USA Today – Michael J. Petrilli and Robert Pondiscio
“Between 2010 and 2012, more than forty states adopted the Common Core standards in reading and math, setting dramatically higher expectations for students in our elementary and secondary schools. Now comes a critical milestone in this effort. In the coming weeks, parents in most states will receive for the first time their children’s scores on new tests aligned to the standards. The news is expected to be sobering, and may come as a shock for many. Parents shouldn’t shoot the messenger. It is important to remember why so many states started down this path in the first place. Under federal law, every state must test children every year in grades 3-8 to ensure they are making progress. That’s a good idea. Parents deserve to know if their kids are learning and taxpayers are entitled to know if the money we spend on schools is being used wisely.”(more)