Education Reform

The Common Core State Standards were developed after education officials became concerned over the lack of progress American students were making in the areas of math and language arts. After years of being outperformed by children in other countries, various stakeholders came together to devise a new set of standards that would raise the bar for student learning. The result was the Common Core, which took shape over the course of 2009 and was implemented in 2010. In the years since, 43 states, Washington, D.C., the education wing of the Department of Defense, and several U.S. territories have adopted the standards.

Developed by Experts

The Common Core standards represent a cooperative effort between dozens of officials including governors, teachers, curriculum design experts, and researchers. However, two agencies, the National Governors Association for Best Practices (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the charge for the creation of the standards and continue to lead the ongoing efforts to implement the standards nationwide.

Throughout the design process, the NGA and CCSSO relied on input from content-area experts, teachers, and even parents to devise standards that are both rigorous and relevant to a modern-day education. The authors of the standards also worked with higher education officials, workforce trainers, and employers to ensure the standards facilitated the development of knowledge and skills required for success in college, at the workplace, and in life.

Purpose of the Standards

The standards-based

The Common Core State Standards began, in part, as the brainchild of Janet Napolitano, former governor of Arizona. As the chairperson of the National Governors Association in 2006-2007, Napolitano created a task force on education that released a report calling for standardized benchmarks in education. That report eventually formed the basis of the Common Core State Standards, which thus far have been adopted by 45 states, Washington, D.C., four U.S. territories and the educational branch of the Department of Defense.

This video offers a guide to the Common Core State Standards.

Today, the Common Core is a set of high-quality, rigorous standards that outline what children should learn, know and be able to do at each grade level in the areas of math and language arts. The standards seek to address the variability between state-level educational standards that have for years produced high school graduates with widely ranging academic abilities.

Benefits of Common Core

The Common Core Standards are both relevant and rigorous. Students are engaged in activities that build higher-ordered analytical skills, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills that are necessary for success in today’s world. In that regard, the standards are not focused solely on the acquisition of knowledge, but the application of that knowledge as well. Additionally, in states where the standards have been adopted, students receive comparable instruction no matter who their teacher is or what school they

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

As public school students get their fill of lazy, carefree summer days, their state school boards are grappling with new federal Common Core Standards slated to go into effect this year. States that were quick to grab onto the funding that was dangled with the standards are now realizing that implementation of those standards is meeting more than a little resistance. As students play outdoors with friends and enjoy long, leisurely bike rides, their local schools are embroiled in a battle, with no sign of a resolution in time for the fall semester.

In 2026, this opening reflects the debate occurring when the article was originally published. The Common Core State Standards were a state-led initiative rather than federal standards, and states have since made their own decisions about retaining, revising, or replacing them.

This video explains Common Core.

Teacher Complaints Have North Carolina Rethinking Plans

North Carolina was one of the 45 states in the country to sign on for Common Core Standards, thanks to the $166 million state school districts received in Race to the Top funding. However, as the state tries to rewrite curriculum, and fast, to accommodate the new standards, education officials are realizing the process of switching over to the new requirements won’t be easy.

News Observer reports that the state department of education has received

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

Math and science are the backbone of the education system in the United States today, as STEM fields come to the forefront of the global marketplace. However, if one examines the test scores of U.S. students, it becomes clear that many students in this country are not achieving the math and science proficiency needed to make the grade. As the U.S. continues to face competition in math and science on a global scale, many educators and business leaders are leading the charge for more rigorous math and science requirements in high schools. Will more math and science really make the U.S. more competitive?

U.S. Lagging Other Industrial Countries

In 2012, William Bennett, the former U.S. Education Secretary, reported at CNN that the United States scored 23rd in math and 31st in science among 65 participating education systems. The Wall Street Journal also issued a report, citing a warning in a report from the United States National Academies that stated the U.S. was losing ground in both math and science skills. Even as the U.S. has made some improvements in math and science test scores over the years, the country continues to face challenges in these key areas.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that U.S. students scored close to the OECD average in mathematics and above the average in science. However,

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

‘Tis the season for standardized testing at public schools across the country, as school districts gear up for statewide testing that provides a glimpse into how and what students are learning. The season is not typically met with happy anticipation by most students and teachers; in fact, the mood may better be described as anxiety and even trepidation. In a few areas of the nation, students and teachers are taking matters into their own hands, organizing boycotts of tests that some say are a waste of valuable instruction hours and an inaccurate gauge of how well schools are teaching and students are learning.

Portland Opts Out

With the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) examinations looming in Portland, some students decided that enough was enough when it came to the statewide testing process. Members of the Portland Student Union launched an opt-out campaign to protest the examinations with a district-wide boycott by students. According to reports at the time, members of the student union encouraged other students to boycott the examinations by opting out on test days.

In 2026, OAKS has been replaced by the Oregon Statewide Assessment System (OSAS). The Oregon Department of Education provides current assessment administration information and opt-out forms for Oregon families.

This video reports the situation with Portland students protesting standardized tests.

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