2006 The State of State STANDARDS by Ches ter E Finn Jr Liam Julian and Michael J Pet rilli I N C LU DI N G It Takes a Vision How Three States Created Great Academic Standards By Joanne Jacobs A U G U ST 2 0 0 6 1701 K St reet NW Suite 1000 Washington D C 20006 202 223 5452 202 223 9226 Fax www edexcellence net The Thomas B Fordham Foundation is a nonprofit organization that conducts research issues publications and directs action projects in elementary secondary education reform at the national level and in Ohio with special emphasis on our hometown of Dayton It is affiliated with the Thomas B Fordham Foundation Further information can be found at www edexcellence net institute or by writing to the Institute at 1701 K Street NW Suite 1000 Washington D C 20006 This report is available in full on the Institute s web site additional copies can be ordered at www edexcellence net institute publication order cfm or by calling 410 634 2400 The Institute is neither connected with nor sponsored by Fordham University TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Acknowledgments 5 Executive Summary 6 Introduction The State of State Standards 2006 8 It Takes a Vision How Three States Created Great Academic Standards By Joanne Jacobs 19 Reviews of State Standards Alabama 46 Alaska 47 Arizona 49 Arkansas 50 California 52 Colorado 53 Connecticut 55 Delaware 56 District of Columbia 58 Florida 59 Georgia 61 Hawaii 62 Idaho 64 Illinois 65 Indiana 67 Kansas 68 Kentucky 70 Louisiana 71 Maine 73 Maryland 74 Massachusetts 76 Michigan 77 Minnesota 79 Mississippi 80 Missouri 82 Montana 84 Nebraska 85 Nevada 87 New Hampshire 88 New Jersey 90 New Mexico 91 New York 93 North Carolina 94 North Dakota 96 Ohio 97 Oklahoma 99 Oregon 100 Pennsylvania 102 Rhode Island 103 South Carolina 104 South Dakota 106 Tennessee 107 Texas 109 Utah 110 Vermont 112 Virginia 113 Washington 115 West Virginia 116 Wisconsin 118 Wyoming 119 A C K N OW LE D G M E N TS Appreciation must be expressed first to those who And in World History Walter Russell Mead Charles assumed the mantle for writing the state of state Edel Scott Erwin and Bryan Gunderson headed the standards reviews published by the Fordham evaluation Foundation between 2003 and 2006 their staffs and Foundation offered its generous support At those who funded their work Fordham Justin Torres Kathleen Porter Magee The Lynde and Harry Bradley Michael J Petrilli Liam Julian Martin Davis Jr and In English Sandra Stotsky and Carol Jago evaluated the Sarah Kim saw the report through standards At the Fordham Institute Carolyn Conner Brandy Bones and Kathleen Porter Magee brought it to At the Fordham Foundation Associate Writer and completion with the assistance of designer Emilia Ryan Editor Liam Julian undertook the monumental task of summarizing the findings from each of these five In Math David Klein Bastiaan J Braams Thomas reports His considerable talents as a writer ensured Parker William Quirk Wilfried Schmid W Stephen that the summations were both lively in presenta Wilson Ralph Raimi and Lawrence Braden served tion and accurate in their portrayal as evaluators At Fordham Carolyn Conner Jess Castle Justin Torres and designer Emilia Ryan Staff Assistant Sarah Kim had the difficult task of brought it to completion checking and re checking all the facts figures and grades in this report Furthermore she coordinated In Science Paul Gross and his colleagues Ursula with our designer Holli Rathman to produce the Goodenough Susan Haack Lawrence S Lerner Martha report you now hold in your hands Schwartz and Richard Schwartz evaluated the standards The Carnegie Corporation of New York and Research Intern Tal Kerem worked to generate all Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation provided finan the GPAs His talent with Excel smoothed the way cial assistance At the Fordham Institute Michael for the analysis in this report Connolly Justin Torres Martin Davis Jr Liam Julian and Michael O Keefe saw the project to conclusion with Senior Writer and Editor Martin A Davis Jr had the designer Holli Rathman and copyeditor Anne Elliott enviable task of working with Joanne Jacobs on her essay chronicling how California Massachusetts and In U S History Sheldon Stern Michael Chesson Indiana produced first rate standards when other Mary Beth Klee and Luther Spoehr led the study states failed He also coordinated the production of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation provided the project a job made easier by the considerable tal funding At the Fordham Institute Kathleen Porter ents of those mentioned above Magee and Fordham trustee Diane Ravitch deserve special thanks Acknowledgements The State of State Standards 2006 5 E X EC U T I V E S U M M A RY This is the Thomas B Fordham Foundation s first comprehensive look at the quality of state academic standards since 2000 before Congress enacted No Child Left Behind NCLB While 37 states have updated or revised their state standards in at least one subject during that period on the whole they are just as mediocre as ever The average grade for state standards across all subjects was a disappointing C minus in 2000 and remains so today Two thirds of the nation s K 12 students attend schools in states with C D or F rated standards Standards matter Several analyses link strong state standards and gains on NAEP Over the past three years expert reviewers for the Thomas B Fordham Foundation and the Thomas B Fordham Institute examined state standards in five subjects U S history 2003 English language arts 2005 mathematics 2005 science 2005 and world history 2006 The reviewers gave high marks to standards that are clear rigorous and right headed about content For example excellent English standards expect students to read and understand important literary genres worthy science standards place the teaching of evolution at the center of biology instruction and strong U S and world history standards are organized around a chronology of key events with an ample supply of fascinating and important individuals Solid standards matter because they are the foundation of standards based reform the dominant education policy strategy in America today They have become even more important in the NCLB era when weighty consequences befall schools that do not rise to meet the standards at least in reading and math While the pros and cons of testing and accountability get most of the ink in newspaper debates the standards themselves exert enormous influence over what actually happens inside
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