards.<\/p>\nStandardized Tests<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/indiana\/files\/2013\/03\/1321882-214x300.jpg\" "\\"Summer")
Tim Boyle\/Getty Images<\/p>
<\/p><\/div>\n
What is it?\u00a0<\/strong>This \u201cbig thing\u201d has been around a while: Most states were using standardized tests even before No Child Left Behind. But NCLB raised the importance of the tests by requiring all students reach grade-level proficiency by 2014.<\/del><\/p>\nHow it relates to Common Core:\u00a0<\/strong>Starting in the 2014-15 school year, states will ditch their existing English and math tests in favor of one of two new exams that test knowledge in the Common Core standards. Unlike many current tests that use multiple choice answers, the new exams are expected to test critical thinking and ask students to defend their answers. Common Core proponents say schools will now be able to share materials and resources across states, which could cut testing costs<\/a>. Also, for the first time, apples-to-apples comparisons of schools in different states will be possible. However, the tests will be given only on computers, so schools will have to make upfront investments in technology.<\/a><\/p>\nAccountability<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/indiana\/files\/2013\/03\/162199302-300x200.jpg\" "\\"School")
Spencer Platt\/Getty Images<\/p>
<\/p><\/div>\n
What is it?\u00a0<\/strong>This \u201cbig thing\u201d manifests itself in states in the form of report cards for entire schools. Whether these report cards use A through F letter grades<\/a> or some other measure, the idea is the same: to use student test scores and other data to show how well schools are doing. Typically, states expect schools to not only perform adequately but improve performance over time. Chronically failing schools typically receive some kind of state intervention and in extreme cases are shut down.<\/p>\nHow it relates to Common Core:\u00a0<\/strong>Common Core doesn\u2019t change anything about the mindset of accountability. But it will likely affect the grades schools get under state accountability systems. That\u2019s because Common Core comes with the new standardized tests, which are widely expected to be harder than the previous ones. So once the new standards are fully in place and the tests begin, schools may be told they are doing a worse job than the principals, teachers and parents there believe.<\/p>\nThis post was based on a report by StateImpact Indiana\u2019s Elle Moxley. StateImpact\u2019s education sites in <\/em>Indiana<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Florida<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Ohio<\/em><\/a> are collaborating on coverage as states implement the Common Core academic standards<\/a>. <\/em>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIt\u2019s the next big thing.\u201d Jump to… Common Core Race to the Top No Child Left Behind Standardized Tests Accountability That\u2019s a familiar refrain in K-12 education. And the latest big thing may be bigger than all the others: It\u2019s the Common Core education standards that Florida and 45 other states are now putting in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[1035,1057,1157,1019,1043,643,1017],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17523"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17523"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17798,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17523\/revisions\/17798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
That\u2019s a familiar refrain in K-12 education. And the latest big thing may be bigger than all the others: It\u2019s the Common Core education standards<\/a> that Florida and 45 other states are now putting in place. And it has public schools across the country sitting on the cusp of a massive change in nearly every aspect of how math and English<\/a> are taught, learned and tested.<\/p>\n But how does this big thing relate to all the other big things in education that you\u2019ve probably heard about? Here\u2019s a StateImpact<\/em> survival guide to recent education overhauls.<\/p>\n What is it?\u00a0<\/strong>States have their own academic standards guiding what students are expected to know in each grade. Common Core is a cooperative effort by state officials around the country to unify these standards \u2014 at least for math and English \u2014 in the states that decided to adopt them. This will change much about how teachers teach and how students learn: New curricula, textbooks and tests<\/a> are being devised to line up with what the Common Core standards say kids should know. In many states, the standards are more rigorous than what were in place before, which is why supporters of the standards say this \u201cbig thing\u201d will eventually produce more high school graduates who are truly ready for college.<\/p>\n Jewel Samad\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p> <\/p><\/div>\n What is it?<\/strong> This is the Obama administration\u2019s \u201cbig thing.\u201d States and school districts that adopted Obama\u2019s preferred policies<\/a> \u2014 like designing teacher evaluation systems and using \u201crobust\u201d data systems to track student progress \u2014\u00a0were given cash grants as an award. Some 18 states and 16 districts were awarded money, including Florida.<\/a> How it relates to Common Core:<\/strong> In their applications for Race to the Top funds, states also got points for adopting \u201cinternationally benchmarked academic standards and assessments\u201d<\/a> \u2014 in other words, the Common Core. That motivated many of the states that went on to adopt the new common standards. It also fueled some of the opposition around them. Although a bipartisan coalition of governors and state school officials helped craft the new standards, there\u2019s been a backlash from conservatives<\/a> who tie the Common Core to Obama.<\/p>\n Paul J. Richards\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p> <\/p><\/div>\n What is it?<\/strong> \u00a0This was President George W. Bush\u2019s \u201cbig thing.\u201d The federal law passed in 2001 set ambitious goals for schools, particularly around improving outcomes for poor and minority students. NCLB<\/a> leaned heavily on standardized tests to measure progress and penalize schools deemed as \u201cfailing.\u201d Recently, the Obama administration has granted states waivers<\/a> from the law\u2019s requirements in exchange for state-developed plans to improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps.The U.S. Department of Education approved Florida’s waiver in 2011. Florida’s plan continues the state’s focus on grading schools based, in part, on test performance. Florida also emphasizes improving scores among students who scored in the lowest 25 percent on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.<\/p>\n How it relates to Common Core:\u00a0<\/strong>Despite the waivers, the philosophies behind NCLB remain prevalent in K-12 education, especially standardized testing and accountability (see below). Common Core doesn\u2019t really change any of that, although it comes at the question of what students should know in a more holistic way. \u00a0Many of the states that applied for waivers from NCLB pointed to their adoption of the Common Core as a signal of their continued commitment to strong educational standards.<\/p>\n Tim Boyle\/Getty Images<\/p> <\/p><\/div>\n What is it?\u00a0<\/strong>This \u201cbig thing\u201d has been around a while: Most states were using standardized tests even before No Child Left Behind. But NCLB raised the importance of the tests by requiring all students reach grade-level proficiency by 2014. How it relates to Common Core:\u00a0<\/strong>Starting in the 2014-15 school year, states will ditch their existing English and math tests in favor of one of two new exams that test knowledge in the Common Core standards. Unlike many current tests that use multiple choice answers, the new exams are expected to test critical thinking and ask students to defend their answers. Common Core proponents say schools will now be able to share materials and resources across states, which could cut testing costs<\/a>. Also, for the first time, apples-to-apples comparisons of schools in different states will be possible. However, the tests will be given only on computers, so schools will have to make upfront investments in technology.<\/a><\/p>\n Spencer Platt\/Getty Images<\/p> <\/p><\/div>\n What is it?\u00a0<\/strong>This \u201cbig thing\u201d manifests itself in states in the form of report cards for entire schools. Whether these report cards use A through F letter grades<\/a> or some other measure, the idea is the same: to use student test scores and other data to show how well schools are doing. Typically, states expect schools to not only perform adequately but improve performance over time. Chronically failing schools typically receive some kind of state intervention and in extreme cases are shut down.<\/p>\n How it relates to Common Core:\u00a0<\/strong>Common Core doesn\u2019t change anything about the mindset of accountability. But it will likely affect the grades schools get under state accountability systems. That\u2019s because Common Core comes with the new standardized tests, which are widely expected to be harder than the previous ones. So once the new standards are fully in place and the tests begin, schools may be told they are doing a worse job than the principals, teachers and parents there believe.<\/p>\n This post was based on a report by StateImpact Indiana\u2019s Elle Moxley. StateImpact\u2019s education sites in <\/em>Indiana<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Florida<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Ohio<\/em><\/a> are collaborating on coverage as states implement the Common Core academic standards<\/a>. <\/em> \u201cIt\u2019s the next big thing.\u201d Jump to… Common Core Race to the Top No Child Left Behind Standardized Tests Accountability That\u2019s a familiar refrain in K-12 education. And the latest big thing may be bigger than all the others: It\u2019s the Common Core education standards that Florida and 45 other states are now putting in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[1035,1057,1157,1019,1043,643,1017],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17523"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17523"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17798,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17523\/revisions\/17798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Common Core State Standards<\/h3>\n
Race to the Top<\/h3>\n
<\/del><\/p>\nNo Child Left Behind<\/h3>\n
Standardized Tests<\/h3>\n
<\/del><\/p>\nAccountability<\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"