Where do you set the bar, and who sets the bar, in public education standards?
A Memphis Conversation takes up the issue of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in our schools.
According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the purpose of the standards is to provide, in the United States of America, 
a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.
States may choose whether to adopt the standards or not. According to the proponents, five states and the territory of Puerto Rico have not adopted the standards, although there is continuing debate in some states that have adopted the standards.
Tennessee adopted the standards and public schools are implementing them, including the Shelby County Schools, which now includes the primary and secondary public schools in the city of Memphis.
While testing is separate from the standards, it appears generally agreed that nationally standardized testing will be used to measure academic achievement under the CCSS. The most common testing initiative and the one with which Tennessee is participating is the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC). The state will engage in field evaluation of the PARCC tests in the 2013-14 school year and plans to fully implement the PARCC testing in the 2014-2015 academic year.
This conversation is among Eddie Settles, Darrell Hugueley, and Ken Welch and was recorded October 19, 2013.
Length: 1 hour, 3 minutes.
Resources:
Tennessee Common Core State Standards web site
The Common Core State Standards Initiative web site
Tennessee Against Common Core web site
Tennessee Senate hearing on Common Core video (Sept. 20, 2013)
Tennessee Senate hearing on Common Core video of reading some of the standards (Sept. 19, 2013 (a rather tedious experience)
Back in River City
Tennessee Dept. of Education Common Core History & Fact Sheet
A Memphis Conversation 
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