Is the Common Core Racing the United States to the Top? Tracking State Proficiency Standards and Achievement

• In Event: 41.083 - Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: 41.083-2 - Educator Responses to Accountability Policies

Abstract

The goals of this study are to understand the trends of states’ proficiency standards since No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and to explore the impact of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) on proficiency standards and student achievement. The study applied hierarchical linear modeling and cross-lagged path analysis methods to 2003-15 NAEP and state assessment data from 50 states. Overall, the rigor of state standards showed curvilinear trajectory: bifurcation with decline during 2003-09, followed by recovery during 2009-15. The results imply that CCSS adoption contributed to raising the rigor of state standards and reversing the earlier downward trend (i.e., racing to the bottom). Nevertheless, the more rigorous state standards alone did not lead to the higher student achievement so far.

Authors

• Jaekyung Lee, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Yin Wu, University at Buffalo - SUNY