Common Core

Common core was adopted in 2010, and was created without the input of educators. It is sweeping the nation, almost as if it were a zombie apocalypse, with many states agreeing to enforce this new method of teaching in their schools. According to The Common Core State Standards, common core is suppose to "clearly demonstrate what students are expected to learn at each grade level…" with " …the best elements of standards-related work in all states and other countries to date."

However, in some states common core showed no sign of improvement in test scores what so ever. In fact the scores of students decreased. The statistics in the US News shows the second round of test based on Common Core teachings. In New York thirty-one percent of students gained the title of proficient in English language arts. Before Common core was set in motion, there was a three percentage point difference between whites and Hispanic eight graders on the English proportions of the tests. When Common Core was introduced to students the gap grew to be twenty two points. Why should Common Core continue if the test scores of students do not improve, but decrease dramatically?

Its not just New York which has faced problems of decreasing test scores after they instituted Common Core. Each time a state has given its students one of the two Common Core tests, students' scores were below their average.  The Common Core standard is not fair because it requires critical thinking and mastery of topics. You cannot expect an English learner to analyze a passage with depth and understanding like a native speaker.

This picture above shows the traditional mathematical way of solving a problem, and below shows the Common Core way.

When Common Core first began forty-five states and the District of Columbia agreed to test this new method of learning which the government provided money for. However, according to CNN, 10 states have already dropped Common Core, with more states likely to follow in their example.