Schools in Missouri are adjusting curricula to meet new national standards. Missouri is one of 45 states around the country that has adopted a new set of standards for K through 12 school curriculums.
Teachers and school administrators across the nation helped created the Common Core Standards Initiative in order to better prepare children for higher education. Missouri adopted the standards in the year 2010 and schools are adjusting their curricula to fit the new expectations.
Mexico’s Public Schools Assistant Superintendant, Kevin Freeman, says core academic skills such as fractions and reading are being taught at younger ages. “The Common Core Standards are a little more rigorous, they introduce some more critical thinking and deeper levels of critical thinking. They push some concepts downward, for instance, fractions, which is typically taught infourth grade, really moves down to third grade," Freeman said.
School children nationally will be tested with the new Common Core State Standards during the 2013-2014 school year. The standards are scheduled to be operational the following school year.
