Most Children Left Behind

The National Association for Educational Statistics released a report that tested the rigor of state exams in both reading and math for 4th and 8th graders and the findings were disheartening. It found that most states' proficiency standards are below NAEP's definition of basic performance. Maryland's standards were deemed below proficient and in the bottom 10 in 4th grade reading and math; below proficient and in the bottom 15 for 8th grade reading; and slightly above basic in 8th grade math. The report also concluded that there was a significant amount of variation in the "levels of achievement required."

This report also gives strength to implementing an across-the-board curriculum like the Common Core, because it would norm the standards and really hold states accountable for ensuring that the standards are actually rigorous. On a website that discussed Georgia's performance, there was a quote from U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's Chief-of-Staff, Joanne Weiss, speaking to the report and why it may be so. She said that the federal No Child Left Behind law has inadvertently driven states to lower their standards. Hopefully, with the implementation of the Common Core, this doesn't have to be the case in the future.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2011458
http://www.gpb.org/news/2011/08/10/study-finds-low-test-standards