If you're like me you've barely heard of one of the biggest changes in K through 12 education to come down the pike in eons. Common core for whatever reason elicits strong rejection amongst those who dislike it (mostly conservatives).
The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA). These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless of where they live.
Common Core Web Site - About the Standards
If you want to drill down deep into what the standards actually are you can go to the Common Core web site and read them. The further you look at the site the more specific the information gets. I found the FAQs helpful.
Because Common Core will be such a widespread set of standards Pew Research has begun including questions on them in their survey. I think something like 45 out of 50 states have agreed to adopt the standards, not sure which ones opted out but I'm sure East Wingnutistan is in there somewhere. Pew's write up is halfway down the page, graph below.
NPR had a good segment that covers FAQs that real people have. NPR covers some of the controversy
Only sixty percent of the public has heard of common core, and of those 60% their views are reflected in the graph above.
Here on DK I've heard mostly vehement opposition, from teachers as far as I can tell. There is this thing called High Stakes Testing, no they aren't talking SATs which determine the University you get accepted to and the future of your life, no that is not considered high stakes. Just what in the heck high stakes is I haven't a clue but I'd bet if they decoupled teacher's pay from any testing at all lots of turmoil would disappear overnight.
Another major source of opposition is from those who think they or their progeny won't do well on the tests. Just to be clear, Common Core has no tests and no curriculum, that's left to teachers, school boards, textbook and testing companies and all the varied special interests feeding at the education trough. There is a set of national tests being developed to quantify just how well students or school systems are doing in achieving the goals of common core.
Mostly I wrote this to provide the links up above. I know that I'm one of about three Kossacks that have kids in school, I figured some might have an interest in reading what Common Core has to say about itself.