News Brief

06/25/13

Common Core Foes Spreading Misinformation, Duncan Says

Washington Post (06/25/13) Layton, Lyndsey

During a speech at the American Society of Newspaper Editors, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the recent criticisms of the Common Core State Standards have spread misinformation, marring the implementation of the standards in 45 states and the District of Columbia. He said, "The standards have the capacity to change education in the best ways - setting loose the creativity and innovation of educators, raising the bar for students, strengthening our economy, and building a clearer path to the middle class." Without students who read, write, and think, he said America will be hard-pressed for growth. "What our young people need, and deserve, is an education that leaves them not just college-ready but innovation-ready. They need an education that prepares them for the reality of today's flat world - a world where you invent your own job, change careers, and constantly acquire new skills," Duncan noted. Students in these states will face the same expectations, and graduates will attend and succeed at college without remedial education. "We are finally holding ourselves accountable to giving our children a true college and career-ready education," he said. Three out of four teachers say the standards will help them teach better, allowing them to go deeper and emphasize problem-solving, analysis, critical-thinking skills, creativity, and teamwork. To help achieve the standards' goals to improve education, Duncan has urged Congress to fix the No Child Left Behind law to ensure states have the flexibility they need.
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