The Common Core, A Pre-Requisite for Postsecondary Education & Training

A new analysis from the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) makes it clear that students who master the Common Core State Standards have mastered the baseline of academic knowledge and skills necessary for success in college and careers.

Reaching the Goal: The Applicability and Importance of the Common Core State Standards to College and Career Readiness surveyed nearly 2,000 college faculty at two- and four-year institutions from a cross-section of disciplines, including mathematics, English, business management, health care, science and social sciences. The survey asked these faculty members how applicable and how important they felt the individual Common Core State Standards in mathematics and ELA/literacy were to students’ success in the postsecondary courses they teach.

The participating faculty overwhelmingly found the ELA/literacy standards to be applicable and relevant, in particular the standards for Speaking and Listening, as well as the Standards for Mathematical Practice, considered by many to be two of the biggest advances in the Common Core over current state standards. The applicability of the individual Common Core Standards in mathematics was more dependent on the faculty members’ discipline, with mathematics and science faculty the most likely to give the Standards a high importance rating.

Clearly, there is more to college and career readiness than just mastering content in mathematics and ELA/literacy. But the EPIC report is further proof that mastering the Common Core State Standards is an important step in making sure all students have access to an education that prepares them for success and assures our country will remain competitive in the 21st century.