Understanding Common Core Common Core (CCSS)

Common Core (CCSS) is an educational initiative that was implemented back in 2010. Its main purpose was to create a national set of guidelines for all of the states to follow.

Prior to this, each state set and followed its own educational standards; however, this created a marked inconsistency among students in the country. As outlined in a detailed report by an educational website, the overall goal of Common Core is to help children be on more equal footing with one another in the various states and throughout the world—as well as at the highest level possible. It should also be mentioned that, since its implementation, states still have their own criteria; however, CCSS has helped greatly in making learning more consistent in the US.

Common Core was developed by parents, teachers, school chiefs, colleges and universities. Though when it was initially put together, it was decided that it would not be mandatory for states to adopt its criteria. Even so, 45 states and the District of Columbia have since implemented the standards, according to the Core Standards website.

To assist a child at a vocational school, college, university, or at the entry-level point of his or her career, the main objective of CCSS is for a K-12 student to have certain knowledge and particular skills by the time he or she has completed high school. CCSS is split up into two parts: English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics. Based on an article in Education World, the Common Core learning objectives in these two areas outline what a child should know and can do by the end of each grade.

Finding academic resources that support an English Language Learner’s (ELL) first language, such as The Latino Family Literacy Project, can make a huge difference in learning a language and in his or her schooling.