September 25, 2013 To: Members of the Louisiana Legislature From: CABL Re: Common Core Standards

Recently, there has been a good deal of discussion on various fronts questioning whether Louisiana should cease participation in the Common Core State Standards initiative. As an organization with a long track record in support of strong education reform, we believe pulling out of the Common Core would be a mistake for our children and our future. To date none of the 45 states that have adopted the Common Core standards has decided to cease teaching to those standards. Louisiana should not pull back either. Unfortunately, it is our view that in recent weeks and months a lot of misunderstanding has emerged about the Common Core standards, where they came from and what they do. Working with other reform groups, businesses, chambers, educators and civic organizations we hope to address whatever concerns are being raised and demonstrate how the Common Core State Standards will help improve educational and career opportunities for our children. Why CABL Supports the Common Core Louisianas Common Core State Standards are a set of standards for mathematics and English Language Arts not curriculum that outlines what students should know and be able to accomplish at each grade level. The State of Louisiana voluntarily chose to meet and collaborate with other states, educators, and experts to define higher standards in these subjects over several years and with significant public and private input. In 2010 the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education formally adopted Louisianas Common Core State Standards and began a very gradual transition to greater rigor in the classroom. The standards do not tell teachers what to teach, do not specify any required texts, and do not mandate a curriculum. These decisions are left to Louisianas individual public school districts and classroom teachers giving them the freedom and autonomy to teach rich learning experiences and critical thinking skills all students need to be successful in college, career, and life. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a new assessment developed through a voluntary collaboration of numerous states to design a common metric for what it

takes to be ready for college and careers a means to truly compare the progress of Louisianas students with millions of their peers across the country. It is slated to begin in the 2014-15 school year and is no more expensive to administer than Louisianas current testing regimen known as LEAP. PARCC is computer-based, and Louisianas school districts are now making great strides to provide the 21st century technology necessary to prepare students for the digital world, regardless of PARCC. Neither the Common Core State Standards nor the PARCC consortium involves the creation of a national database. Just as it is now for LEAP and iLEAP, states will not be required to share any information with any entity. Perhaps most importantly, this new assessment will better measure students ability to think critically and apply knowledge, not simply memorize facts, and thereby better support teachers to prepare their students for the rigor of college and for real-world problems. In sum, CABL specifically supports Louisianas Common Core State Standards for the following reasons: We believe it is imperative that all Louisiana students be prepared for the challenges of a 21st-century economy that relies on education, innovation, and technology. We also believe that all Louisiana students can learn, meet, and exceed the high bar we set for them. Over the past two decades, Louisiana has strategically and consistently elevated the educational standards and benchmarks that define proficiency and success and students, teachers, and schools have met and, in many cases, exceeded these expectations. More Louisiana students are on grade level, graduating from high school, passing Advanced Placement tests, and achieving college-ready scores on the ACT. Despite progress, we believe student achievement in Louisiana must continue to significantly improve to meet the demands of a modern economy. While LEAP tests show that 74% of 4th grade students in our state are able to read on grade level, more rigorous state-bystate comparison tests show that only 23% of 4th grade students are proficient in reading. This means Louisianas students are struggling academically and continuing to fall far behind their peers in other parts of the country and the world at a time when their growth is imperative for their success in both college and career and beyond. We fully believe that Louisianas Common Core State Standards will build on our solid educational foundation and accelerate our students path to academic and professional success. Because Louisianas policy requires updating standards periodically, our state took advantage of the opportunity to adopt higher standards that would provide all students with deeper, richer learning experiences that will prepare them for the challenges of the real world, college, and career. In 2010, our public education system joined the vast majority of U.S. states in adopting new, more rigorous standards for math and English, recognizing the importance of raising our expectations and measuring our progress against national benchmarks developed by experienced educators and renowned experts. We believe those closest to students parents, teachers, local schools, districts, and states should have the freedom and autonomy to make decisions that are in the best interests of their students. Louisianas policy sets the standards while providing local school districts complete authority to decide the most appropriate curriculum and textbooks to meet these standards.

We believe that progress has been made to ensure that empowered teachers, school leaders, and districts are prepared, knowledgeable, supported, and effective in their efforts to help Louisianas students reach higher levels of achievement and succeed with higher standards. The foundation for success is in place, as thousands of Louisiana teachers have been trained and teacher teams have convened in every school across the state to support one another in the transition. Additionally, 86% of districts in Louisiana have upgraded their technology to ensure that more students have access, a critical component for preparedness for the jobs of the future. Louisianas years of preparation for higher standards puts us well ahead of other states in readiness.

Most importantly, CABL believes the Common Core State Standards will give our children what they deserve the opportunity to compete to the best of their ability locally, nationally, and globally. Louisiana has a dynamic and changing economy that now more than ever is demanding higher levels of education and job skills from our citizens. More rigorous standards in public education will help our state develop the qualified professional and highly-skilled workforce we need to drive our economy and make Louisianas citizens competitive across the nation and around the world. We urge you to support Louisianas Common Core standards and allow the phase-in of this important reform to continue. Full implementation is nearly two years away, and there is much we can accomplish together to assist school districts, leaders, teachers, parents, and students in the complex process to move Louisiana to higher standards. In the months ahead, we stand ready and willing to meet with you and your constituents to engage in a constructive discussion and debate on the merits of the Common Core State Standards and PARCC. We believe much is at stake and look forward to working together to advance Louisianas students and the future of our state.