Education Review: Common Core Removes Literature for Government Docs

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What to Watch Education leaders in Colorado are taking a second look at Common Core standards for their state. Number of the Week The Hoover Institute takes a look at the top education stories of 2012. Quote of the Week Will liberal arts educations survive the Obama administration? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Heritage Foundation! Look for the next Heritage Education Review on Monday, January 7.

Common Core Standards Remove Literature for Government Documents By Rachel Sheffield No more King Arthur stories, kids—you’re going to start reading some information-packed government documents instead! Adding to a number of problems with the Obama Administration-backed Common Core education standards, beginning with the fact that the federal government should not be involved in the business of curriculum standards, is the questionable quality of the standards themselves. As the English language arts standards make their way through classrooms, educators are waving red flags about the Common Core’s literature requirements—or lack thereof. At issue is the Common Core standards’ shift toward a focus on informational texts rather than literature. “English teachers across the country are trying to figure out which poetry, short stories and novels might have to be sacrificed to make room for nonfiction,” reported The Washington Post earlier this week. Jamie Highfill, an eighth-grade English teacher in Fayetteville, Arkansas, told the Post that she has had to drop “some short stories and a favorite unit on the legends of King Arthur to make room for essays by Malcolm Gladwell and a chapter from The Tipping Point. With informational text, there isn’t that human connection that you get with literature. And the kids are shutting down. They’re getting bored. I’m seeing more behavior problems in my classroom than I’ve ever seen.” READ AND SHARE THE FULL STORY >> What To Watch Common Core Standards Raise Concern in Colorado Colorado is taking a second look at Common Core standards, as concerns with “cost, control and quality” have raised concern among some of the state’s education leaders. Number of the Week 5 What were the five most important but most neglected education stories of 2012? A new report by the Hoover Institution lays it out. Hoover also outlines the top 5 most covered education topics of the year. See Hoover Institution Experts Identify News Media Hits and Misses in 2012 Election Coverage   Quote of the Week “The president’s push for states to accept new curriculum standards should give chills to anyone who believes in the importance of the liberal arts.” - Betsy Woodruff, "Goodbye, Liberal Arts?" National Review Online Don’t Miss Common Core Standards' Devastating Impact on Literary Study and Analytical Thinking “Common Core’s standards not only present a serious threat to state and local education authority, but also put academic quality at risk,” writes Professor Sandra Stotsky in this new Heritage Foundation Issue Brief. About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. The Heritage Foundation  |  214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002  |  202.546.4400