State Versus National Standards

As you write lesson plans, you will need to refer to standards for your subject area. Standards are created to ensure that students from one classroom to another are taught the same basic information in a particular subject. While that concept might seem simple stated as such, it can, in fact, be much more complicated for the individual classroom teacher.

State Standards

The situation is further complicated by the periodic changes that occur to standards. When a particular curriculum area meets to change their standards, teachers are handed and expected to teach to a new group of standards from that point on. This can cause problems when drastic changes occur and teachers are still using textbooks based on the older standards.

So why does this situation exist? The answer lies in flexibility and the desire for local control. States are able to determine what is important for their citizens and focus the curriculum accordingly.

National Standards

Will there ever be mandated national standards? At this time, it looks doubtful. Proponents claim that the curriculum would be standardized across the nation. However, the desire for local control is one of the foundational beliefs of the United States. An individual focus desired by the states would be virtually impossible with national standards.

Getting Involved

How can you get involved? On an individual level, just learning the state and any national standards will keep you informed of what is current in your field. You should join any organizations for your subject area such as the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE). This will help you stay up-to-date as national standards are changed. In terms of your individual state, contact the state Department of Education to see if there is a way for you to become involved in reviews and changes to standards. In many states, teachers are selected to be a part of the standards process. In this way, you can have a voice in future changes to the standards for your subject area.