Supporting the Implementation of Common Core State Standards With Rigorous and Comparable assessments
Adopted at the 82nd Annual Meeting in 2014
WHEREAS, the development of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by the National Governors association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School officers demonstrates a locally-led national movement of governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia towards improved academic standards for our students; and
WHEREAS, the Common Core State Standards represent a policy innovation that allows for an unprecedented level of continuity among states, grades, and subjects, and incorporates feedback from teachers and content experts, as well as the general public; and
WHEREAS, researchers find that American students have mediocre annual growth in math, reading, and science; the U.S. performs in the middle of the pack of 49 countries; and
WHEREAS, Common Core State Standards are internationally benchmarked with top-performing countries; and
WHEREAS, Common Core State Standards represent a substantial upgrade in terms of rigor and expectations for student learning, and the standards have been widely accepted among states: 45 states and the District of Columbia have voluntarily adopted the full standards and have committed to implementing them by 2014; and
WHEREAS, improved standards and accountability have already increased student achievement, particularly for the most disadvantaged students; and
WHEREAS, some states face the threat of state officials repealing the Common Core State Standards and its ongoing implementation; and
WHEREAS, although most states know they need new standards and assessments for their students, some are still willing to disrupt the progress made over the past three years; and
WHEREAS, at the behest of political opposition, some states have withdrawn from Common Core State Standards assessment consortia, such as the Smarter Balanced assessment Consortium and Partnership for assessment of Readiness for College and Careers; and
WHEREAS, all states that have adopted the CCSS have already invested millions of dollars in CCSS implementation; and
WHEREAS, states and school districts that earned waivers from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act requirements put those at risk should they follow through with a withdrawal or repeal of the Common Core State Standards; and
WHEREAS, students across the country will continue to benefit from more rigorous and comparable standards that are internationally benchmarked with the world s top performing nations; and
WHEREAS, rigorous and comparable data from stronger assessments will equip state and local leaders with more accurate information to inform them how to provide professional development that is tailored to individual teachers needs; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has played a longstanding national leadership role in improving the quality of education, improving student academic excellence, and closing the achievement gap; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a resolution committing to the advancement of implementation of Common Core State Standards without delay,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors reaffirms its support for the ongoing implementation of Common Core State Standards in all available states, including the development of appropriately rigorous companion assessments and continued funding for professional development, technology and broadband access, and other supports to assure universal access and equity for all students; and THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors supports the following policy priorities for Common Core State Standards implementation in each state: Providing administrators and school leaders with comparable data that can be used across states, allowing for a more sophisticated level of continuity in how we educate our students; and Administering assessments that are rigorous and responsive to both student learning needs and teacher lesson planning; and Informing meaningful curricula for professional development that accurately addresses the unique strengths and weaknesses of our teachers; and Providing robust student-level indicators of college and career readiness to provide early, consistent, and actionable signals to students and schools for purposes of admission, college planning, remediation, and placement.