Common Core is a set of fewer, higher and clearer standards. Let me prove it to you:

By some stroke of bad luck, Common Core has become the scapegoat for almost every problem in education.

Dog ate your homework? Now you can blame Common Core.

It’s really a shame, though, because Common Core is part of the answer to longstanding problems in American schools.

Common Core is a set of fewer standards. Many education scholars have described America’s old standards as a mile wide and an inch deep. In other words, kids are learning a little about a lot. But with Common Core, teachers are able to dive deeper into fewer lessons.

Exhibit A: “When I taught sixth grade, I used to have to teach 127 unique math standards or topics,” writes Evan Stone, co-founder of Educators for Excellence and a former elementary school teacher in the Bronx.

But with Common Core, says Evan, he would be able to focus on just 27 standards, giving him the time needed to make sure all of his students understand the underlying concepts.

Common Core is a set of higher standards. They raise every state up and are aligned to international standards so that American students can learn what they need for the 21st century.

Exhibit B: Common Core is built upon the most advanced current thinking to prepare all students for success in college and their careers. In fact, since this work began, there has an explicit agreement that no state would lower its standards.

Common Core is a set of clearer standards. Before Common Core, every state set had its own set of standards. Every state. So if a student moved from one state to another, she would inevitably find herself behind or ahead of her new peers. You can imagine how terribly frustrating this was for military families, for example.

Exhibit C: Georgette Price, a military student transition consultant, watched her students and her own three kids struggle to catch up when they changed schools.

But that’s starting to change thanks to Common Core. “It takes a huge burden off their shoulders,” says Georgette. “Everything else might change, but they’re going to be expected to perform at the same level. It gives them a constant.”

Still have questions? Then please explore this site to learn more about Common Core.

But if you don’t have any more questions, then now it’s your turn to help someone else understand. You can start by sharing this blog.