Common Core

The Common Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are the culmination of an extended, broad-based effort to fulfill the charge issued by the states to create the next generation of K12 standards to help ensure that all students are college and career ready in literacy no later than the end of high school.

The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students. These practices rest on important “processes and proficiencies” with longstanding importance in mathematics education.

A plethora of online tools and instructional materials is becoming available to help educators meet Common Core standards, making for some overwhelming options for teachers and students. More than seven in 10 educators search for instructional resources at least several times a week, but only one in four educators describes his or her searches as “usually successful,” according to a July survey report.

As Common Core implementation begins, education publishers are creating products that align with the standards and take advantage of technology that elicits student engagement. These products offer transformation beyond the regular curriculum to personalized learning, with content that adapts in real time to individual learners.

Spurred on by South Dakota’s pending move to online tests, the Sioux Falls School District plans to spend $7.3 million during the next two years buying Google Chromebooks or Apple iPads for every student, from kindergarten through 12th grade.