News Brief
Proponent Calls Common Core the 'Great Equalizer of Education'
Daily American (PA) (04/30/13) Rock, VickiThe Pennsylvania Department of Education stresses that the Common Core State Standards are academic standards -- not a curriculum -- that aim to prepare students to succeed in higher education or the workforce. "Look at it as if the state standards are what you need to know to cross the goal line," says spokesman Tim Eller. "The plays, and the books, are always determined by local school boards." A committee of state educators blended the state's standards and the Common Core, and they are slated for implementation on July 1. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President Joan Benso praises the efforts to institute the Common Core, calling it "a great equalizer of education." She says, "We urge people to support Common Core standards. Parents want to be confident that students master what they need to succeed after graduation." Eller stresses that school districts do not need to spend extra money on the Common Core, and the department provides free access to the Pennsylvania Common Core-aligned curriculum framework, materials, and resources to teachers through its Standards Aligned System. Teachers can share their lesson plans, among other things, on the site, which can be viewed here.
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