In Native Schools, Hope and Fears about New Nationwide Standards
The gap between how Native American students and white students perform academically is the widest in the country based on test scores, graduation rates and college enrollments. This article explores the potential impact of the Common Core state standards on Native American students and schools, presenting views from proponents and opponents. Some argue that the new standards will push Native students further away from their culture, while others see the Common Core as a means to reduce performance gaps and increase learning.
Written in a newspaper article format, the purposes of this article are easily inferred from the title and opening paragraphs, then effectively met throughout the article. The author provides an objective, balanced view of the potential impact of the Common Core State Standards at Star Charter School, near the southeast corner of Arizona. The school principal, for example, notes the value of the Common Core, with its focus on rigor and deep understanding, but at the same time is concerned about a lack of culturally appropriate content for Native students. Communications quality is outstanding in this concise article, making it very easy to read. Utility and effectiveness are difficult to predict; however, the article makes an important contribution on the subject of the Common Core and Native American student achievement.