1. Common Core Standards Commonality, Consistency, Clarity

2. What are They? developed by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Teachers and administrators also took part in developing them as well. The Common Core Standards aim to provide commonality in curriculum among states To date, all but 5 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the American Samoa Islands have adopted the Standards

3. Benefits of Using Common Core Standards They are said to be evidence based( showing that students' mastery of them leads to preparedness for higher education and the workforce) as well as clear and consistent. The Math standards in grades K-5 aim to provide a solid foundation for later learning have also been developed with the intention of preparing American students for success in our ever increasing global economy. With these standards, the expectation for our students has been set high.

4. Stability provide more stability for mobile students. Clear expectations across each county, state and nation will help create stability for students who move often due to economic and personal reasons. (http://core4all.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/top-3-benefits-of-the- common-core-state-standards-and-a-thank-you/)

5. The 21st century skills embedded in the Common Core will pave the way for students to think, reflect, analyze, influence, evaluate, and communicate; in other words, become an individual who will lead in the 21st century global society ( http://core4all.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/top-3-benefits-of-the- common-core-state-standards-and-a-thank-you /)

6. Teacher Collaboration. The Common Core State Standards will enhance teacher collaboration across the nation. When teachers across the nation are using the same standards and common language, collaboration becomes more meaningful. Professional development at conferences, professional organizations and across networks will be more powerful than ever. When teachers share best practice, students benefit ( http://core4all.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/top-3-benefits-of-the- common-core-state-standards-and-a-thank-you/)

7. No More Excuses If everyone is on the same page, with expectations being HIGH for all, we no longer have any excuses for state to state disparity.