The Real Story Behind the Common Core Michael Cohen President, Achieve May 18, 2014

States are the Laboratories of American Democracy 2

States: Leaders of the Standards Movement Since 1980s 3 Time for Results —NGA, 1986 National Education Summit & Goals —1989 States Develop Standards: NY, CA, KY, AR, VT —early 1990s 49 States Adopt State Standards —by 1999 Diploma Project Network —2005 Out of Many, One —Achieve, 2008 Benchmarking for Success NGA, CCSSO, Achieve —2008

Feds Have Contributed $ But Not Content 4 USED grants to states, national orgs Bush Admin. proposes American Achievement Exams; Congress fails to enact Goals 2000 & Improving America’s Schools Act enacted Clinton Admin. proposes Voluntary National Tests; Congress fails to fund NCLB enacted

50 Different State Standards & Tests, Common Weaknesses 5 State Standards Not Aligned with Real World Demands of College and Careers =

The American Diploma Project Network 6 35 States Collaborate to Align State Standards to Real World Demands

ADP Network States 7 Identifying Common Core of College and Career Ready Standards

Common Core State Standards Initiative Launched in 2009 State Leaders Chose to Address Weaknesses Collaboratively Coordinated By NGA & CCSSO Yearlong Process Results Supported by Unions, Business & Higher Ed Adopted by 45 States, D.C. and DODEA 8

Common Myths About the Common Core 9 “Common Core Will Lead to Federal Curriculum” “Common Core Violates Federal Laws” “Common Core is a Vast Federal Overreach by the Obama Administration” “Common Core is a Conspiracy Led by the Gates Foundation, Big Business and the American Legislative Exchange Council”