By. Matthew M. Schaefer

What is the Common Core? The common core looks to give every child in America an equal education. Currently, students in Chicago could be getting a different level of education from those in New York. The Common Core looks to set equal standards nation wide and to align testing with said standards. The end goal is to make sure all students are equally prepared for their next step in life. As of now, the Common Core is focused on the subjects of English Literature and Mathematics.

Not so fast…There has been a lot of pushback against the Common Core and it appears that more and more is mounting every day. Many people feel that the government is getting too involved in education and this is the latest intrusion. The biggest issue is that teachers are basically forced to teach the new curriculum because this is now what all the standardized tests are being written to match.

The common core standards could rush our children by moving more advanced thinking into earlier grade levels not accounting for individualized development. School districts will be forced to spend money on technology in order to accommodate online standards CCSS will lead to more high-stakes testing There is NO equivalency test for students with special needs. The Common Core only addresses two subject areas.

Schools will be able to compare themselves internationally because of the standards being internationally benchmarked. Students with high mobility will not fall behind in schools. Students will have a clear expectation of learning Teachers will be able to track an individual child’s progress do to tools provided Because all states have the same standards, costs for test development should decrease.

At this point, I would start by making sure my schools is ready to implement the standards I would make sure our technology is up to date and able to handle all of the new testing. I would make sure all my teachers are making portfolios for each student to track their progression on each standard. I would make workshops for this upcoming summer so teachers are prepared to teach the required curriculum For this point, I would look to couple with a local university in order to get my teachers college credit for their work.

At this juncture, the timeline would be very crunched as the standards are to be implemented this upcoming fall. As such here is what I would do: By the end of the school year – I would have teachers comparing current standards to previous ones to know what needs to change. Teachers have started to prepare progress portfolio for each student. Administration has had an open forum about the shift to the Common core Committee formed for tracking the success of the implementation of the Core. By mid summer – Teachers would be engaged in workshops to help with the transition of curriculum and to be well versed in the Common Core. By the start of next school year – All teachers are well versed and familiar with curriculum and have progress portfolios prepared By the end of next school year – I would want a committee to evaluate what we did the previous year and how it can be improved for the following year. They should have a stategic plan in place by the end of the year.

Parents for Public Schools, Inc. Common core state standards pros and cons. Retrieved from Common_core_chart_final.pdfhttp:// Meador, D. What are some pros and cons of the common core standards. Retrieved from Cons-Of-The-Common-Core-Standards.htm DC Public Schools. (2012) Three-minute video explaining the common core state standards. Retrieved from The ABC’s of the common core in Ohio. Retrieved from Locke, M. Core Changes – Tools to help you and your staff stay up-to-date on common core curricula changes. Retrieved from

For years, schools have tried to hold students accountable via standardized tests…now they are trying to do the same with their teachers. While the public no longer feel teachers should be evaluated strictly on how students do on a test, many law makers feel differently and some states are linking evaluations to test scores. The idea behind this trend is that teachers should be held accountable, but is it possible for a good teacher to have students score poorly on a test…of course.

Teacher evaluation may reduce one’s willingness to take risks. Teacher evaluation may create competition in the workplace and lead to a less collaborative environment. Teachers will only want the best kids. Teaching becomes only focused on the mind and not the whole person.

Teachers work hard to get children to learn everyday. A teacher’s weaknesses may be identified quicker and they can be supported where they need it most. Good teachers are rewarded and bad teachers removed. Principals and other administrators can make more informed decisions in regards to professional development and promotions.

I personally would recommend not tying teacher evaluations to student testing because testing can be volatile no matter the quality of the teacher. I would instead work with the teachers union to form alternative evaluations that combine classroom observations, student growth in the classroom, instructional artifacts, teacher portfolios, self- assessments, and surveys. I would then use these things to form plans for teachers to improve and to guide professional development school-wide.

By the end of the school year – Form a committee for teacher evaluation. They will create a survey to get teachers opinions and will work with the teachers union to form and evaluation plan. During the summer – Meetings commence between the union and the committee and a plan is formed. By the start of the next year – Plan is implemented and publicizing the plan begins. During the year – Plan is executed and constantly evaluated. Committee and union representation look for ways to improve. By the end of the next year – Teachers and community are surveyed about their perceptions of the plan and its execution. Adjustments are made for the following year. Teacher improvement plans are developed. I would continue this process to form a continually better process.

National Education Association. New policy statement on teacher evaluation and accountability. Retrieved from Frosch, D. (2013) New Mexico teachers resist a state official’s plan for evaluating them. New York Times. Retrieved from -accountability-meets-resistance-in-new-mexico.html?_r=0 Laine, S., & Behrstock-Sherratt, E. Worth the investment: Strengthening teacher evaluation in the age of accountability. AdvancED. Retrieved from -strengthening-teacher-evaluation-age-accountabilit Edelman, S. (2013) New evaluations finally hold New York City teachers accountable. New York Post. Retrieved from -hold-new-york-city-teachers-accountable/ DeWitt, P. (2012) The pros and cons of accountability? Education Week. Retrieved from the_pros_and_cons_of_accountability.html