Just why are the Common Core standards good for American education? In today's National Review Online, Checker Finn comes up with five good reasons, starting with this one:
First, they're good, solid ??? indeed very ambitious ??? academic standards for primary and secondary schooling, at least in the two essential subjects of English and math. Students who attained them would be better off ??? readier for college, readier to get good jobs, readier to compete in the global economy ??? than most are today. (An overwhelming majority of states, according to analyses by my own Fordham Institute and other organizations, currently rely on standards that range from mediocre to abysmal.)
You can read more at NRO.