R.I. joins educational standards initiative

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Donald L. Carcieri and Commissioner of Primary and Secondary Education Peter McWalters last week joined the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a national, state-led process to develop common English-language arts and mathematics standards.
The Common Core State Standards Initiative will be jointly led by the NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
Forty-nine U.S. states and territories also signed onto the initiative, which aims to build on efforts of organizations and states that have focused on developing college- and career-ready standards and ensure that these standards can be internationally benchmarked.
By signing onto the initiative, Carcieri and McWalters said in a statement that Rhode Island can work toward a common core of state standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. These standards will be research and evidence-based, internationally benchmarked aligned with college and work expectations. •