Anthony Cody read my post this morning about why the Common Core standards fail to meet the most minimal procedural requirements for standard-setting–the requirements laid out in detail by the American National Standards Institute–and concludes that Common Core cannot be considered standards. They were written in secret. There was no transparency or openness in the process.
Another reader asked me, “so who is this ANSI?” As I explained in my original post, ANSI was established over 90 years ago by engineers and other professionals to begin the process of developing national standards and is now the accepted authority in many fields, including government agencies.
ANSI has no power to control or direct standard-setting. It is the organization that lays out the due process requirements for setting standards that have credibility and legitimacy. The Common Core effort violated almost all of these procedural requirements.
Anthony Cody documents the secretiveness of the process. That secretiveness and lack of transparency bother me, but I am equally disturbed that the Common Core does not have any means of appeal or revision. As the ANSI process explains, every set of genuine standards must have a process by which aggrieved parties may make their case and be heard, and by which those in charge may hear their grievances and make adjustments when necessary. In the case of the Common Core, there is no such process, nor is there anyone or any organization to appeal to. We are expected to believe that the standards were written in stone and may never be changed.
So, I agree with Anthony. The absence of due process, the absence of transparency, the absence of participation by knowledgeable parties, the absence of educators with classroom experience and experience with young children and children with disabilities, the absence of any possibility for revision, invalidates the Common Core.
If you want to use them, go right ahead and use them. Consider them GUIDELINES. They are not standards.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Guidelines” infer that there is no negative sanctions about using them, protecting the those who create them from liability. Such as there are “clean up guidelines” by the state about the safe level of toxins in the drinking water. But you can not use them as a liability against those who pollute the water unless they are “standards”. This is how the State protects industry and polluters.
I was in a school built on a toxic site. The level of the TCE that was under the school exceeded NYS cleanup “guidelines”, no liability. Sometimes I feel like the character in Bombay Millionaire, whose toxic experience in life reappears in an unforeseen future context. Now we have the toxic Common Core lurking in the schools.
DFER @DFER_News 56m
We won’t back down if defenders of status quo try to politicize issues in today’s @PARCCPlace pilot. Will you? http://ow.ly/uU6Lp
In other words, no matter what happens with millions of children testing the test today, DFER plans to continue shaking those pom poms and cheerleading, because that’s what adults do.
I love the preemptive spin. “Any criticism or questions will be rejected!”
Hopefully, one or another journalist will actually enter one of these local schools, or we’re never going to know what’s coming when the tests get to our kids. No one in DC has any idea, but it’ll be spun as “GREEEEAAT! “
LI Newsday on Opt Out
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/schools-expect-state-test-opt-outs-to-increase-1.7481327
The public generally perceives standards as unyielding and inflexible, and the “reformers” who marketed the common core state standards know that… they also know that the public generally perceives “standardized test scores” as a valid measure of student and school performance… this whole CCSS is a marketing tool, selling “privately operated” schools as the solution to “government run” schools
But there is a need for national standards if we hope to avoid the embarrassment of having STATE standards that incorporate creationism, which would be a good workaround in those states where there is pushback to NATIONAL standards as you noted in an earlier post (http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/education-creationism-104934.html). If those “reformers” promoting the CCSS are truly interested in academic advancement for our country they should be leading the charge to have states promote real science like evolution instead of jun science like VAM…. but I don’t expect the “reform” crowd to be speaking up for science any time soon.
Charles Darwin asked that his work on evolution be destroyed from his death bed. there is no science that is hard and fast in the age of quantum physics. I like hearing about everyone’s ideas, even those of the indigenous peoples. The whole standardized test paradigm and its Bell Curve is about survival of the fittest
>But there is a need for national standards if we hope to avoid the embarrassment of having STATE standards that incorporate creationism,<
Do you really think that standards will cure willful ignorance?
I am not embarrassed if some Southern State choose creationism. That is who they are, States Rights! There are countries who believe that God created their land for them. I couldn’t care less. I just care if they are on our side with the Common Core so that kids can enter the debate without being handicapped. As long as they see God as love. I heard that Darwin was very spiritual and his work misinterpreted, same with Isaac Newton. to each his own.
Darwin was one of the most gentle men who ever walked the planet. A great soul. He was very kind to nonhuman animals. He intervened on their behalf. He was rarely moved to anger, but he would be if he saw an animal being abused. He spent years studying earthworms. Observing them closely, more closely than anyone else ever had. He figured out that they are responsible for aerating the soil and recycling nutrients and making things grow. He was convinced that they had a primitive form of consciousness that had to be respected.
CCSS and high-stakes testing are straw Icons. They have no value, suck up what little resources schools have, plus are based on junk science. Problem is money talks, and the DEFORMERS who enrich themselves at the cost of many are the ones who fund political campaigns. Then their ʻgo-fer’ gets in office. It’s all sooo tawdry. We have not rule by ethics, but instead rule by $$$$$. CCSS = yes, common, dull, and limiting, plus incredibly costly in all areas.
Jeez, how lazy can you get? The reader who asked “so who is this ANSI?” apparently couldn’t be bothered you read your description (which was done quite well) and also couldn’t be bothered to Google “ANSI!” I am getting quite tired of lazy thinking and lazy participating in discussions. Do your homework, folks!
Stephen, when I read the comments on Huffington Post, I saw one that said, “I just saw Jeb Bush’s name. This must be a rightwing screed. I won’t read another word.” Really.
Dr. Ravitch,
“I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.” -Thomas Jefferson to William C. Jarvis, 1820.
Jefferson believed in the common person – the “Natural Aristocracy.” If all people were allowed access to free public education then all would be allowed to develop their talents: the evolution which Jefferson referred to as “Natural Aristocracy.” Common Core Curriculum limits – does not develop all the “Multiple Intelligences.”
Besides that fact that “Common Core can not be considered standards,” they are destroying our infrastructure of our US- our children. The “Aristocracy of America”- the wealthy and powerful, who imposed the CC Standards on the public educational system are the very people who want to destroy unions and teacher pensions. They are callous people because they are indifferent to how the children suffer – emotionally, physically,
and intellectually. Unions provide stability, unity, protection for both the children and their teachers, power to fight evil, along with insure a salary appropriate for professionals.
As you stated in a prior posting, a two educational system is evolving. History repeats itself: Divide and conquer. Once again the tactic is being applied to our public educational system: support Charter schools which syphon money away from the public institution. Charters schools skimming off the top the achievers leave the public school with all the problems: disabilities of one kind or another. But more important the bulwark of our nation as a democracy is being destroyed. Through integration of race, cultures, talents, and disabilities we provide strong structure for democracy to survive. Early on in an integrated system, children learn how to interact with students who have different talents and skills, who have disabilities, and different interests developing an understanding, acceptance, empathy, support, and in turn a sense of unity. They learn of the dignity of man and reverence for life. Learning to live in harmony and respect is more important than learning a lot of facts. CC’s emphasis on facts is the characteristic that is in opposition to the standards of the past. The New York Learning Standards that were in place before CC, gave us a new way of teaching, incorporating higher order thinking skill. Common Core not only imposed a new curriculum but limits the thinking skills that are taught. NYLS are far superior because they not only develop all the thinking skill including the imagination which Common Core ignores. The NYLS make learning fun when children’s minds are activated in bridging old knowledge to the new; Common Core ignores that approach. NYLS are, furthermore, age appropriate; the objective is developing thinking skills not over loading the memory with facts.
The teacher in Florida who sent hot pizzas to the teachers in Seattle in support of their boycotting Standardized Testing, hopefully has ignited a nationwide movement: solidarity. The dock workers in Poland gave us an example of how to fight evil: unite. In solidarity teachers across America must unite to bring down the Common Core and its high stakes testing. The dock workers fought Communism; we are fighting the Common Core. Both have much in common.
“Jefferson believed in the common person – the ‘Natural Aristocracy’.
Yep, the “Natural Aristocracy”-white landowning males. Yee haa, I’m included in the “Natural Aristocracy”-but then again maybe not as I still owe the bank on ‘my’ twelve acre piece of countryside in the beautiful Missouri river hill country of southern Warren County, MO.
Tough luck all you women, male renters, slaves, Native Americans, etc. . . .
I, for one, am tired of those writers, like the one who appeared in yesterday’s NYT review section, who argue that either we have these standards or we have nothing, or rather, had nothing and that they are not curricula.
Call them whatever you want, guidelines, standards, curricula, syllabi, taxonomies, or lists of content areas and skills THEY think students should have….and how teachers should teach them.
Really? No one has ever had challenging standards? Not one state? Not one District? Not one School? Really? NO teaching professionals have ever created challenging curricula, syllabi, standards , or lessons that meet the needs of students?
Not until Gates et al came along?
Really?
Here is what we want. I posted this to Opt Out Long Island:
We know what we don’t want, can we formulate an ideal?
Some suggestions for a Post Common Core era:
1. Children and teachers will choose all books
used in classrooms with an assortment of numerous publishers.
2. For those children who do not opt out of testing,
all test prep can only be done 30 days before the test.
3. Smartboards will be only used for enrichment from time to time
and not for instruction related to textbooks or test prep.
Thus blinds will no longer be closed in many classrooms
and children will learn under natural day light, while saving energy.
4. The Writing Process will be used across the curriculum
and only children’s produced work will hang in the classrooms.
5. All blackboards and whiteboards will be available for use
and not covered by printed matter.
6. Grade level textbooks will be purchased based on a committee of teachers.
No dittos will be handed to students unless vital to a lesson.
Literacy specialist, Brian Cambourne, indicates that “handouts begin nowhere and go nowhere”.
7. Teachers will choose grade level material from the library for student projects.
8. Money will no longer be spent on “staff developers”; but, as in any business,
teachers will have their own regularly scheduled meetings to discuss what works in the classroom.
9. Students desks will be changed every 30 days for group projects across the curriculum.
10. Half of a school day should consist of shared activities based around literacy within the curriculum.
11. Desks will be arranged in groups of 4-6 students.
12. Students will have a field trip at least every 60 days.
13. Teachers will have the option of using portfolio assessment,
which will consists of children’s work and no reproducibles.
Joseph Mugivan
I’m sure your local school community can negotiate the must haves for your school. To make my point, I offer the following criticisms: I can’t think of any test on which it is worth spending time to prepare a month before it is administered. Assessments should be a reflection of what students have learned and as such should not require a month of preparation after instruction. Handouts are not the spawn of the devil unless they are mindlessly passed out because the curriculum guide says so. Teachers can actually produce worthwhile handouts that lead to engaging activities. There is nothing magic about groups of 4-6 desks. Different configurations serve different purposes. I could go on, but you get the idea. Each district will have its issues; each school will have its issues; each class will have its issues.
Gov of Indiana signed law dumping common core.
Long Island Opt Out ecstatic http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/24/pence-approves-indiana-withdrawal-from-common-core/
I actually like that states are doing some fighting back.
It’s a beautiful thing!
One down. . . .
It will be interesting to see whether this is a real move away from placing power in the hands of the CCSSO or is just an example of the rebranding CC$$ rescue strategy in action.
The CC house of cards is falling one state at a time.
CCSS, RTTT, NCLB and whatever will replace CCSS are not even testing regimes, educational “reforms” or anything of this nature. They are business plans. Pure and simple.
CCSS is merely the latest hammer being used to pry open public funds for education marketeers.
Long Island Opt Out ecstatic. We expect to be seeing Governor Cuomo at a fund raiser next month.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/24/pence-approves-indiana-withdrawal-from-common-core/
Please tell us what happens.
All of the missing procedures designed to improve and monitor a process of this kind are a sure sign that the Common Core was designed to set up the public schools for failure and nothing else.
In addition, the hard push to ram these standards down the throats of the public schools while enacting a second set of laws (a double standard) for the private sector schools that are taking over—-so they are not transparent and don’t have to implement the Common Core or take the same standardized tests—are a dead giveaway that the Common Core was never designed to improve achievement in the public schools.
The rush, the bribes, the massive, misleading media campaign are a desperate effort to finish this obvious agenda to get rid of the democratically run public schools before the courts get involved.
Therefore, anyone with grounds for a court case should file as soon as possible in every state and territory and keep filing them. If enough are filed, it is possible that Congress will decide to impeach Obama and investigate Gates and the other billionaires—even members of Congress who are pat of the process will eventually call for impeachment and an investigation to save themselves.
What we need is a movement equal to or bigger than the Vietnam antiwar movement the brought the Vietnam War to an end and saw Nixon resign as president.
I couldn’t agree more.
I suggested to Opt Out Long Island that the movement would be akin to the Suffrage Movement. Here we have an opportunity for a complete change in how we educate our children, the biggest in 100 years, since the founding of the public school system.
All for-profit corporate boxed curriculum scripted products with the Common Core label are toxic. “Consultants” working on common core gigs will file bankruptcy. Gates, Murdoch, Klein, Duncan and Bush are not smiling.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20140322/OPINION01/303220021/Michelle-Malkin-Getting-know-Common-Core-marketing-overlords
As Anthony noted, one of the key aspects of the American National Standards process is that it is open. The fact that we are able to type information into this text box and it gets transported from computer to computer where it then appears on Diane’s blog, is due in large part to the open process that created the standards backing up the Internet. How information flows from one machine to another is done in large part on the Internet by the Transmission Control Protocol, or TCP. See http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc675 for the original Request for Comments put out by Vinton Cerf and others. These guys came up with an idea, documented it, and then requested comments on their proposal. Many people from all over the world responded with comments and suggestions. Requests for Comments (RFCs) were so popular that the same idea has been used for some time in making changes and updates to the foundations of the Internet.
So why couldn’t the Common Core have gone through the same process? Document it, make those documents open and readable by all, and ask for comments. It’s worked for the Internet.
Common Core National Edicts, Mandates, decrees
Posted to Indiana Press:
One of the titans of the circus industry was Jerry Mugivan, who bought out Ringling Brothers and wintered in Indiana. He was the President of the Circus Industry. You can look it up. Long Island Opt Out supports Indiana.
My ancestors in Indiana where Common Core was rejected. http://circusesandsideshows.com/owners/jerry-mugivan.html
Duane,
Is it sarcasm, resentment , or is it bitterness I sense. What’s your point?
“Natural Aristocracy” are all those not born into wealth or an aristocratic family. …” women, male renters, slaves, Native Americans, etc. . . .” We common folk are all “naturally endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights that cannot be infringed upon or given away…” such as right, reason and capacity to be self-governing. We don’t need the wealthy and privileged to dictate to us how we should be govern nor how to educate our children. Educators have the background to develop standards – not the elite wealthy and politicians.
Whenever anyone praises Jefferson there is always someone quick to criticize him even though they have not really studied him. They take one aspect of his life, misconstrue it and condemn him for life inspire of the good he achieved. He tried to pass a law to free slaves; before his death he freed his.
In spite of all the incongruities, Jefferson was a brilliant, caring and insightful man in spite of what some people may think and unlike some of our politicians of today.
Lloyd stated,
“All of the missing procedures designed to improve and monitor a process of this kind are a sure sign that the Common Core was designed to set up the public schools for failure and nothing else.” It is a well known fact that some governors and people of wealth and power do not like the unions.
I believe the destruction of the teacher unions resulting in turning teachers into factory like workers was the primary reason. The destruction of public education is a natural consequence.