If you need evidence for national--or "common"--standards, look no further than the wide variation in the definition of "proficient" across the country today.?? These charts, from Fordham's 2007 The Proficiency Illusion illustrate the difference in the difficulty of state achievement tests based on their "cut scores."
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A student deemed proficient in reading or math by the state of Colorado wouldn't come close to making the cut in Massachusetts, California, or South Carolina. Unfortunately, proficient young Buckeyes wouldn't fare much better than their Centennial State peers.
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We will be exploring the issue of national standards and their impact on states at our conference, World-Class Academic Standards for Ohio, on Monday, October 5.?? Video of the event will be available on Flypaper next week.
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