Beshear & KDE Sign Agreement to Work on Core Standards

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Gov. Steve Beshear and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) have entered into an agreement to participate in an initiative that will lead to common core standards in the areas of mathematics and English/language arts for K-12 education.

Kentucky joins with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors’ Association (NGA) in the project, which brings 49 states and territories together to develop a set of academic standards that will increase rigor and relevance and prepare all students for success after high school.

The standards will be:

• fewer, higher and clearer
• aligned with college and work expectations
• include rigorous content and application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills
• internationally benchmarked, so that students are prepared to succeed in the global economy and society
• evidence- and/or research-based

“This is an historic opportunity for Kentucky and the other states involved in the process,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “It’s a powerful initiative that will help our students compete in the global economy and provides Kentucky with a means to share its expertise and knowledge in the area of state-developed academic standards.”

“We have the full support of the Kentucky Board of Education and Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Helen Mountjoy in this project,” said Interim Education Commissioner Elaine Farris. “From this work, Kentucky will be able to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 1 to develop new standards, with mathematics being the first to be ready by next December. We’ll work closely with partners such as the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Education Professional Standards Board as we move through the process.”

CCSSO and NGA will bring together experts in the field and state partners to determine the basic core components, using relevant work from the American Diploma Project, ACT, the College Board and others. A national validation committee will be formed to sign off on end-of-course expectations, lead the development of standards, certify state adoption of the common core and more.

States’ adoption of the standards is voluntary, but those states involved in the project have indicated that they are willing to adopt. States will review and give feedback as the project progresses.

In June, the high school expectations in reading and mathematics are set to be released, and public comment will be encouraged. Grade-by-grade break-outs of the common core standards are expected to be released in December.

SOURCE: KDE press release