Public schools in California have been through the financial wringer over the past several years. Budget cuts have resulted in teacher layoffs, increased class sizes, elimination of summer school, decreased support staff, dwindling supplies, and dated text books. Most districts are struggling to maintain their current quality of instruction with greatly reduced resources. What could make this dismal financial situation even worse? How about adopting an entirely new curriculum!
Already struggling districts must now spend countless dollars to align with The Common Core. Of course, schools will need to purchase all new textbooks and instructional materials. Administrators, curriculum leaders, teachers, and other personnel will need to be trained. The Smarter Balanced assessment will require the purchase of new technology, including enough computers for all students to take the computerized assessment.
I can’t help but to think that if our goal is to increase student achievement, perhaps implementing an entirely new curriculum should not be our first priority. How about restoring teaching jobs and reducing class sizes for starters?
I’d like to hear what you have to say. Is your district making financial sacrifices in order to align with Common Core? Do you feel that preparing for Common Core should be a priority for your district right now?
Go Common Core 
July 22, 2013 at 10:27 am
My district is making sacrifices not only in money, but in time. It pains me to see how much time my colleagues and I have lost in the process of transitioning to the Common Core – not only in-class time, but out of class time, too. The number of hours we spend grading unit assessments is time that could be better spent preparing for the next school day. The monetary issue is whole different can of worms!
July 23, 2013 at 5:55 pm
Thank you for your comment, chalkboardscholar. I agree that the Common Core transition is very expensive with regards to both money and time!
July 22, 2013 at 10:45 am
Materials are all well and good, but I would always rather see more money go towards those assets that are truly irreplaceable – teachers. “Stuff” will make the learning process a little easier, but teachers will always be the ones who truly support students throughout all the challenges they face on the road to learning. The shift to Common Core will undoubtedly be less rough to those schools that are affluent, but those are the exception and most definitely not the rule.
July 23, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Thank you for your comment, docteach. You make a good point that affluent districts will have an easier time making the shift to Common Core. In addition to numerous other advantages, those districts probably already have the technology required for assessment in place. Their students will likely have the benefit of being able to take computerized practice tests prior to the actual Smarter Balanced Assessment. Students from less affluent districts will certainly not be as well prepared, having only experience with paper and pencil tests.