“X marks the states”

According to Michele McNeil, of EdWeek.org,

“Forty-six states—representing 80 percent of the nation’s K-12 student population—have formally agreed to join forces to create common academic standards in math and English language arts through an effort led by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.”

Living as I do in South Carolina, it does not surprise me that South Carolina is one of the four states that hasn’t gotten on board. The level of education here is horrendous even when schools can set their own low-level standards.

Texas, Alaska, Missouri and, the aforementioned South Carolina, are the only four states that haven’t signed up for the program.

During the disastrous No Child Left Behind (NCLB) tenure, schools were able to slip through the cracks by setting standards in their own states. Numerous reports demonstrated wide-spread cheating by schools, especially since federal funds were linked to results.

The only way to really discover at what level schools, and students, are performing is to have equal standards across the board.

“This is a giant step,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who has been pushing states to adopt common, rigorous standards.

While I definitely disagree with Mr. Duncan’s attempts to politicize the education process, by making Mayors in charge of schools (already a proven educational disaster everywhere it has been implemented), I am wholeheartedly in agreement that common standards must be adopted if we are to have nationwide progress.

Fortunately, there is still ample time for the four remaining states to join the team.

Perhaps if concerned parents contact their local governor’s and chief education officer’s offices, these states will make a good decision for their students.

Maybe even South Carolina will get with the program.

Brennan

The Kingsland Plan

Save Our Schools

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