The decision by the California Department of Education to implement the Common Core State Standards in the state’s high schools will provide a more comprehensive education for students and will adequately prepare them for career and college experiences anywhere in the country.
The new standardized system has shown promise across the nation, though the transition process may be time consuming. Although it will take time to develop efficient teaching practices, MBUSD has taken steps to prepare for this transition period and to make the new standards clearer and more consistent.
The Common Core State Standards are a set of concepts students must master in each grade level. These standards have been adopted by 45 states since their debut in 2010 and will replace California’s current content standards. The CCSS will be implemented in California gradually until 2015.
A coalition of educators developed the CCSS, and it has broad support. The Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices played a major role in developing the standards, and the standards are supported by the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.
The fact that the CCSS span across 45 states will help students be better prepared for out-of-state colleges and jobs. Teachers will have more resources and will be able to share common teaching methods across state lines. Additionally, the standards will help students who move states stay on track in school. Location will become less of a factor in determining whether a student is prepared for college and the workforce. When designing the standards, those who created the new policy looked at top-performing states and other countries, and tweaked their standards to fit American educational needs.
Reducing the number of standards was initially a worry to some Costa teachers, such as math teacher Linda Gesuald; however, by cutting the number down, more time can be spent on each standard. Teachers will be able to delve deeper into each topic to make sure students are prepared for state testing at the end of the year. Gesualdi notes that the new CCSS standardized tests also place a much-needed emphasis on critical thinking which had been lost with the state’s past changes in standardized testing.
The new tests will also be administered on computers and will adapt to each student’s needs as the test progresses. If a student is getting correct answers, the test gets harder more quickly, and if he/she is answering the questions incorrectly, the test will remain at the present level. Because testing is electronic, comprehensive results will be available to teachers and parents almost immediately after the test is taken, so the students can receive instant feedback.
The biggest concern with the CCSS is that it will be a difficult transition for teachers. Luckily, in California the pre-existing standards align more closely with the CCSS than other states. According to Executive Director of Educational Services Carolyn Seaton,, Manhattan Beach Unified School District plans to offer in-depth development opportunities this summer and encourages the staff to use meeting times to plan for this transition.
While the transition to the CCSS may come with a learning curve, this is a small cost to pay for the benefits students will gain when they are far more prepared for their academic and vocational futures.
Maddie Nerad contributed to this article
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