Read the following article and then get more info by delving into this excellent.website http://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/category/public-private-partnerships-ppp/
and by reading Orlean Koehle's book, Common Core: A Trojan Horse for Education Reform.
A terrific website for analysis of Common Core http://www.invisibleserfscollar.com/
How’s Your Common Core Knowledge?
via Truth in American Education by Shane Vander Hart on 1/28/13
An interesting quiz was published at The Progressive… they challenge readers to test their public ed savvy. These are the last four questions and answers:
7. Common Core Standards were developed because
a) parents worry that US children score far below other countries on international tests.
b) teachers lack the skills to craft adequate curriculum and wanted help.
c) state departments of education asked for them.
d) of grass-roots concern that children need special tools to compete in the Global Economy.
e) the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation paid for them
8. Common Core Standards in literacy were written by
a) classroom teachers.
b) child psychologists.
c) university researchers.
d) business leaders.
e) a lawyer who specializes in “standards-driven reform” and someone whose background is in Management Consulting, who once tutored children while studying at Yale.
9. The new Common Core tests
a) let the teachers know exactly what each student needs to learn next.
b) give parents evidence teachers are doing their job.
c) ensure that standards are being met.
d) give principals a fair way to evaluate teachers.
e) make fiscal demands many districts cannot meet.
10. The new online feature of Common Core testing
a) will reduce administration costs.
b) will streamline student evaluation.
c) offers new opportunities for creativity.
d) will lead to more individualized learning.
e) means students will be tested many more times each year.
Here are the answers as given by The Progressive…
7. E
“Is the Gates Foundation Involved in bribery,” July 23, 2010
http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/is-gates-foundation-involved-in-bribery.html
“JoLLE Forum–Rotten to the (Common) Core,” Nov. 1, 2012
http://www.susanohanian.org/core.php?id=364
8. E
David Coleman bio; Susan Pimentel bio
http://about.collegeboard.org/leadership/president
http://www.nagb.org/who-we-are/members/bios/b_pimentel.html
9. E
“Federal Mandates on Local Education: Costs and Consequences–Yes, it’s a Race, but is it in the Right Direction?”
http://www.newpaltz.edu/crreo/brief_8_education.pdf
10. E
“Common Core Assessments”
http://truthinamericaneducation.com/common-core-assessments/
http://dianeravitch.net/2012/07/25/stephen-krashen-how-much-testing/