Issues with Common Core Math Standards

How were Common Core Standards in Math and ELA sold to the states?

Common Core Math Standards were sold by focusing on STEM The President has consistently called for improvements in STEM education to move America’s students to the top of the pack by enabling all students to learn deeply and think critically in science and math;

Common Core Math Standards were sold by focusing on STEM The President has consistently called for improvements in STEM education to move America’s students to the top of the pack by enabling all students to learn deeply and think critically in science and math;

And Incentivized using RTTT The Federal Government should vigorously support the state-led effort to develop common standards in STEM subjects, by providing financial and technical support to states for (i) rigorous, high-quality professional development aligned with shared standards, and (ii) the development, evaluation, administration, and ongoing improvement of assessments aligned to those standards Obama's special commission on STEM. Report, Sept RECOMMENDATIONS (1) STANDARDS: SUPPORT THE CURRENT STATE-LED MOVEMENT FOR SHARED STANDARDS IN MATH AND SCIENCE

And Incentivized using RTTT The Federal Government should vigorously support the state-led effort to develop common standards in STEM subjects, by providing financial and technical support to states for (i) rigorous, high-quality professional development aligned with shared standards, and (ii) the development, evaluation, administration, and ongoing improvement of assessments aligned to those standards Obama's special commission on STEM. Report, Sept RECOMMENDATIONS (1) STANDARDS: SUPPORT THE CURRENT STATE-LED MOVEMENT FOR SHARED STANDARDS IN MATH AND SCIENCE

And Incentivized using RTTT The Federal Government should vigorously support the state-led effort to develop common standards in STEM subjects, by providing financial and technical support to states for (i) rigorous, high-quality professional development aligned with shared standards, and (ii) the development, evaluation, administration, and ongoing improvement of assessments aligned to those standards Obama's special commission on STEM. Report, Sept RECOMMENDATIONS (1) STANDARDS: SUPPORT THE CURRENT STATE-LED MOVEMENT FOR SHARED STANDARDS IN MATH AND SCIENCE

Who are Core Standard for? One of the three authors clarified this on March 23, 2010 in testimony before the Mass. State Board of Education. Here is his definition of a “college ready” student.

Later, Sandy Stotsky asked him to clarify the definition of “College Ready.” Here is the resulting exchange

What does this imply? Two things to notice. First, the “third pathway” referred to in the video does not exist in the final version. Second, “college readiness” is NOT FOR STEM, and not for selective colleges It is important to understand that readiness is for “the colleges most kids attend, but not for the colleges most parents aspire to.”

What does this imply? Two things to notice. First, the “third pathway” referred to in the video does not exist in the final version. Second, “college readiness” is NOT FOR STEM, and not for selective colleges. It is important to understand that readiness is for “the colleges most kids attend, but not for the colleges most parents aspire to.”

What does this imply? Two things to notice. First, the “third pathway” referred to in the video does not exist in the final version. Second, “college readiness” is NOT FOR STEM, and not for selective colleges. It is important to understand that readiness is for “the colleges most kids attend, but not for the colleges most parents aspire to.”

What does this imply? Two things to notice. First, the “third pathway” referred to in the video does not exist in the final version. Second, “college readiness” is NOT FOR STEM, and not for selective colleges. It is important to understand that readiness is for “the colleges most kids attend, but not for the colleges most parents aspire to.”

In the Version Zimba was discussing, there were place markers for more advanced topics

But any hint of any material past Algebra II (except for a very small number of trigonometry standards) is completely absent in the final version of the Common Core Math Standards

WHAT’S GOING ON?? It would have been entirely routine to put in the remaining courses, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus. But even the calculus hints in the March draft were removed from the final. It seems the government bought a PIG IN A POKE. And the States as well.

But the real cost of this pig will probably be Huge Both in dollars and in the loss of human capital

But the real cost of this pig will probably be Huge Both in dollars and in the loss of human capital

What does the data show? Here is the determination of the odds of obtaining a 4 year college degree vs. the highest mathematics course completed in high school. (Clifford Adelman) The Toolbox Revisited, U.S. Dept. of Education 2006.

Adelman also shows the distribution of high schools that teach the more advanced math courses. This allows us to see just which students will be most harmed by Core Standards.

All these data show the same picture. The students most likely to lose the more advanced high school math courses under Common Core are those in the lower economic groups. So these are the students whose chances for college success will be most severely hurt.

Perhaps the most disturbing data is also from Federal Govt. What are the odds of achieving an actual bachelor’s degree in STEM areas if a student has to start with college algebra, pre-calculus or a remedial community college math course?

And here is the current ACT data on college readiness

Summary Comments I would suggest that Zimba's statements at the March 2010 meeting tell people very clearly what Core Mathematics Standards are really about when he expands on the stated object of these standards "preparing students for entry into the work force and college readiness."

Summary Comments I would suggest that Zimba's statements at the March 2010 meeting tell people very clearly what Core Mathematics Standards are really about when he expands on the stated object of these standards "preparing students for entry into the work force and college readiness." I would summarize the discussion as saying that Core Standards are not for the top 30% of high school students, but instead for the truly "average" ones. So the main question is what will happen with the academically talented students. The expectation is that they will regress towards the mean, and we will lose a significant portion of them to mediocrity.

Summary Comments I would suggest that Zimba's statements at the March 2010 meeting tell people very clearly what Core Mathematics Standards are really about when he expands on the stated object of these standards "preparing students for entry into the work force and college readiness." I would summarize the discussion as saying that Core Standards are not for the top 30% of high school students, but instead for the truly "average" ones. So the main question is what will happen with the academically talented students. The expectation is that they will regress towards the mean, and we will lose a significant portion of them to mediocrity.

Common Core Math Standards were sold by focusing on STEM

The Federal Govt. Bribed the States to Adopt Core Standards Using the leverage of the Race to the Top funds

But let’s look at what those funds actually require

Here is the beginning of the RFP for the RTT proposals Development of the consortiums final high school summative assessments and to implement policies that exempt from remedial courses and place into credit- bearing college courses students who meet the consortium-adopted achievement standard (as defined in this notice) for those assessments.

Here is the beginning of the RFP for the RTT proposals Development of the consortiums final high school summative assessments and to implement policies that exempt from remedial courses and place into credit- bearing college courses students who meet the consortium-adopted achievement standard (as defined in this notice) for those assessments.

Here is the beginning of the RFP for the RTT proposals Development of the consortiums final high school summative assessments and to implement policies that exempt from remedial courses and place into credit- bearing college courses students who meet the consortium-adopted achievement standard (as defined in this notice) for those assessments.

IHE is short for Institution of Higher Education “Eligible applicants addressing this priority must provide, for each IHE or IHE system, a letter of intent that commits the IHE or IHE system to participate with the consortium” and follow the directive on the previous slide

These requirements are scary They apply to all state IHE’s including selective state college and universities They include institutions where even the authors of Core Standards admit that the CCSS-M standards are not appropriate.

In effect they cede control of the higher education courses in ELA and Mathematics to K-12 But a very good case can be made for believing that this was the intent all along

In effect they cede control of the higher education courses in ELA and Mathematics to K-12 But a very good case can be made for believing that this was the intent all along

Indeed, control of the entry level college courses have been one of the main DREAMS of the education schools and State departments of elementary and secondary education And here, through deceit and trickery, it appears that they are on the verge of achieving it.