Dive Brief:

• Despite ongoing criticism from Republican presidential candidates, who cite them as an example of overreach by the federal government, the Common Core State Standards are likely here to stay.
• At the state level, repeal efforts have largely failed, with only three of the 46 states that adopted the standards replacing them thus far.
• Only two of the GOP's 17 current candidates remain in favor of the standards: former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and current Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Dive Insight:

For many in the education world, the contentious standards are a welcome shift from a focus on rote memorization to critical thinking and problem-solving. In states where the standards were repealed, they've been replaced with mostly identical ones — a source of frustration for some conservative activists, though more teachers have come out in favor of the standards, as well.

As a result, conservatives have redoubled their efforts at repealing Common Core at the national level, though the more demanding standards are likely to have already made their mark.

Recommended Reading

The Huffington Post: 2016 Candidates Slam Common Core, But Education Standards Take Root