Harding's UN-Common Core
Dear Parents,
Harding Academy is not a Common Core School. When the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were released in 2013, we analyzed them for language arts and mathematics and explored the Tennessee State Standards (TSS) for science and social studies. We then compared them to the unique grade level learning expectations that Harding's lower school has always maintained. What we discovered was that the CCSS and TSS were not as rigorous as the standards we have always followed at Harding Academy. Based on this exploration, we have continued to follow our own UN-Common Core at Harding Academy.
There is sometimes confusion about our use of standards because some curriculum materials have the Common Core logo on the cover of the textbook or workbook. This is not an indication of a move to the CCSS at Harding. Many publishers have replaced state standards with CCSS in their materials to enable them to sell to public school systems which do follow the CCSS. My teachers and I evaluated the impact of this change on the materials and found that the content of the curriculum was free from any CCSS bias. We feel very comfortable using these textbooks and resources to support student learning as we continue to teach to our own rigorous standards. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Betsy Kolznak
Lower School Principal
[email protected]
Harding Academy is not a Common Core School. When the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were released in 2013, we analyzed them for language arts and mathematics and explored the Tennessee State Standards (TSS) for science and social studies. We then compared them to the unique grade level learning expectations that Harding's lower school has always maintained. What we discovered was that the CCSS and TSS were not as rigorous as the standards we have always followed at Harding Academy. Based on this exploration, we have continued to follow our own UN-Common Core at Harding Academy.
There is sometimes confusion about our use of standards because some curriculum materials have the Common Core logo on the cover of the textbook or workbook. This is not an indication of a move to the CCSS at Harding. Many publishers have replaced state standards with CCSS in their materials to enable them to sell to public school systems which do follow the CCSS. My teachers and I evaluated the impact of this change on the materials and found that the content of the curriculum was free from any CCSS bias. We feel very comfortable using these textbooks and resources to support student learning as we continue to teach to our own rigorous standards. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Betsy Kolznak
Lower School Principal
[email protected]