Business leaders stand behind Common Core standards because they prepare students for a globally competitive world, says Cheryl Oldham, vice president of the Center for Education and Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation on The74million.org.

"This fall, more states will be releasing test scores on new assessments aligned to high standards. Chances are these scores will look lower than in previous years. The scores, however, aren’t lower. They are more accurate," Oldham says.

Indeed, states have anticipated that test scores for new Common Core-aligned assessments would be low. But despite wide media coverage on confusing test questions and faulty test implementation, Oldham argues that regardless of early challenges the standards are raised to better prepare children for college and career.

"These new assessments move away from a system of fill-in-the-bubble tests. Students now show their work, explain their answers, and truly demonstrate mastery of the content—in a way that has not been done before," she says.

In order to highlight the changing education landscape and the positive effect of higher standards, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has developed a website called Achieve Tomorrow that includes a state-by-state map with student proficiency rates, "college remediation and completion rates, the job outlook in 2020, and the skills gap that each state faces in filling future jobs."

The site also comes in handy because it provides detailed information about the Common Core and exposes myths about the standards, such as correcting misinformation concerning federal involvement and the standards' role in teacher evaluations. This is particularly important because recent polls have revealed that despite many people having passionate opinions on the Common Core, many are misinformed on what they actually entail. That resource can be found here.

"As students get settled in after the morning bell, think about the challenges ahead for your children in school, in work, and in life. It’s good to know that they’ll be prepared," Oldham concludes.

Read Oldham's full post here and comment with your thoughts below.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

09/22/2015