The release of the Common Core Standards poses a unique opportunity for our nation's schools to prepare all students for success in postsecondary education and in the 21st century workplace. According to the CCSSI web site:
Every child across the country deserves to have the tools to succeed. High standards that are consistent across states provide teachers, parents, and students with a set of clear expectations that everyone can work toward together. This will ensure that we maintain America's competitive edge, so that all of our students are well prepared with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete with not only their peers here at home, but with students from around the world.
While most would concur that the CCSS initiative is well-intentioned, like any major school reform initiative, success depends upon effective and well-designed implementation. While standards alone don't guarantee that every student will graduate high school with the "higher level skills and complex knowledge needed for this new century," authors Burris and Garrity believe that success will come to "those who are persistently willing to engage in deep change which emanates from the belief that all students can become college and career-ready." The subject matter of this book is how K-12 schools can build the rigor and skills of college readiness for all students. The four key ingredients to achieving this goal are summed up in the authors' "ACES" framework: acceleration, critical thinking, equity, and support.
