re: More Common Core

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1) Common Core is simply standards, and the standards are both good and needed,

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I, for one, do not readily accept this premise. The biggest problem with American education IMHO is the bottom 30% of students dropping out of school, not the top 30% of students lacking higher standards.

Raise standards, one will actually increase the drop out rate, thereby further eroding our workforce.

Raise the standards if you like, but the priority should be on the bottom 30% of students becoming productive citizens.

And I have some questions I can't seem to find the answer (and yes, I've searched): # of high school students grades 9 - 12 vs # of college openings for students? Said another way, if every student currently in high school went to college, would there be enough places for them? .. and should the bottom 50% of students (or 30%, or 20%) be going to college? What would that say about a degree?

And .. since I'm on a Rant .... lifetime earnings of a college graduate vs a HS graduate are always touted. But let's factor out college grads with a graduate degree or professional certificate (i.e. doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses, MBAs, PHDs, CPAs). I bet a comparison of HS grads with skilled blue collar jobs vs undergrad degrees in history, women's studies &/ or sociology would paint quite a different picture.

Every student deserves the opportunity to attend college. But not every student deserves a spot in college. What do higher standards do for those not earning the right to attend college?