Community Chat

[Financialgrl]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

I totally am in favor of national standards and the fact that the states go even beyond the national ones. I'd be fearful if it was totally up to individual states.

The question is how do we make sure that our children meet those standards? That is the eternal can of worms.

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@suzyQ3  I too am in favor of national standards.  I'm in northern VA and grew up around/with a lot of military families.   

One common complaint I heard from kids growing up was how hard it was moving every 3 or 4 years when it comes to their education.  They said it was pretty standard in younger grades but like a roller coaster once they hit middle school and forward. 

They'd often discuss that they'd be somewhere they felt they'd gotten a pretty good education and then the military rotation move to states where what was being taught they learned in the previous grade and move again and they now may be behind. 

There are a lot of different articles that show best places to live that often discuss education as one of the factors and all seem to consistently bear this out bc the same states tend to be at the top of the list regarding education and the same states are almost always often the same ones at the bottom. 

[suzyQ3]

Some despise government involvement so strongly that they would forgo positive steps just to keep their ideology pure. Our Constiution is a wonderful template but not meant to be an absolute blueprint nor give guidance to a world not possibly imagined centuries ago.

[JJsMom]

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@Still Stylish Lady wrote:

IMHO the federal government has no business dictating to local schools--period. It is up to the states and local communities. 

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I totally disagree.

[phoenixbrd]

@Cats3000   I have and I understand your concerns.  You might be interested in this information.

1. The U.S. Constitution leaves the responsibility for public K-12 education with the states.

   The responsibility for K-12 education rests with the states under the Constitution. There is also a compelling national interest in the quality of the nation's public schools. Therefore, the federal government, through the legislative process, provides assistance to the states and schools in an effort to supplement, not supplant, state support. The primary source of federal K-12 support began in 1965 with the enactment of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

   Annual Secondary Education Expenditures per Student

   ESEA authorizes grants for elementary and secondary school programs for children of low-income families; school library resources, textbooks and other instructional materials; supplemental education centers and services; strengthening state education agencies; education research; and professional development for teachers.

   The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is a reauthorization of ESEA. The law's express purposes are to raise achievement for all students and to close the achievement gap. This is done through accountability, research-based instruction, flexibility and options for parents, so that no child is left behind.

And we now have ESSA:

It covers all students in public schools. When it was passed in 2015, ESSA replaced the controversial No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The two laws are different, but they have some things in common. ... States must test students in reading and math once a year in grades 3 through 8, as well as once in high school.

When schools accept federal funding they become accountable.  

Also think you might be interested in the following:

Myth: The federal government will take over ownership of the Common Core State Standards initiative.

Fact: The federal government will not govern the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core was and will remain a state-led effort. The NGA Center and CCSSO are committed to developing a long-term governance structure with leadership from governors, chief state school officers, and other state policymakers to ensure the quality of the Common Core and that teachers and principals have a strong voice in the future of the standards. States and local school districts will drive implementation of the Common Core.  

[phoenixbrd]

@Financialgrl   For transient people (by design or otherwise), the national standards are critical for students.  Gone are the years when a child would move to a more progressive state educationally and find that the students are not prepared for their grade-level.  Military families were particularly subjected to this crisis.

Yes, you can find a lot of information if proactive.  I believe parents that are committed to their child's education are assertive regarding their schools and their ability to deliver high quality education.  Thank you for your comments.

[lovesrecess]

Am sure this thread won’t last long since it is political. I don’t think Common Core is a good thing...and I am a retired teacher. It bypasses local control of our children’s education and curriculum.

[lovesrecess]

All parents have the right to see the curriculum their child is being taught in the classroom, and also have the opportunity for input when it is adopted. Unfortunately, most parents don’t take advantage of this opportunity unless an issue arises.

[phoenixbrd]

We are discussing education in the thread and it has been wonderful to have communication that isn't political.  Everyone has been polite and thoughtful with their comments, even when expressing concerns.

The reason why this thread was started was to inform posters that social studies (including government education) is included in the classroom as it is a requirement of the standards.

I've enjoyed reading the posts and am appreciative of the insights and especially from the teachers who give so much of themselves and the concerned parents who work hard to support the educational goals of their children.  

I thank everyone who has supported and contributed to this civil thread.