In a move that could help states procure part of the $4.3 billion Race to the Top Fund, the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) on Sept. 21 released the first official public draft of their Common Core State Standards.

The college and career readiness standards in English and math are part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, an effort being led by governors and chief state school officers in 51 states and territories. The initiative aims to address the wide disparities in what high school students are expected to know before graduating in states throughout the nation, by creating a set of core standards that states can adopt voluntarily. These standards, according to the organizations, “define the knowledge and skills [that] students should have to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs.”

The Obama administration has proposed giving states that adopt common standards an advantage in seeking federal aid, as part of the $4.3 billion Race to the Top Fund. The NGA and CCSSO are encouraging those interested in the standards to provide feedback, which must be supported by research and evidence, by Oct. 21 at www.corestandards.org.

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