This is the fourth post in a six-part series.
Among the mobile learning sessions, global education initiatives, and flipped classroom models on display at ISTE 2012, two words surfaced again and again: Common Core. Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are multi-faceted and complex, but there are a few basics every vendor should understand.
CCSS were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and other education experts to provide a clear and consistent framework that would better prepare students to enter college and the workforce. The standards define the knowledge and skills students should acquire during their K-12 education; the overarching goal is to graduate high school students who will succeed in first-year college courses and workforce training programs.
Currently, the standards emphasize language arts and mathematic proficiency. The language arts standards focus on reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, as well as fluency in media and technology. Mathematics standards highlight both practical application of mathematics, as well as a deeper understanding of mathematics principles.
Currently, CCSS have been adopted in 45 states and 3 territories, in part because of the federal Race to the Top program. Introduced in 2009, Race to the Top is a $4.35 billion program from the U.S. Department of Education, designed to spur innovation and reforms in K-12 education. States are awarded points for satisfying certain education policies, such as implementing CCSS, improving teacher and principal effectiveness, and integrating technology in the classroom. Points earn additional funding for schools, based on their population of school-aged children.
To learn more about CCSS, visit http://www.corestandards.org/.
What implications do you see for companies marketing to educators in the Common Core era. We’d love to hear from you. Meanwhile, coming next is an overview of the role personal learning networks play in the ever-changing school buying cycle.
Other posts in the series: