State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Urges Support of Common Core State Standards Initiative to Move Student Performance to Higher Level
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell urged support today of the newly released Common Core State Standards (Outside Source) Initiative in English-language arts and mathematics. The common core standards are the result of a state-led effort to increase rigor and build consensus on what students should know as they advance from kindergarten through high school so they will graduate ready for college and careers.
"The rigorous, internationally competitive common core standards will help better prepare California students for success in the increasingly competitive global economy," O'Connell said.
"These standards unveiled this morning in their finalized version will help us improve instruction and student performance by making more focused and explicit the knowledge and skills students need to know as they move up the grades. This will better prepare students for successful mastery of more complex and advanced concepts and applications required for success in high school and later in college and careers. This clearly defined and well-articulated staircasing of student skills will help accelerate improvement in student performance and close the achievement gap," he said.
"California's current standards were adopted in 1997. Over the past 13 years the world has changed in profound ways. We have made amazing technological advances that connect us to every corner of the globe. The world is indeed flat. By adopting such the common core standards, California can choose to look to the future and build upon what is the best of our own current – and considerable — standards with the best of what other states and high-performing countries offer their students. To provide our students with less only shortchanges their future and that of our state and nation.
"I commend all who worked on the initiative, and I urge California to adopt this new foundation for student learning," O'Connell said.