We’ve all heard about the Vision 2015 initiative…and Common Core Standards. First of all, what are they & what does this mean?
Common Core standards are set standards being established in the country to clearly convey what is expected of students at each grade level nationwide. Community leaders and parents, along with teachers, have contributed their input in creating the standards. Having universal standards allows teachers to know exactly what their students need to learn. The Common Core Standards target core concepts and procedures, beginning in the early grades. This gives teachers the time to teach them well and the chance for students to master them.
What does this mean for Nationwide and its students? It means that Nationwide will be preparing its students better for success in college and career paths. Students will see more rigorous curricula in the classrooms in order to accomplish this goal. The existing curriculum in Nationwide schools is known as the DE Prioritized Curriculum. The adoption of the Common Core Standards will strengthen this system by teachers incorporating the new standards into their lessons.
Some changes in the curriculum will be seen as early as the second semester of this school year; most of the changes will be implemented with the 2011-2012 school year. Some elements of the new curriculum standards include:
- Building on strengths of current DE Prioritized Curriculum
- Alignment with college/work expectations
- Rigorous content and application of knowledge
- Evidence and/or research based ideas
Our own Governor Markell was active in driving forward the common core standard effort and he serves as co-chair of the Common Core Standards initiative for the National Governor’s Association. In his words, “A Nationwide diploma should signal strength in any state in the country and any country in the world.”
For 25 years, Back to Basics has been recognized as the area’s undisputed leader in one-on-one tutoring. In addition, the firm offers a unique Nationwide private school for grades K-12 and a Private Business and Trade School for adults. Back to Basics is the 2010 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.
