More Time Needed to Get Common Core Right

This week, the Learning First Alliance (LFA) issued a statement in support of providing more time and resources for Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation before assessing progress with high-stakes testing. LFA is a partnership of leading education organizations—including NAESP—representing more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America’s public schools.

The LFA Common Core statement points out that, “Rushing to make high-stakes decisions such as student advancement or graduation, teacher evaluation, school performance designation or state funding awards based on assessments of the standards before they have been fully and properly implemented is unwise.” It then goes on to recommend a transition period “that respects the time good implementation requires.”

The LFA Common Core statement has been widely publicized—in Education Week, and elsewhere. The LFA statement reiterates recommendations made by NAESP, along with AASA, NASSP, and NSBA, urging for adequate time for Common Core implementation. The NAESP statement asserts that “school district leaders and principals need more time and adequate professional development to manage the change process in schools; evaluate teachers’ use of the new standards during instruction; align schools’ instructional focus; make key decisions on the best types of professional development to support teachers; and develop extended learning opportunities to sufficiently address CCSS implementation. Further, they need sufficient allocation of financial resources to implement this array of school-based activities.”

To help facilitate the identification and sharing of best and promising practice on CCSS implementation, LFA is spotlighting those communities that are working hard to get Common Core implementation right through its Getting It Right podcasts. The podcasts will help policymakers and educators construct a timeline and execution plan based on what is necessary to implement the standards in classrooms and communities across the nation.