Common Core at Parkview

Common Core and Parkview

The topic of the Common Core Standards and what they mean to Christian schools has been discussed widely. Since this issue is being widely discussed in the political arena, several parents have asked what these standards mean to Parkview. I have found that political issues are often fraught with misinformation and extremes to support the viewpoint of a certain side. While it is beyond the scope of this blog to discuss those issues, I do want to discuss Common Core’s impact on Parkview and leave you with a link that gives a little more information on this topic from the perspective of a Christian accrediting agency.

In its most basic form, Common Core Standards are a compilation of established state standards into a group of agreed upon minimal standards. These standards are still being developed. Common Core is not a curriculum, but the standards will likely be reflected in future ACT and SAT standardized tests. For the sake of our student’s scores, Parkview will stay on top of changes, if any, in that area so our students are not at a disadvantage when taking standardized tests. Currently, most private schools, both Christian and non-Christian, are sure to meet the standards of their state. That has always been a practice and is nothing new. However, most private schools, Parkview included, seek to exceed those standards through the curriculum they choose.

The intent of the Common Core, which is based on the effort of state Governors to produce a set of standards, is to help US students stay on target both nationally and globally. It is important to note that the faculty, administrators and board give oversight to all curriculum at Parkview and nothing is handed to us from any outside agency that tells us what to do. That is the right of every private school, and it is one of the main reasons parents choose private education.

Many publishing companies (Christian included), for marketing purposes, have gone through their texts and have certified areas where they meet the agreed upon standards. Since the standards are based off of compiled standards from all states, I do not believe major publishers who keep up with established outcomes had to change very much. So, if you see a statement similar to, “meets current Common Core Standards” on any of Parkview’s text books, it is just the publisher letting you know that they have looked to see that the text meets minimum requirements set by states. That type of statement does not mean that we are using a government mandated curriculum for our school. We are still exercising all of the choice we have always had in staying with our mission of being a Christ centered, mission driven school.

To read more on this issue from a Christian perspective, please see the attached document stating a position statement from Christian school accrediting organizations. If you have any specific concerns that you would like clarified, or if you have a specific standard that is of concern to you, please feel free to contact me or any of the division heads here at Parkview. Keep in mind that the Bible is the only standard we have to follow and we have full control over what we teach. We continue to seek a God honoring, high quality education for our students and that mission will not change.

-Don R. Mayes, Superintendent