Georgia Will Implement New Statewide School Standards

Public school students will soon be learning under a new set of rules. Common Core State Standards will be implemented in Georgia along with 47 other states beginning the 2012-2013 school year.

Standard based instruction is nothing new for the state of Georgia.

“Right now each state pretty much has their own set of standards with what they feel are important,” says Laurens County Associate Superintendent Dr. Jameson Travick.

However separate benchmarks across the country may cause students to lack the tools needed to be globally competitive.

Twiggs County Middle School Principal Lindsey Napier says, “Our kids to compete nationally and to compete globally they must learn at a much higher degree with the rigor of the materials.”

Take for example, Conics. It was one of the topics in math and may have been taught in one grade level in one state and it may not have been covered in another grade level in another state. Common Core State Standards will establish consistent expectations nationwide and make school an even playing field for all students.

“It begins the process of making sure students in Georgia, Florida, California, wherever it may be are working on the same standards and the same materials nationwide,” says Napier.

Twiggs County Superintendent Dr. Valya Lee says, “The common core standards really focus on Mathematics and English for grades K through 12.” She believes the core standards will ensure college and career readiness.

Common Core Standards will allow each state to determine 15% of its curriculum, while 85% will fall in line with the standards being implemented nationwide.