High Expectations

The State of State Standards—and the Common Core—in 2010

Sheila Byrd Carmichael W. Stephen Wilson Kathleen Porter-Magee Gabrielle Martino

7.21.2010

The K-12 academic standards in English language arts (ELA) and math produced in June 2010 by the Common Core State Standards Initiative were clearer and more rigorous than ELA standards in 37 states and math standards in 39 states, according to this Fordham Institute study. In 33 of those states, the Common Core bested both ELA and math standards. Yet California, Indiana and the District of Columbia had ELA standards clearly superior to those of the Common Core. And nearly a dozen states had ELA or math standards in the same league as Common Core. Read on to find out more and see how your state fared.

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Sheila Byrd Carmichael is a former teacher, a classical school parent, and K–12 Academic Strategy Consultant. She is the managing principal of BlueByrd, LLC and a Senior Fellow at Great Minds.

Dr. Wilson is Professor of Mathematics at the Johns Hopkins University where he has chaired the Department of Mathematics. In 2006, he was the Advisor for Mathematics in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Wilson also helped revise Washington State’s K-12 mathematics standards and evaluated textbooks for the state. He has participated in numerous projects on standards,…

Kathleen Porter-Magee is the superintendent of Partnership Schools, a network of seven urban Catholic schools in Harlem and the South Bronx. She is also author of a recent Manhattan Institute report entitled, Catholic on the Inside: Putting Values Back at the Center of Education Reform. Before joining the…

Gabrielle received her PhD in Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. She has worked as an adjunct instructor in mathematics and as a writer and consultant. Projects have included developing elementary hands-on science curricula, developing science content for a radio show airing on National Public Radio, and reviewing the mathematics content delivery system for Shepherdstown…