Comments on: Standards, Content and Caveats

By: Rory

Rory — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:53:00 +0000

I would like to point out that two of those states, Missouri and South Carolina have the two highest standards already compared to the NAEP. See http://www.time.com/time/2007/nochild/

For those two states, National Standards would be a step down.

Alaska (my home state) and Texas are just stubborn independent sort of places that like to be different to spite themselves.

I expect lower rather than higher standards, but at least it’s a step towards standardization.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:31:17 +0000

I do think its important for any effort like this to focus on the “what” and not the “how.” Different approaches work for different students and different teachers, and it would be really ironic if the same “reform” movement that promotes school choice ended up advocating for a detailed national curriculum and pedagogy.

By: tmwillemse

tmwillemse — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:02:37 +0000

The CK alignment to state standards are gone, but I still have the California alignment. It is amazing how vague the state standards are. These national standards are going to be less vague? Actually, this may be a good thing. California has dozens of little required subject lessons that are thrown in there for no apparent reason. Maybe this will clean them out.

By: Robert Pondiscio

Robert Pondiscio — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:17:51 +0000

Long time ago I made a nice living running PR for a big national magazine. I got my job because the people who sold ads were convinced that the reason they couldn’t sell ads was because our competitor, Brand X, had lots of their reporters and columnists on TV flapping their jowls. “How are we supposed to sell ads when every time someone in advertising turns on the TV, they see reporters from Brand X on CNN and Meet the Press?” they fumed. So I got hired to get our reporters on CNN and Meet the Press. A few years later, our reporters were all over TV too. The ad sales guys still couldn’t sell ads, but they had one fewer excuse for to why they couldn’t.

That’s national standards and assessments in a nutshell. Do I think it’ll turn every school into a good school, every teacher into a master and put every student on the road to college? No. But there’ll be one fewer excuse. Especially if we have true apples to apples comparisons across state lines. Never underestimate the motivating power of shame and humiliation.

By: Paul Hoss

Paul Hoss — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:56:05 +0000

This is a step in the right direction. Will this lead to a set of national exams and a common definition for proficient by all participants? Stay tuned.

By: Gene Waldoh

Gene Waldoh — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:04:30 +0000

I understand “squishy, non-specific”. I even understand “single yardstick”. It’s the “worthwhile” that I don’t understand. State standards have done so little to be of worth within any given state; I fail to see the advantage of this expansion.