Will changing course on math lower curriculum standards?

Rigor will remain high, more students will have more options.

By John D. Barge

Two years ago, our current 11th graders entered high school taking the Georgia Performance Standards in math. The standards are much more rigorous than the old curriculum, which I applaud. However, at the same time we raised the rigor, we created the perfect storm.

We had a major shift in the way the curriculum was delivered — from a discrete approach to an integrated one. Then, the economy took its sharp decline, providing few resources for teacher professional development. A group of teachers from each school district received a few days of training, and then were expected to go back and train all of the teachers in their own district. That is not the ideal way to roll out a brand new curriculum.

While I don’t believe there is a right or wrong way for the delivery of our math curriculum, I do believe students learn differently and should be given the option of learning through a different teaching method. The integrated approach is not working for all of our students, and we are responsible for preparing all of them!

That’s why I applaud the action our State Board of Education recently took to give local school districts the flexibility to choose what is best for their students. They know their students much better than we do at the state level. With either delivery model, the rigor of the current mathematics standards will not be compromised.

The State Board also allowed students who have struggled under this math delivery to receive core academic credit for the support courses that go along with Math I, Math II and Math III.

Some would say we are retreating from the rigor by allowing credit for these support classes because our graduation rule requires students to complete at least through Math III. I can certainly see why some may think that; however, I would say this is a recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach to mathematics and graduation is counterproductive to the expectation that we prepare students to lead successful lives when they leave us, regardless of their postsecondary paths.

Our current graduation rule requires that all students earn four units of math to graduate, including Math I through Math III, and a fourth math course. On our current integrated delivery model, Math III is the equivalent of trigonometry and statistics. So, even students with learning disabilities in mathematics must complete trigonometry and statistics in order to earn a diploma. Rigorous expectations? Absolutely. Realistic expectations? No.

We currently have thousands of students in 11th grade who have one or no math credits toward the four required to graduate. Without allowing these students to earn credit for their support classes, many of them will ultimately give up on high school, simply because they couldn’t grasp the concepts of math in an integrated fashion.

Our current GPS math curriculum is far more rigorous than our previous curriculum, meaning a student who graduates with Math I and II, as well as Math I and II Support, is far better prepared in mathematics than he or she would have been under our old curriculum.

While this isn’t an ideal situation, I would rather these students have options for careers and/or another form of postsecondary education or training when they leave us.

Let me be clear, I don’t believe in just giving out a high school diploma to students that haven’t earned it. But, many of these students have shown in multiple ways that they deserve it.

The intervention we provided this week for our high school students doesn’t lower the rigorous bar we’ve set; it simply gives them other opportunities to be successful. Without this intervention, the door to the future for thousands of our young people will be closed.


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Communities In Schools of Laurens County Achieves National Accreditation

/PRNewswire/ -- Communities In Schools of Laurens County, a youth serving organization that provides school-based and after-school programs for students and the families served, has achieved National Accreditation by demonstrating compliance with all Communities In Schools Total Quality System (TQS) standards.

The TQS standards define expectations for effective non-profit business practices and for implementing the Communities In Schools model of integrated student support services at school sites. The site standards are based on a five-year, longitudinal national evaluation conducted by an independent, outside evaluator that documented the impact of the Communities In Schools model. The evaluation revealed that schools implementing the Communities In Schools model with high fidelity had higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and performed better than comparison schools in increasing the percentage of students meeting or exceeding math and reading proficiency in 4th and 8th grades, a crucial predictor of high school graduation.

Key initiatives in CIS of Laurens County include the Certified Literate Community Program, Reading Is Fundamental, AmeriCorps Reading Tutorial Program, Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA), The Loft Teen Center, Youth Excelling and Succeeding Program, and a CIS Performance Learning Center (PLC) that provides another learning option for high school students who are not succeeding the traditional school setting.

Communities In Schools developed the Total Quality System to establish clear operational guidelines that ensure uniform quality and improved outcomes for all students being served by Communities In Schools affiliates. The TQS system is part of an organization-wide commitment to evidence-based practice and the highest standards of accountability.

"We are proud to have achieved our accreditation as it underlies the value of complying with the high set of standards put in place by Communities In Schools National," said Jackie Curtis, CIS Executive Director of Laurens County.

Communities In Schools of Laurens County is among the first to receive its national accreditation among the nearly 200 local affiliates that comprise the Communities In Schools network in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

Communities In Schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS partners with local school districts and community organizations to connect needed resources and services to kids and families. In Georgia, 41 CIS local affiliates and 19 Performance Learning Centers® (PLCs) provide services to more than 130,000 students in 54 school districts. Key initiatives include mentoring, parent education, tutoring, literacy, after-school programs, youth leadership, and PLCs. Communities sponsoring CIS programs have seen an increase in their school graduation rates, a decrease in violence and disruptions, and an increase in attendance and academic achievement. For more information, visit www.cislc.org or call 478-274-0394.

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2010 College-Bound Seniors Results Underscore Importance of Academic Rigor

/PRNewswire/ -- More college-bound students in the class of 2010 took the SAT® than in any other high school graduating class in history, the College Board announced today. Nearly 1.6 million students from this year's graduating class participated in the college-going process by taking the SAT, and their overall performance underscored the critical role that course-taking patterns and academic rigor play in college readiness.

"Engaging students with more rigorous course work and demanding higher standards are critical in providing America's students with an education that will prepare them to compete in the 21st-century economy," said College Board President Gaston Caperton. "This report confirms that there are no tricks and there are no shortcuts to college readiness. Students who take more rigorous courses in high school are more prepared to succeed in college and beyond."

Impact of Course-Taking Patterns on College Readiness

Students in the class of 2010 who reported completing a core curriculum -- defined as four or more years of English, three or more years of mathematics, three or more years of natural science, and three or more years of social science and history -- scored, on average, 151 points higher on the SAT than those who did not complete a core curriculum.

Academic Intensity Influences SAT Performance

In addition to course-taking patterns, the rigor of a student's course work also plays a critical role in college readiness. As in previous years, students in the class of 2010 who reported taking the most demanding honors or Advanced Placement® courses performed better on the SAT.

"The SAT is a proven indicator of college readiness and a valuable tool in connecting students to college success and opportunity," said Laurence Bunin, senior vice president of the College Board's College Connection & Success System. "It is critical that all students -- especially those traditionally underrepresented in higher education -- have access to the curriculum that best prepares them for college. That is why the College Board has worked so closely on the Common Core State Standards Initiative and why we have expanded our fee-waiver program. Every student in America should have access to a world-class education that will prepare them to compete in a global economy."

SAT Alignment to the Common Core State Standards

The College Board has been one of the original partner organizations in the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS) since its launch in spring 2009. As part of this partnership, the College Board helped draft the original College and Career Readiness Standards, provided feedback on the K-12 standards and served on the advisory group that guided the initiative. Currently, 37 states have officially adopted the Common Core State Standards, and the College Board is committed to helping states and districts understand how to implement these new common standards.

The College Board has prepared an alignment study, to be released this fall, that examines the relationship between the Common Core State Standards and the SAT in the areas of critical reading, writing and mathematics. The study concludes that all of the knowledge and skills topics tested on the SAT are represented in the Common Core State Standards. The SAT's alignment with the CCSS means that states and districts that have adopted the Common Core State Standards can incorporate the SAT into their assessment implementation plans. Furthermore, states and districts can be confident that students whose curriculum is tied to the Common Core State Standards will be acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed on the SAT.

The PSAT/NMSQT® Provides Path to SAT Success

In addition to a core curriculum and rigorous course work, the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) is another important step on the path to college readiness. The PSAT/NMSQT provides valuable tools that can help students and educators identify the students' academic strengths and weaknesses in time to prepare for the SAT and education opportunities beyond high school. Of the SAT takers in the class of 2010, 80.8 percent reported taking the PSAT/NMSQT.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures the same skills as the SAT, and students who take the PSAT/NMSQT generally perform better on the SAT. Students in the class of 2010 who took the PSAT/NMSQT before taking the SAT had a higher combined score of 146 points, on average, than students who did not take the PSAT/NMSQT.

SAT Fee-Waiver Program Benefits 1 in 5 Students

In keeping with its mission to connect students to college success and opportunity, the College Board provides SAT fee waivers to low-income students for whom exam fees would present an unnecessary barrier in the college-going process. Nearly 1 out of every 5 students in the 2010 cohort who took the SAT utilized fee waivers, and the College Board granted more than $30 million in fee waivers and related services to qualifying students in the class of 2010.

SAT Participation Increases

Nearly 1.6 million students in the class of 2010 participated in the college-going process by taking the SAT during high school. In addition to being the largest class of SAT takers ever, the class of 2010 has the distinction of being the most diverse group of test-takers in the 84-year history of the SAT. Of the SAT takers in the class of 2010, 41.5 percent were minority students, up from 40.0 percent in 2009 and 28.6 percent in 2000. In the last decade, minority participation in the SAT grew 78.3 percent.

SAT Performance Stable as More Students Test

This year's college-bound seniors averaged 501 in critical reading, 516 in mathematics and 492 in writing. On a long-term basis, students' mathematics scores have experienced an upward trend and are now two points higher than in 2000 and 15 points higher than in 1990, while students' critical reading scores have declined four points in the last decade but are one point higher than in 1990.

Research Continues to Demonstrate the Value of the SAT in College Admission and Retention

The SAT is an extremely valuable tool for determining students' college readiness. Last year the College Board released an updated validity study showing that the SAT and high school grade point average (HSGPA) are equally predictive in determining first-year college grade point average (FYGPA). As always, the combination of SAT scores and HSGPA is the best predictor of FYGPA.

The SAT is also useful in predicting college success beyond the first year. An upcoming research study examining the validity of the SAT in predicting second-year cumulative GPA shows that the SAT remains a strong predictor of college success even into a student's second year in college. Future research will examine the predictive validity of the SAT in terms of college grade point average through the third and fourth years, and finally graduation.

College completion is at the top of College Board and national education agendas. Student retention into the second and third years of college is a critical step toward achieving higher graduation rates. College Board research demonstrates that the SAT can be used by admission personnel to help predict the likelihood that a student will return to school. Research on second-year retention (2009) and third-year retention (in press) shows that SAT performance is related to a students' likelihood of returning to school, even after accounting for HSGPA.

The 2010 College-Bound Seniors Total Group Profile Report and the State Profile Reports are available at http://www.collegeboard.com/SATpress. The 1,597,329 SAT takers in the class of 2010 include all students who took the SAT through June 2010. The college-bound seniors cohort traditionally has included students who tested through March of their senior year. However, the College Board has observed a trend in which more students are taking the SAT for the first time in May or June of their senior year and is expanding the cohort to include this group of college-bound students. Trend data in the 2010 College-Bound Seniors Total Group Profile Report and the 2010 College-Bound Seniors State Profile Reports include students in the class of 2010 who took the SAT through March of their senior year. Beginning in 2011, college-bound seniors trend data will include students who took the SAT through June of their senior year.

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Campaign for High School Equity Calls on Community Leaders, Parents to Advocate for Equity in Implementation of Common Core State Standards

/PRNewswire/ -- While each year nearly 28,000 students of color do not graduate from Georgia high schools, the State Board of Education's recent decision to pass Common Core State Standards presents a critical opportunity to close the achievement gap and graduate every student in the state prepared for college and work. That was the message the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE) shared with Georgia's education and community leaders at meetings this week to discuss strategies for successful implementation of Common Core State Standards.

"Common Core State Standards present a viable solution for our students, but this framework is not a silver bullet," said Michael Wotorson, executive director of CHSE. "These standards have the potential to build upon, strengthen, and advance the already-established Georgia Performance Standards and create benchmarks for truly understanding and measuring every student's achievement. But as implementation of the standards takes shape, we need to remember we're at the beginning of the process. The efficacy of this effort will be defined by the role that communities of color have in its implementation."

Yesterday, CHSE joined the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), 100 Black Men of Atlanta, and the W.E.B. Du Bois Society in hosting a meeting for Georgia parents, the local PTA, and other equity stakeholders in the state to develop a clear, collective understanding of Common Core State Standards among members of the community whose involvement will be necessary for the successful implementation of the framework in the state.

"Common Core State Standards reassure parents in Georgia that, regardless of where they live, their children will receive an adequate education that will prepare them with the necessary skills and knowledge to be competitive in a global economy," said Isabel Sance, Atlanta program director for MALDEF. "But in order for all children to benefit from this initiative, the necessary support for teachers, students, and parents needs to be in place when the standards are implemented at each school."

According to CHSE, standards that do not take the unique needs of students of color into account will miss the mark and ultimately do communities across the country a disservice, making it critical that communities become engaged in the implementation of Common Core State Standards. Specifically, parents and leaders in the community must call on state education authorities to ensure that communities of color and Native communities are integral partners in the implementation and evaluation of Common Core State Standards; that standards are aligned to assessments and professional development for teachers and adequate student support systems; that the concerns of communities of color and Native communities are addressed; and that standards are aligned to appropriate assessments for reliably measuring student achievement.

For more information about Common Core State Standards and effective strategies for implementation that ensures every student benefits, regardless of race, ethnicity, or zip code, visit www.highschoolequity.org/common-standards, follow CHSE on Twitter (@hsequity), and join the CHSE community on Facebook.

CHSE is a coalition of leading civil rights organizations representing communities of color that is focused on high school education reform. Members include the National Urban League, National Council of La Raza, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, League of United Latin American Citizens, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, Alliance for Excellent Education, National Indian Education Association, and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center.

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State Board of Education Adopts Common Core State Standards‏

The State Board of Education yesterday adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. These state-led academic standards were initiated by the National Governor's Association (NGA), co-chaired by Governor Sonny Perdue, and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The CCSS for grades K-12 were developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders including content experts, states, teachers, school administrators and parents.

“The State Board's vote to adopt the Common Core State Standards is a huge step toward giving us a meaningful comparison of our students’ achievement with that of students in other states," said State Board of Education Chair Wanda Barrs. "Our students will be competing for jobs with students from all over the world and we must be able to compare ourselves to the rest of the U.S. and other countries to ensure that we are providing students with the tools they need to be globally competitive."

The CCSS is a state-led initiative - not a federal mandate. Georgia teachers and other experts in standards setting have been at the table since the process began. When the expert development groups that the CCSSO and NGA pulled together began writing the standards in mathematics and English language arts, they built off of the work of states that had already developed rigorous college- and career-ready standards. Georgia was one of these select states, and when reading the CCSS, it is clear that there are many elements of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) throughout. Therefore, the adoption of the CCSS in Georgia will not be a drastic change for either teachers or students. Some of the standards are introduced at different grade levels, but teachers have, essentially, been implementing the CCSS while they’ve been teaching the GPS.

"Georgia has been ahead of the curve in the development of rigorous standards," said State School Superintendent Brad Bryant. "The Common Core standards enhance the Georgia Performance Standards and ensure that all of our students will be taught a world-class curriculum that will prepare them for college or a career."

The Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards are:

• Aligned with college and work expectations;
• Clear, understandable and consistent;
• Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
• Built upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
• Informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
• Evidence- and research-based.

"Today's students must be prepared to compete in a global economy," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "These state developed standards make sure that our students are prepared for college and the workforce."


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Governor Perdue joins NGA, CCSSO to Release Common State Academic Standards

Today the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) chose Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee to release a set of state-led education standards, the Common Core State Standards. The English-language arts and mathematics standards for grades K-12 were developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders including content experts, states, teachers, school administrators and parents. The standards establish clear and consistent goals for learning that will prepare America’s children for success in college and work.

Governor Sonny Perdue, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine, Florida Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools Andres Alonso, and Vice President of the National Education Association (NEA) Lily Eskelsen participated in today’s announcement in Suwanee and praised the work of the teams that developed the standards.

The event featured a panel discussion moderated by President of Alliance for Excellent Education and former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise with Parent-Teacher Association CEO Byron V. Garrett, Group Chief Executive of Accenture’s Health & Public Service Operating Group Steve Rohleder, Georgia State Board of Education Member Brad Bryant and Wisconsin 2010 Teacher of the Year Leah Luke. The release of the standards marks the conclusion of the development of the Common Core State Standards and signals the start of the adoption and implementation process by the states. The year-long process was led by governors and chief state school officers in 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia. The final standards were informed by nearly 10,000 public comments and by standards in other top performing countries so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy.

“America’s ability to compete globally depends on an education system that adequately prepares our students,” Governor Perdue said. “When American students have the skills and knowledge needed in today’s economy, our states and our communities will be positioned to develop a talented workforce that employers covet.”

“Our nation’s governors have committed to this year long effort to create a common set of high expectations for all students. The Common Core State Standards reflect our commitment to cooperation across states to provide the best education for our children and our understanding that strong schools lay the path towards long-term economic success,” said Delaware Governor Jack Markell, who joined via satellite from Delaware

“The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents have a roadmap for what they need to do to help them. Further, these standards provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live, and allow states to more effectively help all students to succeed,” commented Steve Paine, West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools. “I am excited to have a common framework from which to share best practices with fellow superintendents across the nation. With students, parents, and teachers all on the same page and working together for shared goals, we can ensure that students make progress each year and graduate from school prepared to succeed and build a strong future for themselves and the country.”

“The best understanding of what works in the classroom comes from the teachers who are in them. That is why these standards establish what students need to learn, but do not dictate how teachers should teach. Instead, the standards enable schools and teachers to decide how best to help students reach the standards,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith. “We are entering the most critical phase of the movement for Common Core State Standards. It is now up to states to adopt the standards and carry on the hard work of the educators and community leaders that worked to develop them.”

The State Board of Education in Georgia is expected to sign off on the common core standards this summer.

These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards are:

Aligned with college and work expectations;
Clear, understandable and consistent;
Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
Informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
Evidence- and research-based.
In the coming months, each state will follow its own procedures and processes for adoption of the Common Core State Standards. The NGA Center and CCSSO recognize that meaningful and effective implementation of the Common Core State Standards is critical to achieving these goals. To that end, the two organizations are continuing to work closely with a range of partners on how to best support states and districts as they move from adoption to implementation.


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K-12 Common Core State Standards Released March 10

he National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers March 10 released the first public draft of the K-12 standards as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, co-chaired by Governor Sonny Perdue.  The standards provide a consistent framework to prepare students for college and the workforce.

“Common education standards and assessments aligned to those standards are in the best interest of both Georgia and the nation,” said Governor Perdue.  “They will allow for an authentic, credible scoreboard that tells us how we are doing compared to students in other states.”

The standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that upon graduating high school they will be able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards are:

Aligned with college and work expectations;
Clear, understandable and consistent;
Rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
Built upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
Informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
Evidence- and research-based.


“Georgia has developed rigorous standards that are as good as any in the nation,” said State School Superintendent Kathy Cox.  “The Common Core will allow us to accurately compare our students’ achievement with our neighboring states.”

Currently every state operates with different standards making it impossible to accurately compare data nationally or internationally.  The Common Core State Standards is a state-led initiative that reflects the knowledge and skills students need to be successful in college and in the global economy.  Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia have committed to helping develop these standards. 

Parents, teachers, students and the public will have clear expectations for their state’s education program when the standards are adopted. They will be able to accurately compare progress nationally and internationally.  It will also allow textbooks, digital media, and curricula to be aligned with internationally benchmarked standards.  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.

 “In the 21st century, Georgia is competing on a national and international stage,” said State School Board Chair Wanda Barrs.  “It only makes sense that all states have common standards to strive for and compare themselves against.”

More information can be found at www.corestandards.org.

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Top Southern High Schools Receive Prestigious College Counseling Award

/24-7/ -- The 2009/2010 Standards Medal has been awarded to The Baylor School (http://www.baylorschool.org/) of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Northview High School (http://www.northviewhigh.com/) of Johns Creek, Georgia. This award for online excellence in secondary school college counseling is given annually to the top public and private high school in the southeast regional United States. Award sponsor Southern College Tour's VP and Director of Communications Shelley Conklin stated, "We are pleased to announce The Baylor School (Private) and Northview High School (Public) as our 2009/2010 winners. Well over one-thousand school websites were analyzed and evaluated AND as The Standards Medal description states, 'The selection process identified superior content, organization and programs contained within the college counseling section of a school's website. These criteria strongly reflect the overall quality of a school's commitment to assisting college-bound students with college planning, selection, and application.'."

To see a detailed description of The Standards Medal, the Finalists and Honorable Mentions, visit http://www.southerncollegetours.com/community.php. Southern College Tours is a leading educational consulting firm providing schools, students and their families all-inclusive southern region college tours and college preparation expertise.

Private Finalists: Ravenscroft School (NC), Forsyth Country Day (NC), The Walker School (GA), St Joseph's Catholic School (SC), and The Westminster Schools (GA). Public Finalists: Pope High School (GA), Kennesaw Mountain High School (GA), Riverside High School (NC), Spain Park High School (AL), and Green Hope High School (NC). There were ten honorable mentions per category. Private Honorable Mentions: Greater Atlanta Christian (GA), Charlotte Latin School (NC), Marist School (GA), Randolph School (AL), Pinewood Preparatory School (SC), Memphis University School (TN), Girls Preparatory School (TN), Providence Day School (NC), McCallie School (TN), and Lausanne Collegiate School (TN). Public Honorable Mentions: East Chapel H.S. (NC), Alpharetta H.S. (GA), Bearden H.S. (TN), Kell H.S. (GA), Virgil Grissom H.S. (AL), Crescent H.S. (SC), Spring Valley H.S. (SC), North Forsyth H.S. (NC), Scotts Hill H.S. (TN), and Maryville H.S. (TN).

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Georgia's "Race to the Top" by State Superintendent Kathy Cox

Georgia is in a "Race to the Top" and, in many respects, we're leading the way.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced recently that $5 billion in grants are being made available to states that – in his words – adopt "college and career-ready internationally benchmarked standards" and "state of the art data collection systems, assessments and curricula to meet these higher standards."

To me, it sounds like Secretary Duncan was reading straight from our Strategic Plan. For six years, Georgia has been focused on implementing a world-class curriculum, raising expectations and using quality data to make decisions. We have received high marks for the policies and standards we’ve put in place from groups across the nation.

But the journey to “the top” is not always smooth and raising standards is not easy. The truth is that the material that Georgia students are learning today is more rigorous than it has ever been and, consequently, the assessments they are taking are more difficult.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen the pass rates on our state tests – like the CRCT and End of Course Tests – drop in the first year we’ve implemented our new curriculum and given the new state exams. This is to be expected: Whenever you raise the bar, there’s going to be a temporary drop in the number of people that can reach that bar. That’s true in any situation.

The good news is that in the second and third year of the new curriculum we have seen test scores increase in all subjects and all grades.

However, in all the focus on tests, pass rates and percentages, it’s easy to forget the big picture: The mission of our public school system is to prepare students to be successful in life. In the 21st century we must make sure our students have higher order thinking and analytical skills, the ability to communicate clearly and a deeper understanding of mathematics and science.

We could certainly keep our standards low and get high test scores that make everyone feel good, but how does that help our students? Ultimately, we would be setting them up for failure later as they go on in their education and in life.

Instead, we are following a national, bipartisan call for higher standards and higher expectations for all students, regardless of whether they plan to attend college, go right into the workplace or both.

So, what does this rigor look like?

Most of this year’s 9th graders took the new Mathematics I or Accelerated Mathematics I classes, which include parts of Algebra, Geometry and Statistics. These new courses are certainly more challenging than the old Algebra I class, as is the new Mathematics I End of Course Test (EOCT).

This is a “field test” year for the Math I EOCT, so the results won’t count, but I’m sure any 9th grader will tell you the test was very challenging (and I’m sure I’ll get a full report from my 9th grader!)

In the coming weeks we will release some of the questions from the Math I EOCT to give the public an idea of what we are asking students to learn. When you see the questions, I think you’ll agree that we are asking our students to learn more rigorous mathematics.

Georgia is not going down this road alone. There are 35 states across the USA that are raising standards and asking all students – regardless of their plans after high school – to take a rigorous core of classes in mathematics, science, English language arts and social studies.

But in Georgia, we are ahead of the game and are combining those core academics with improved Career, Technical and Agricultural Education programs, increased public school choice options and innovative approaches that allow school-level educators to decide what is best for their students.

So, as the results of our state tests roll in over the next several weeks and months, please keep this in mind: If our students are going to win the race to the top, we must be dedicated to giving them the tools and information they need to run that race.

It won’t always be easy but, in the end, it will be worth it.

Kathy Cox, a parent and a veteran classroom teacher, is Georgia’s Superintendent of Schools.

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