WASHINGTON—Governors play a critical role in ensuring teachers and principals are prepared to support students in meeting the expectations of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-12 English language arts/literacy and mathematics, according to a new issue brief released today by the National Governors Association.
Trends in State Implementation of the Common Core State Standards: Educator Effectiveness, the first brief in a four-part series on CCSS implementation, focuses on policies to build the effectiveness of educators through preparation programs, licensure/certification, evaluations and professional development.
Although the development and widespread adoption of the CCSS mark a significant milestone in American education, successful implementation is necessary for students across the country to realize the benefits.
Governors should consider taking the following actions to support successful implementation:
- Communicate a need and a vision for reform and engage parents and leaders from education, the community, business, and philanthropy;
- Improve educator effectiveness;
- Lead transitions in state accountability policies, state assessments and interventions to improve low-performing schools and struggling students; and
- Create a structure to coordinate implementation activities and support its work by adopting the necessary policies and reallocating state resources.
“Teachers and principals remain our strongest tool in educating our children,” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. “Governors should work with chief state school officers and state boards of education to ensure that policies are aligned and educators are both prepared and supported.”
As of June 1, 2012, 48 states and territories, the District of Columbia and all of the Department of Defense schools that serve the children of U.S. service men and women around the world had formally adopted the CCSS.
To learn more about the NGA Center for Best Practices Education Division, please visit http://www.nga.org/cms/center/edu. To view information about the Common Core State Standards, visit www.corestandards.org.
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