Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) supports the adoption of Common Core State Standards. Setting high, clear, and consistent expectations for student learning is essential to improving educational outcomes for all Arkansas students and closing racial and socio-economic gaps in achievement.
The Common Core State Standards provide a benchmark for measuring student progress and ensuring accountability for all aspects of the P-16 education system (preschool through higher education). For the first time, students in one district will know not just how they stack up against students in other districts, but how they compare to students in most other states and internationally. They will also know in which areas they need to improve their performance to compete in today’s increasingly global economy.
To this end, we believe the full benefits of implementing the Common Core State Standards will be realized only if accompanied by evidence-based resources to ensure that disadvantaged, low-income students can succeed and grow under the new standards. Arkansas should put forward a comprehensive strategy to improve access to quality early childhood education; improve student attendance so children are in the classroom and able to learn; reduce the summer learning slide for disadvantaged students; promote parental and community involvement in education; and improve classroom instruction in our lowest-performing schools.
In addition, if districts with large numbers of low-income students and/or fewer resources are to compete with richer and better equipped districts, it will be important for them to receive the support they need to effectively introduce and implement the new standards. This includes access to broadband and other technology; adequate instructional materials and equipment; adequate instructional time; strategies for remedial support; and support for professional development for teachers.
The full benefits of a Common Core will be realized only if the opportunity and achievement gap for low-income students is made a top priority and the needs of low-income students and districts are addressed in an equitable fashion so they can succeed.
AACF recently released three documents aimed at helping low-income parents understand Common Core State Standards.