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Explore guides, research papers, policy briefs, and tools to aid decisions on standards and assessments.
Springing to Life: How Greater Educational Equality Could Grow from the Common Core Mathematics Standards
From the abstract: “Despite America’s commitment to equal opportunity, the extent to which students are exposed to challenging mathematics content depends not only on which state they live in, but also on the school and classroom to which they are assigned. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics were created to remedy such inequities in learning opportunities. These standards share the coherence, rigor, and focus that characterize instructional frameworks in high-achieving countries, but their success depends on policymakers, parents, educators, and textbook publishers overcoming obstacles to implementation.”
This articulate and well-organized article begins with a presentation demonstrating the existence of pervasive inequality in opportunities to learn rigorous mathematics and what could be done to remedy the gap. In its reader-friendly format, the writers examine the history and intent for the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) to reduce inequalities in opportunities to learn and compete with other high performing countries. The article discusses why the CCSS-M could provide greater equality of educational opportunity, and offers important thoughts about how to overcome obstacles to successful implementation. Finally, information from surveys of curriculum directors, teachers, and parents provide insight on important perceptions and desires from various educational stakeholders.