Fulfilling the Promise of the Common Core: Innovative Solutions to Eliminate the Readiness Gap in the “New Normal”

At no time in the history of American K-12 education have the challenges and consequences of our actions been so great. As students across the nation settle into a new school year, administrators and educators are simultaneously attempting to implement the new Common Core State Standards in an economic climate plagued by budget shortfalls—an environment many economists have dubbed the “New Normal.” While no consensus exists on whether our economy will double-dip or will just be slow to recover, what is certain is that educators will need to do more with less. How can educators and students realize the promise and potential of the Common Core in the “New Normal” when projected federal and state funding cliffs are quickly becoming reality?