In response to the global pressure that has led to an increased emphasis on international comparisons of student achievement since the 1980s, multiple federal reforms aimed at producing greater consistency in curricula have been initiated in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of a national curriculum and…

To foster proper educational growth and to ensure equal scholastic opportunities for students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) in the United States of America, the state governors and chief school officers established the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Teachers being at the forefront in realizing the goals of these standards,…

This article examines the Common Core State Standards Initiative and provides a policy analysis of issues concerning its implementation as a policy initiative to achieve education reform in the U.S. Aside from highlighting developments concerning this policy initiative, it examines the origins of this movement toward adopting common core state…

The California State Board of Education (SBE) adopted the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to transform science teaching and learning in K-12 schools in 2013. The new standards emphasize "three-dimensional learning": disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices. They are aligned…

Instructional technologist plays an important role in K-12 CCSS transition. However, few studies were conducted to explore what roles instructional technologist has played in technology integration during CCSS transition. This study explored the roles of instructional technologists in technology integration. This study also investigated the…

Writing is a cornerstone in the K-12 experience. Students write to demonstrate, support, and deepen understanding of themselves, their relationships, and their world--and to succeed on achievement tests in all subjects. Writing proficiency sets students up for postsecondary success and workforce participation. It facilitates their social and civic…

Reading and writing translate to centuries of shared knowledge and can be expanded upon with the ability to acquire multiple tongues. In response to today's most widely spoken languages, Chinese/English and Spanish/English dual language immersion programs continue to grow across the United States. Unfortunately, the lack of uniformity in the…

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) represent an historic shift in K-12 curricular policy. Yet,few have explicitly traced the lineage of the CCSS and linked them to the decades-old standards-based reform movement. This essay situates the CCSS within the larger historical context of standards-based reform. It concludes with a discussion of…

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) began to take form when dozens of educators from across the country were led by governors and chief state school officers in gathering and reviewing the academic standards of states that had the best outcomes. Their goal was to determine what the current best academic standards were in the country and then…

In 2010, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) released the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-12 English language arts/literacy and mathematics. CCSS are a state-led effort to define the knowledge and skills students need to graduate from high school…

Advocates of more connected approaches to teaching the STEM subjects argue that such integration, especially in the context of real-world issues, can make these fields more relevant to students and ultimately increase their motivation and achievement. However, there is little research on how best to integrate the STEM disciplines or on what…

This brief focuses on the potential role of County Offices of Education (COEs) in bridging the state's vision for college and career readiness with the implementation needs of local districts and schools. After summarizing the work of 10 COEs that are known for supporting districts in increasing college and career readiness, the brief raises…

All over the world, schools are tasked with the objective of preparing young adults to be contributing members of society. Perhaps no other content area is as important in this task than the field of social studies. Unfortunately, social studies continue to be a marginalized field in the United States. This article seeks to explore the dynamics of…

This brief summarizes lessons from "positive outlier" districts in California that have excelled at helping African American, Latino/a, and White students achieve at high levels on new assessments of academic standards in English language arts and mathematics, after accounting for students' socioeconomic status. Drawing on case studies…

The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy (CCSS-ELA) were adopted by approximately forty states (though in some cases, with significant revisions). However, researchers are still trying to understand how teachers are implementing the CCSS-ELA at the ground level--that is, in actual ELA classrooms. The CCSS-ELA call for…