Common Core - Liberal Arts

By reading great works of literature, grappling with the triumphs and tragedies of history, writing essays and poems, mastering a foreign language, studying the visual and performing arts, and learning the discipline and joy of creating their own art, children are challenged to think and grow.

A FULL CORE CURRICULUM HELPS STUDENTS SUCCEED. Studies by ACT have shown that taking a full core curriculum, including four years of English and three years of social studies, greatly increases students’ readiness for college and work. Students who take the core curriculum in high school achieve higher ACT scores than those who do not, regardless of gender, family income, and ethnic background.

BROAD-BASED TEACHING HELPS SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. A liberal arts education can serve all Americans, including those who face the challenges of poverty, live in broken homes, or are adapting to a new nation and culture. All children who experience a broad spectrum of subjects are better equipped to become active, productive members of society.

FIND OUT MORE.

Beyond the Basics, by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, explains the importance of focusing on more than reading and math skills alone. An essay in the report, by Brown University Assistant Professor Martin West, shows that the liberal arts and sciences are being marginalized in today’s classrooms.

Choices, Changes, and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era, a report by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), examines the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act on classrooms over a five-year period. This year, the CEP published a more extensive analysis.

The Nation’s Report Card, a study by the U.S. Department of Education, examines what kind of courses high school students are taking and how it affects their scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 — New Common Core report shows a nation STILL AT RISK. Nearly a quarter of students polled could not identify Adolf Hitler and half had no idea what the Renaissance was. To learn more read the report, press release or today's issue of USA TODAY.

Truest things are often said in jest. To wit, The Onion.

CONVERSATION: Common Core Executive Director Lynne Munson speaks with Susan Jacoby about her new book, The Age of American Unreason, on NPR. (cont'd)

VIDEO WATCH: MSN's No One Wants to Look Dumb campaign strikes a chord. (cont'd)

CAMPAIGN FILE: Sen. Barack Obama said “One of the problems with No Child Left Behind is that it has become so reliant on a standardized test model that—first of all—subjects like history and social studies have gotten pushed aside. Arts and music time is no longer there. So the child is not having the well-rounded educational experience I benefited from and most in my generation benefited from.” (cont'd)