Shaping Rigorous, World-Class Standards
Concerns are rising about the quality of state content standards and the extensive technical and political energy required to revise and update state standards. In today’s globally competitive, high-tech society, students need experiences grounded in rigorous, internationally benchmarked standards and skills that prepare them for college and the workplace.
To create a civil discourse about what rigorous, internationally benchmarked standards means for the nation, the Hunt Institute collaborated with the National Research Council (NRC) to examine current state standards and their role in our education system. A series of workshops revealed that the level of variability among state standards was even more pronounced than previously reported. In addition, standards are not consistently challenging between subjects or between grade levels, and many topics are repeated year after year.
The Hunt Institute will continue working with the NRC to investigate other pertinent issues for standards-based education. To learn more on the NRC findings, access Blueprint Number 1, Blueprint Number 2, and Blueprint Number 3.
Statement from Gov. Jim Hunt on Vote to Adopt the Common Core - June 3, 2010
Statement from Gov. Jim Hunt on NC SBE Vote to Adopt the Common Core.
Statement from Gov. Jim Hunt on Release of Common Core State Standards - June 2, 2010
Statement from James B. Hunt, Jr., Chairman of the Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership and
Policy and former governor of North Carolina on the official public release of the K-12 Common Core State Standards by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers.
Nation's Urban School Leaders Endorse Common Core Standards
WASHINGTON, June 1, 2010 – More than 50 superintendents, chancellors and CEOs of the nation's big-city public school systems have signed a letter supporting common core state standards to prepare students for success in college and careers.
Learn more about the Common Core State Standards Initiative here.
Valuable Web resources related to common state standards:
Understanding Common Core State Standards - Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a video that was recorded at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute event "Understanding Common Core State Standards" held April 22, 2010, in Washington, D.C. The event provided participants—both at the Fordham Institute and via the Web—an opportunity to learn more about content, organization, and focus of the standards, as well as how they can provide a solid foundation for improving student achievement.
National Education Standards: Getting Beneath the Surface (PDF, 673KB) explores the history, the facts, the choices, the risks, and the possibilities that are relevant in coming to a decision about establishing national standards. The document, published by the Educational Testing Service Policy Information Center, references the Hunt Institute's collaboration with the National Research Council.
International Lessons about National Standards, prepared by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, takes a look at other countries that have already adopted national standards and tests and analyzes lessons learned.