News
S.C. will assist common core standards project without governor’s OK, Rex says
Monday, June 1, 2009
COLUMBIA - State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said that South
Carolina hopes to participate "to whatever extent possible" in a
national effort announced today that aims to develop common academic
standards in mathematics and English language arts.
The state cannot officially join the Common Core State Standards
Initiative, sponsored by the National Governors Association and the
Council of Chief State School Officers, because Gov. Mark Sanford
refused to co-sign South Carolina's application with Rex.
Governors and state education superintendents from 46 states and three
U.S. territories formally signed on to the state-led process to develop
a common core of state standards that will be research and
evidence-based, internationally benchmarked and aligned with college and
work expectations. South Carolina, Alaska, Texas and Missouri are the
only states not yet admitted.
"I've been assured by CCSSO that South Carolina will not be
excluded from these worthwhile discussions due to the governor's
refusal," Rex said. "In today's global economy, the idea of each
state having its own unique academic standards makes very little sense.
"Even so, this isn't a top-down federal mandate. It's a collective
effort of the states, which can adapt the common core standards to their
individual situations and timelines."
Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, NGA's vice chairman, said American students
must be better prepared to compete with students from around the world
if the nation is to maintain its competitive edge.
"Common standards that allow us to internationally benchmark our
students' performance with other top countries have the potential to
bring about a real and meaningful transformation of our education system
to the benefit of all Americans," Douglas said.
The Common Core State Standards Initiative builds on recent efforts of
leading organizations and states that have focused on developing
college- and career-ready standards and ensures that these standards can
be internationally benchmarked to top-performing countries around the
world. The goal is to have a common core of state standards that states
can voluntarily adopt. States may choose to include additional standards
beyond the common core as long as the common core represents at least 85
percent of the state's standards in English language arts and
mathematics.
"Measuring our students against international benchmarks is an
important step," said Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine. "Today, we live
in a world without borders. It not only matters how Virginia students
compare to those in surrounding states - it matters how we compete with
countries across the world."
The NGA and CCSSO are coordinating the process to develop these
standards and have created an expert validation committee to provide an
independent review of the common core state standards, as well as the
grade-by-grade standards. This committee will be composed of nationally
and internationally recognized and trusted education experts who are
neutral to - and independent of - the process. The college- and
career-ready standards are expected to be completed in July;
grade-by-grade standards work is expected to be completed in December.
Founded in 1908, the NGA is the collective voice of the nation's
governors. Its members are the governors of the 50 states, three
territories and two commonwealths. CCSSO is a nonpartisan nonprofit
organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and
secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the
Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state
jurisdictions.
Source: SC Department of Education
