K-12 Curriculum Development

 
 
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Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
On Saturday, March 13, the Obama administration released its blueprint for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which would ask states to adopt college- and career-ready standards and reward schools for producing dramatic gains in student achievement. The proposal challenges the nation to embrace educational standards that would put America on a path to global leadership.  Educators may read the Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the ESEA at Blueprint for Reform.

Common Core State Standards Initiative
As part of theCommon Core State Standards Initiative, the draft K-12 standards are now available for public comment. These draft standards, developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, seek to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.  The standards are open for public comment until Friday, April 2.  Click here to take the online survey.

Common Core State Standards Initiative FAQs

16 Finalists Announced in Phase 1 of Race to the Top Competition
States competing for Race to the Top funds were asked to document past education reform successes, as well as outline plans to: extend reforms using college and career-ready standards and assessments; build a workforce of highly effective educators; create educational data systems to support student achievement; and turn around their lowest-performing schools.  To learn more about Race to the Top, the sixteen finalists and how they were selected, and the timeline for distributing funds to states visit Race to the Top - Next Steps.

Additional Resources for Educators:

Ten Steps to Equity in Education - Policy Brief
Organisation For Economic Co-Operation and Development

National Education Standards: Getting Beneath the Surface (Free Online)
Education Testing Service (ETS) - 2009
By Paul E. Barton

A Test For Our Nation
The Huffington Post - Nov. 21, 2009
By Linda Darling-Hammond

Benchmarking for Success:
Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-Class Education 
(December 2008)

Comments regarding one of more of these documents are welcome.  The best way to play a role in education reform is to become part of the process.  While comments posted on this page will not help with education reform, K-12 Curriculum Development provides a forum for educators to share ideas, resources, and thoughts on issues which impact K-12 education.

Please read the documents listed in this article and make certain to take time to leave your feedback regarding the Common Core State Standards Initiative and the Reauthorization of ESEA.  Education matters and your voice matters as we seek to support all students and their right to a free and appropriate education. 
 
 
In 2009, the National Governors Association developed a policy position
regarding education reform.  The policy position outlines the role of governors, alignment of the education system, state accountability systems, adequate yearly progress, rigorous curricula, funding, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and voluntary international benchmarking. 

The following excerpt from the policy position shows how far the United States has come since the No Child Left Behind Act became law and it shows the commitment of the National Governors Association to continue seeking methods for supporting public education, while holding educators and policy makers accountable to high standards in all fifty states.

"Education is primarily and properly a state responsibility. Governors also
 recognize the important and supporting role of the federal government in 
 education. The federal government can assist states by providing extra
 and essential assistance for students most in need, recognizing and
 assisting teachers, and supporting governors’ leadership authority
 through NCLB.

  In reauthorizing NCLB, Congress should reinforce and support sound
  state education practices, roll back restrictions on states’ ability to align
  and integrate delivery systems for students, assist and recognize the
  needs of our nation’s teachers, and ultimately, support state efforts to
  raise student achievement. For this reason, governors urge Congress to
  adopt and support the following recommendations to further reform
  elementary and secondary education" 
                                                   (National Governors Association,2009).

As of the fall of 2009, two years after the 2001 law was set to expire,
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and No Child Left
Behind Act still has not been reauthorized. It is possible that Congress will
reauthorize ESEA in 2010 or 2011.  Teachers, families, tax payers, politicians, policy makers, state departments of education, local education agencies and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to address state standards,
curriculum and instruction, and state assessments.

What are your thoughts regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act and No Child Left Behind?  Should the United States develop national standards for education?  Should NCLB remain the same?  Should a dramatic overhaul take place?  If No Child Left Behind supports student achievement, then how can it be improved?

References:
National Governors Association. (2008). Benchmarking for success: Ensuring
       U.S. students receive a world-class education. Retrieved September 18,
       2009, from http://www.achieve.org/files/BenchmarkingforSuccess.pdf.

National Governors Association. (2009). Policy position: Education reform.
Retrieved October 20, 2009, from http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.8358ec82f5b198d1
8a278110501010a0/?vgnextoid=20ca9e2f1b091010VgnVCM1000001a01010aR
CRD

No Child Left Behind Act, Public Law 107-110. (2002). Retrieved October 22,
   2009, from http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/107-110.pdf.