The Common Core and PARCC debacle continue to rage at conferences, in articles and blogs, at board meetings, in faculty meetings, PTA meetings, and in living rooms and legislative hallways. Actually we think this is a good thing. The attention of parents, board members, teachers, community members, politicians, and candidates on the quality of education is certainly larger than in recent memory. There are questions about the value of national standards, the appropriate nature of some of the standards in the earlier grades, and angst about the use of standardized testing to change teaching and learning and evaluate students and teachers, all in the service of preparing students for college and career in the 21st century. Read more...