Standards

Argument: Common Standards Are a Matter of Equity

By Mary Ann Zehr — December 17, 2009 1 min read
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National common standards would make expectations for all students to succeed academically more equitable, contends Bob Rothman, a senior fellow for the Alliance for Excellent Education, in a brief released today by that organization.

In arguing for why common standards are necessary, Rothman says that low-income youth and children of color “too often” face lower expectations in school. He indicates that a lack of common standards across states contributes to gaps between students in how they are prepared for colleges and careers. That leads to disparities in income. “All students, no matter their background or career aspirations, need to be prepared for postsecondary education.”

Common standards, he believes, would help to rectify this problem.

What do you think? Would common core standards be a good deal especially for low-income and minority students?

A version of this news article first appeared in the Curriculum Matters blog.