I feel that all states should have a common core. When I have students enroll from other states, it's really hard trying to catch them up to where my class is. Or if they are ahead of us, it's hard to keep him/her moving forward because some students don't like working on their own. Commonality would be great!

With this new movement in mathematics, what is going to be the grading scale in the state assessments? Is there going to be a certain number for being on level?

Do you think then that not only the standards should be common but the sequence of teaching as well? Or would that be too much structure for your liking? If you'd like to be able to seamlessly weave in students enrolling from another state, though, it seems like a common sequence would be necessary as well as common standards. I wonder if that would fly! 

I think that the common core standards are a move in the positive direction. However, is the federal government going to fund rewriting common state assessments that address all of these standards? I don't know if plans for this are already in place or not, but from the Kansas view, our assessment doesn't address all of the common standards. Will changing the standards be positive if assessments aren't also changed?

I am thrilled to see the move toward national standards. I do, however, STRONGLY believe that some abstract concepts (fractions in particular) are STILL being proposed at ages / grade levels where students are NOT developmentally able to master them. Until we can guarantee that students enter kindergarten or first grade with a healthy understanding of number sense, many of the first few grade levels will likely continue to be devoted to playing "catch up" -- forcing young students to work with concepts that move too quickly from the concrete to the abstract is asking for a ripple effect of frustration and failure. I would be curious to know at what age / grade levels other countries (China, South Korea) begin the introduction of fractions.

It is absurd to think that every child in the nation is going to meet a set of common core standards based on grade or age. Like NCLB, it infers that all children of the same age or grade are at the same level and that all can acheive the same level. If there are nation wide standards, those standards are going to be minimal which leads to apathy by the high math achievers. If the standards are high, then there is frustration and failure for the low mathematicians. Not all children are math minded nor do they all want or need to reach the same level of acadamia. Let the local states and communities determine standards. Those few interstate or interdistrict children will be fine, there are plenty of options for them to get math at their level. I can't beleive that transients would make a difference in the diversity of mathlevels that already exist in classrooms and schools. We don't need more government or big brother telling us what to do. We already have too much government stifling the system. In addition, who is going to fund the making of and the enforcement of such a huge undertaking? Why not use the money to support volunteer or tutoring programs instead of spending it on bureaucrats with utopian ideas. The reality is that we need ditch diggers and grunt workers. If people don't want low paying jobs, well....let them do the math!

One clarification, there is nothing wrong with being a ditch digger or a grunt worker. They play a valuable role in our society.

I know a boy who is in high school and can not read, I know a set of twins who are in the fourth grade and have struggled with tutors, summmer school, ect since pre-k. Why are these children being left behind? Some kids, ie my son, are blessed with never having to crack a book and retain straight A's while others continue to struggle. We as a country to need to find a common goal to sort those out who need extra help while challenging the others to excel higher. No two children are alike they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Having all children on the same level I think is a good idea but perhaps a sub level for those who need help. Maybe that way when a child improves we can see it and move on to another challenge. I think the main problem with the entire education system is children just memorize what they have to, to pass the next test. What are they really retaining?

Great comments, thoughts, and questions about the Common Core Standards. Here are a few of my thoughts in response to your thoughts: 
-- Will common standards lead to common instruction? It doesn’t have to, and, as I understand it, those developing the standards are trying hard not to make that connection. The common standards are really about common expectations, not common ways of reaching them. 
 
-- Will we have common assessments? It’s certainly true that standards have little meaning without ways of measuring how well they’re being met. And the common core group is hopeful that state consortia will take advantage of common outcomes to pool resources, with support from the federal government, to experiment with new and more valuable assessment options. You can check out what they have to say at: http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/1004NGACCSSOASSESSMENTS.PDF 
 
-- How do we make sure all students can meet the new standards? Yes, that’s quite a challenge. At the recent NCSM (National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics) conference, a speaker from the National Institute of Education, the university that trains every math teacher in Singapore, noted that 50% of sixth grade students are expected to perform at the advanced level on the nation’s math exam. That’s an incredibly high expectation that puts incredible pressure on Singapore’s teachers. The expectation in the United States isn’t quite so high, but it’s still daunting. As one commenter noted, students coming to school with some basic number sense would certainly help. Last year’s National Research Council report on early childhood math has some helpful ideas: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12519 
 

Sorry, here are clickable links for my comments above: 
Common Core Assessments 
 
NRC Report on Early Childhood Math