Overview of the Common Core State Standard Initiative and Educational Reform Movement from the Vantage of Speech-Language Pathologists

Abstract

Educational reform is sweeping the country. The adoption and the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in almost every state are meant to transform education. It is intended to update the way schools educate, the way students learn, and to ultimately prepare the nation’s next generation for the global workplace. This article will describe the Common Core State Standard initiative and the underlying concerns about the quality of education in the United States as well as the opportunities this reform initiative affords speech-language pathologists.

Keywords

common core state standards - speech-language pathologists - educational reform - global competition - literacy - curriculum-relevant

• References

• 1 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools. Professional Issues Statement. 2010. Avaliable at: www.asha.org/policy . Accessed March 28, 2012
• 2 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools. Position Statement. 2010. www.asha.org/policy . Accessed March 28, 2012
• 3 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 34 CFR §300.34 (a). 2004
• 4 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers. Common Core State Standards. 2010 Available at: http://corestandards.org/ . Accessed March 27, 2012
• 5 American Society for Training & Development. Bridging the Skills Gap: How the Skills Shortage Threatens Growth and Competitiveness . . . and What to Do about It. Alexandria, VA: Author; 2006
• 6 Bernanke BS. Education and Economic Competitiveness (speech, U.S. Chamber Education and Workforce Summit, Washington, DC, September 2009). Available at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/bernanke20070924a.htm#f4 . Accessed January 5, 2011
• 7 Towers Watson Survey Finds More U.S. Companies Having Difficulty Attracting Critical-Skill Employees. Available at: http://www.towerswatson.com/press/5600 . Accessed March 27, 2012, October 10, 2011, 9:05 a.m. EDT, NEW YORK, Oct 10, 2011 BUSINESS WIRE
• 8 Dunkle J, Flynn P. Speech-language pathologists and the Common Core Standards initiative: an opportunity for leadership and organizational change. Semin Speech Lang 2012; 33: 102-110
• 9 OECD. Lessons from PISA for the United States, Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education, OECD Publishing. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264096660-en . Accessed October 29, 2011
• 10 Affirming the Goal: Is College and Career Readiness an Internationally Competitive Standard?. ACT Available at: http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/AffirmingtheGoal.pdf . Accessed October 22, 2011
• 11 Munson L. What students really need to learn. Alexandria, VA: Ed Leadership, Association of Supervision Curriculum, March 2011:10–14
• 12 Abellon C. International Assessment. What's the PISA All About?. Available at: Accessed at http://www.education.com/magazine/article/pisa_results/ . Accessed October 29, 2011
• 13 Oakes J. Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality, 2nd ed. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press; 2005
• 14 National Center for Education Statistics National Assessment of Educational Progress Achievement Gaps. Available at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/gaps/ . Accessed December 14, 2011
• 15 Mullis IVS, Martin MO, Robitaille DF, Foy P. TIMSS Advanced 2008 International Report: Findings from IEA’s Study of Achievement in Advanced Mathematics and Physics in the Final Year of Secondary School. TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College; 2009
• 16 Duncan A. Testimony. Available at: http//www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2010/03/03182010.html . Accessed March 28, 2012
• 17 Council of Chief State School Officers and The Hunt Institute. Available at: http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Digital_Resources/Common_Core_Implementation_Video_Series.html . Accessed December 7, 2011
• 18 Roberts KL. The linguistic demands of the common core state standards for reading and writing informational text in the primary grades. Semin Speech Lang 2012; 33: 146-159
• 19 Richards S, Sturm J, Cali K. Writing instruction in elementary classrooms: making the connection to Common Core State Standards. Semin Speech Lang 2012; 33: 130-145
• 20 Adams MJ. The challenge of advanced texts: the interdependence of reading and learning. In: Hiebert EH, ed. Reading More, Reading Better: Are American Students Reading Enough of the Right Stuff?. New York, NY: Guilford Publications; 2009
• 21 Daggett WR, Gendron SA, Heller DA. Transitioning to the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Assessments. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education, Inc.; 2010
• 22 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers. Application to Students with Disabilities Common Core State Standards. 2010. Available at: http://www.corestandards.org/assets/application-to-students-with-disabilities.pdf . Accessed March 27, 2012
• 23 Staskowski M, Hardin S, Klein M, Wozniak C. Universal Design for Learning: Speech-Language Pathologists and their teams making the common core curriculum accessible. Semin Speech Lang 2012; 33: 111-129
• 24 Snow CE. Academic language and the challenge of reading for learning about science. Science 2010; 328: 450-452
• 25 Fisher D, Frey N. Best Practices in Content-Area Teaching. In: Morrow LM, Gambrell LB, eds. Best Practices in Literacy. 4th ed. New York, NY: Guilford; 2011: 343-360
• 26 Fisher D, Brozo WG, Frey N, Ivey G. 50 Instructional Routines to Develop Content Literacy. Boston, MA: Pearson; 2011
• 27 Scott CM, Balthazar CH. The grammar of information: challenges for older students with language impairments. Top Lang Disord 2010; 30: 288-307
• 28 Robinson W. Curriculum-based assessment of oral language and listening comprehension: A tool for intervention and progress monitoring in the Common Core State Standards. Semin Speech Lang 2012; 33: 160-172