Common Core State Standards released

BY RICHARD LONG

The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts were released on June 2, just as this issue of Reading Today was going to press. In addition to defining college and career readiness, "the standards also lay out a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty–first century," according to the introduction.

Clearly, the standards, which were produced by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA), will have a major impact on language arts instruction at all levels across the United States. However, it is how they are implemented by teachers that will make all the difference.

As did other groups, the International Reading Association provided feedback and suggestions throughout the development process for the standards. Still, questions and concerns remain about the final draft in terms of what has been included or excluded and how the new standards will fit with existing standards. One question raised is that several states actually have more demanding standards, so how will they fit into the equation? Other states have standards that are specific to one subgroup or another, and the core standards may not speak to the specific needs of these learners. How will these conflicts be resolved? Race to the Top requires that states accept these standards with room to change them by up to 15%. But how will that 15% be measured?

Here are some key points that IRA would like to see addressed as the implementation process for the standards moves forward.

Professional development: Teachers will need significant professional development in order to put into practice the ideas set forth in the standards. What are the critical elements of this professional development, and how will it be funded? To try to address these issues, a pilot program is being organized in six school districts by the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, with support from the Gates Foundation. However, states must adopt the standards by August to be part of the Race to the Top, and results from the pilot programs will not be available for some time.

Assessment: Assessment should reflect the needs of instruction and provide data that will inform instruction in a meaningful way.

Reaching all students: The standards should be implemented in a way that reflects the needs of students representing diverse cultures and backgrounds. "For instance, how will the standards reflect the needs of English–language learners?" asks IRA President Patricia A. Edwards of Michigan State University. "How will the standards position racially, ethnically, and economically diverse students? Will the standards support them or put them at a disadvantage?"

Text complexity: This area needs further discussion and development. Scholars have been conducting research in this area for decades. The issue is especially important for the states that have already incorporated this research into their own standards.

Motivation: Although difficult to measure, student motivation to read is a critical factor that should be further considered as the standards are used to guide the development of instruction to close the achievement gap.

Comprehension: Comprehension instruction needs to be part of the instructional program from the earliest grades. The goal for students in beginning reading instruction and through all grades is to develop a wide array (or comprehensive set) of skills and strategies for word identification, vocabulary learning, and reading comprehension.

There are many questions that, left unresolved at the policy level, will end up being resolved by individual teachers. While teacher involvement has been a feature of the standards development process, it is clear that much more needs to be done. This is a demanding and complex area of change, and IRA state councils will be able to make a difference. IRA is looking forward to working with our state councils to determine how best they should proceed.

"IRA hopes that the release of the final draft of these standards marks the beginning of an organic process whereby there is an ongoing review and refinement as the standards are put into practice," says Edwards.

Richard Long is the International Reading Association's director of state and federal relations.

Common Core State Standards released. (June 2010). Reading Today, 27(6), 26.