A coalition of groups representing colleges and universities is getting involved in the new common standards movement, which is pushing forward a set of K-12 math and English standards that are meant to set the bar for what students should know to be ready for college.
All of this is part of the so-called P-16 movement, which is trying to connect what happens in prekindergarten and preschool with what happens senior year of college, and vice versa. The standards are in many ways a starting point, and so far, 40 states have adopted them. But adoption is not the same thing as implementation, and that’s what these groups are worried about, particularly as legislatures and governorships change hands and school districts face budget cuts.
Here’s what Muriel Howard, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, said in yesterday’s press release: “Without extensive and deep postsecondary involvement, wide implementation of more uniform and transparent P-12 standards is less likely, and we all need to insure that high school graduates are prepared to excel in meeting broadly held expectations for college and workforce readiness.”
It should be noted that while states have adopted K-12 standards, “P” standards – for early education – are still in the works, and likely to be contentious.
To read more about the coalition, see here. For more about the P-16 idea, see here.