Molly Grice

English 1201

Professor Dunham

16 January 2019

Common Core Standards

The Common Core standards affect many people. For example, educators,

students, and even the parents of students. I have seen how the Common Core

standards have evolved from elementary school, to middle school and now to high

school. I have also seen first hand students failing to meet the new Common Core

standards. This breaks my heart, for some students can’t even graduate because of the

new standards.

I feel as though the new Common Core standards are putting a burden on

students and are even confusing some educators. For instance, my biology teacher was

explaining to my class how the state of Ohio gave her general statements that she

should be teaching her students, so that they are prepared for the AIR test. However,

the general statements weren’t specific so it left her a little confused. My biology teacher

also went on to say how she’s seen seniors, who she had in class two years ago,

retaking the biology AIR test. So are these standardized tests setting students up for

success? I don’t think so. At my high school students need to accumulate eighteen

points from these standardized tests before they can graduate. I have heard some

students struggle to gain eighteen points. So is it fair to not allow students to graduate

due to not achieving eighteen points? Also, let's talk about the seniors trying to retake

the biology AIR test, that they had taken two years prior and failed. Imagine the
pressure they feel while taking that test. Imagine thinking, I need to score well on this

one test or I will not be able to graduate. That just brings up the question, how much

pressure do these standardized tests put on students? I will need to do more research,

before I am able to answer the above questions.

I feel angry that standardized testing, like the AIR test, is determining if students

can graduate or not. I am also angry that teachers aren’t given the specific information

they need to properly teach their students. All of this on top of the pressure given to

students from these tests is just sad. I believe there is a better solution.

I am interested to find out how the new common core standards affect students

in the classroom, how common core standards have changed standardized testing, if

standardized tests effectively represent a students performance in the classroom, and

how much pressure these tests put on students. I am also interested to find out possible

solutions to the the Common Core and standardized testing. I am excited to start

researching!