Common Core State Standards

This brief identifies key issues associated with the college readiness gap and causes of this gap, as well as outlines steps state policymakers and educators can take close the college readiness gap in their states. In order to ensure students are prepared for postsecondary success, a statewide college readiness agenda should be in place. Components of this college readiness agenda include: readiness standards, assessments, curriculum, teacher development, college placement, and state accountability. 

This brief provides policymakers with elements to consider when developing state policies around implementing high school transitional courses aimed at improving college completion rates. The brief includes questions for consideration, examples of existing state policies and actions, and recommendations for effective policies for transitional courses. 

This report includes vignettes from teachers reflecting on their use of tools--the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and Mathematics Design Collaborative (MDC)--aimed at preparing students for college and careers. The vignettes included in this report are the result of interviews with teachers between September 2012 and January 2013 where educators reflected on their teaching styles, changes in student motivation and engagement, and changes in their own behavior while using the LDC and MDC tools. 

This brief, authored by the Business Roundtable, is designed to provide states with concrete policy recommendations that will help ensure that students are properly prepared to become effective and highly skilled members of the workforce.

This report describes the results of two independent panels of English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics experts in adult education, community colleges, career education, and the military that were convened by MPR Associates to review the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The report provides a set of college and career readiness standards for ELA and math for adult students, based on the CCSS. It also describes how adult educators can use the CCSS to develop or revise current standards.