Military Families and Common Core

Tuesday, October 22, 2013Printer-friendly version

Children of military families must move from school system to school system, often in states and districts not aligned to their previous instruction. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) provide an opportunity for consistent and high quality educational opportunities for the children of our men and women in uniform. Here is what military families have to say about the CCSS in their own words:  

The New Kid in School: Common Core State Standards


By Major Douglas C. Rapp of the Indiana National Guard, usmclife.com

October 11, 2013
  

"My last PCS [Permanent Change of Station] was within the same state and my son had attended a rural school that was primarily focused on vocational education. His new school was drastically different where the majority of students were in a college preparatory curriculum. He has since adapted, however, having a single standard would have saved almost two years of struggling.  

"That's why the Common Core State Standards were developed. It's a way to ensure children who change schools are protected and won't be punished by moves. The Standards provide a baseline of what all students should be required to learn in crucial subjects like math and English. They also help answer a key question: What should our students learn in order to be become gainfully employed, join the military, or advance to college?"  

Support for Common Core strong in U.S. military

By Eric Owens, The Daily Caller


October 7, 2013


"Most military children will move at least twice during their high school years and will attend six to nine different schools between kindergarten and 12th grade.  

"Instead of having no idea where 6th grade math is when you move from Norfolk to San Diego, a common set of standards means you should be able to get on track in a new school much faster than when states had different standards.  

"The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) can help ensure that students are receiving a high-quality education consistently, from school to school and state to state, so that all students, no matter where they live, or how often they move to a new school, are prepared for success in postsecondary education, the workforce and the military, if they choose to serve."
   

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Achieve has developed materials to help states, districts, and others understand the organization and content of the standards and the content and evidence base used to support the standards. Visit www.achieve.org/achieving-common-core.  If you find a news clip supportive of the Common Core, please send it to Chad Colby at ccolby@achieve.org.   

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