The Answer Sheet: Eight Problems with Common Core Standards

Valerie Strauss gives her opinion of the Common Core Standards in this article. She explains that when the core was not being taught adequately, some people set out to standardize it even more. The result was called the Common Core State Standards.All of this was done with little research and input from teachers. The article then goes on to list several reasons why the Common Core State Standards are warped. One of the reasons is that the Common Core Standards are set-up for standardized tests, which really help predict nothing. Another big problem that Strauss finds is that the word "standards" supposedly means "performance that meets a standard."  This sounds reasonable, but the word also means "like everybody else," according to Strauss. This brings up a good point, because our children should be able to reach beyond these set "standards." The author then goes on to criticize an inexperienced teacher on CNN for her ignorance of how standardized testing works and includes all children, unlike most countries. Strauss then compares this teacher to one of her friends Jennifer, who was a wonderful teacher, yet she was paid a lot less than the teacher on CNN. The United States definitely need to reevaluate their education system and the Common Core Standards.