<p>The State of California has adopted the new "Common Core Standard". I attended my daughter's 2nd grade Back To School Night last Tuesday and was amazed at how little the teacher knew regarding overall content of this new state standard. From the little research I've done I found it to be much more academically challenging than the Standard Testing and Reporting (STAR), that the State of California was using for many years. </p>
<p>What is this new standard? Why are so many school districts in the nation so fast to adopt it without real parental input? Will this create an even larger disparity between struggling school districts and those who aren't struggling?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for all your replies.</p>
<p>The Common Core State Standards have been adopted in most states. Personally, I think the Common Core is terrific (both as a parent and as a teacher). The initiative to adopt this was a federally based one with state departments of education adopting the plan.</p>
<p>Regardless of your state, I believe you will be seeing curricula aligning with the Common Core, as well as student evaluation and progress.</p>
<p>This is not a bad thing. </p>
<p>I’m not sure why the OP is objecting. When our state benchmarks were adopted years ago, it was without parent input and with very little teacher input. When new textbooks are purchased or new curriculum written, parents are not usually on these committees where I live and work.</p>
<p>If you have specific questions, either contact your school administrator, or director of curriculum. They should be able to answer your questions.</p>
<p>If you want to see the standards…there is a terrific free IPad application for the Common Core Standards. Gives each CCS criteria for each area at each grade level…and why.</p>