Dr. Schmidt, a professor at the Michigan State University, has recently released the results of his study that suggests that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Mathematics strongly resemble the standards of the highest-achieving nations, and that they have more focus, coherence and rigor than most of the state standards they replaced. In fact, a statistical analysis of the CCSS for mathematics found a 90% overlap of the CCSS and the programs of the nations that are leading in this field. The problem in the U.S. is the uneven implementation of the CCSS by the states. Dr. Schmidt reviewed all 50 states’ previous math standards comparing them to the CCSS. Most state standards are less coherent or less focused than the CCSS. There are on average 3-6 additional math topics covered by the states, which leads to a “mile wide, inch deep” approach to the study of mathematics prior to 2009. If implemented well, the CCSS will increase student achievement and is expected to close any gaps between the American students and students of the other nations in terms of math instruction.
Press Release: http://www.achieve.org/common-core-math-standards-implementation-can-lead-improved-student-achievement
Dr. Schmidt’s powerpoint slides: http://www.achieve.org/CCSS-schmidt-research
Video of Dr. Schmidt’s press release is here: http://vimeo.com/41542448