The Common Core State Standards have been a hot topic in education over the past few years as more states adopt it. Those who oppose the implementation of the Standards have been very vocal, making it seem as though many parents are against it. However, a new poll by Gallup has found that isn't the case. In fact, the majority of Americans from all types of backgrounds support the use of the CCSS.
Asking the country
Gallup surveyed 639 parents over the age of 18 who had children who attended a public school in grades K-12. The responders ranged in their knowledge of the Common Core, from having heard relatively little to knowing a lot about the Standards. Most parents (52 percent) who knew more about the Common Core viewed it positively. Those who did not have much information on the Standards were generally apathetic - only 13 percent felt strongly that the Standards were a very positive thing while 19 percent thought it was very negative.
Political divides
Republicans and Democrats have mixed feelings about the Common Core - in fact, 26 percent of Republicans view the Common Core positively while 42 percent have a negative impression. More Democratic parents view Common Core positively, and only 23 percent see it negatively.
Despite their differences in an overall opinion, Democrats and Republicans generally agree on the characteristics associated with the CCSS. The majority of parents of both parties said they felt that having a uniform national standard of education is a very positive thing (85 percent of Democrats and 64 percent of Republicans agree). Both parties also approve of the use of standardized, computer-based testing and linking student test scores to teacher evaluations.
Many parents unaware
Parents overall know very little about CCSS. In fact, most responders in each category (parents who live in states where the CCSS has been adopted, and those where it has not) reported knowing nothing about the Common Core. The Standards are now in place in 45 states, which means most American parents send their kids to schools using it. Fortunately, parents can learn more about the CCSS relatively easily. Here are a few fast facts on the Standards:
- The CCSS was created by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers
- The Common Core is not a curriculum, but rather a set of standards to help kids meet educational goals every year
- Teachers create their own lesson plans to help students meet those goals
- You can learn even more at the Common Core website
