News Brief
State Officials Defend New Common Core Standards for K-12 Education
Argus Leader (SD) (09/18/13) Wischmeyer, BethAt a recent Siouxland Republican Women panel, South Dakota Education Secretary Melody Schopp defended the Common Core State Standards, saying that they challenge students to think more deeply and emphasize critical thinking, problem solving, and the ability to make viable arguments. "I truly believe from the bottom of my heart that this is the right direction to go. That's my passion, is to make sure every child is college, career, and life ready. These standards really are an aligning benchmark to make sure we're on that trajectory, we're on that path to make that happen," Schopp said. Moreover, she indicated that the standards emphasize the understanding and application of concepts, rather than memorization and test taking. She noted that new student assessments will be tested this school year to replace the Dakota STEP, and the new tests will include more short-answer responses, in place of multiple choice, and will be taken solely online, which will save money. Local school boards, administrators, and teachers will ultimately decide how to implement the new standards and include new instructional material, said Schopp. While critics have raised concerns about the standards, conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute has said the new standards are far superior to South Dakota's old standards.
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