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Wisconsin Should Move Forward with the Common Core Standards
By Jim Morgan, WMC Foundation President
What should students know and be able to do?
That question has set off an educational firestorm that we have not seen since “outcome-based education” was introduced. A recent series of public hearings and legislative proposals on the Common Core Standards – already in place in Wisconsin schools for English/Language Arts and Mathematics (Science to follow) – reignited the debate which continues as I write this article.
During my almost three decades at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, I have always had one foot in the business arena and the other in the education arena. Two fields that seemingly would have a great deal of common interest yet were often on opposite sides of political and fiscal issues. And, as the husband of a Madison public school teacher, home was the setting for as many interesting conversations as at the Capitol.
For more than 25 years, Wisconsin businesses (and employers everywhere) have been asking for accountability and measurement in schools. These companies are driven by data, and have struggled to understand educational measurement because so many different systems have been used throughout the years. How do we know a school district or school building is doing a good job educating students? How do we know what a high school student knows? How do we compare to the rest of the state? The country? The world? We live in a competitive environment, and the quality, knowledge and talent of the individual is going to be the differentiating factor.
Also for more than 25 years, educators have been looking for consistent, measurable outcomes. In a system where the school board members and superintendents have tenure of just a few years, there have to be benchmarks that transcend the individuals. You cannot change direction every three years and hope to reach your destination.
With that in mind, let me provide a little history.
In 1996, at the National Education Summit, a bipartisan group of governors and business leaders decided to create and lead an organization dedicated to supporting standards-based education reform efforts across the states. Several initiatives were spawned and all of that work eventually led to the Common Core Standards.
The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers began working with local educators, businesses and school leaders on the development of the standards in 2009, and Wisconsin adopted them in 2010. The purpose of the standards is to “provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.”
This is a good thing, and here is why.
Consistency. From district to district and state to state, we will establish a foundation of what students need to know and be able to do.
Accountability. Common Core requires accountability, high standards and testing. We will have results and the ability to set a course for improvement where needed.
Competitiveness. If we are to compete globally, we must ensure our students are truly ready for further education and a career that allows them to succeed in the global marketplace.
Innovation. The standards encourage creative teachers to continue to reach students in creative ways. Contrary to what some proclaim, the standards are not a national curriculum requiring everyone to teach the same thing on the same day from the same book. The standards are the “what” and not the “how.”
Quality. The Common Core Standards have been benchmarked and are more rigorous than past standards. They focus on math, reading and science; require students to evaluate evidence and formulate conclusions; include problem solving and critical thinking; and evaluate what students will need to know to be workplace- and college-ready.
While there is a great deal of concern being spread about a national textbook, cameras in classrooms to monitor teachers, and a complete loss of local control; the recent legislative review has resulted in clarity and an affirmation that, in Wisconsin, local control remains the authority on education. However, the reality is the standards have been years in development, are well documented and are in place in nearly all Wisconsin districts. They have given local communities a common purpose, the states a common goal and our country a tool to ensure our long-term success. The Common Core makes common sense for Wisconsin’s school districts.
About WMC Foundation
The WMC Foundation is the educational division of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the statewide chamber of commerce.
