Resource Hub
Explore guides, research papers, policy briefs, and tools to aid decisions on standards and assessments.
College- and Career-Ready Standards
The U.S. Department of Education website provides an overview of what standards are and why college- and career-ready standards are important, as well as clarification regarding the role of the U.S. Department of Education in state standards and assessment. The resource emphasizes that standards are goals for what students should know and be able to do; standards are not statements about how teachers should teach or curricula. The website also includes responses to common inaccurate statements, or myths, about standards and federal policy.
In addition to a clear and concise explanation of what standards are, the U.S. Department of Education website provides definitions for the terms “standards,” “curricula,” and “assessments.” The “myth” and “fact” section at the end of the website provides helpful clarification regarding the federal government’s role in Common Core State Standards, assessment consortia, and student data. This website provides useful information for anyone who is involved in communicating to community stakeholders about college- and career-ready standards.