Gov. Jim Hunt Comments on Release of Common Core State Standards

Statement from James B. Hunt, Jr., Chairman of the Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy and former governor of North Carolina on the official public release of the K-12 Common Core State Standards by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers:

“Never before has there been a greater demand for all students to be prepared to meet the challenges of both college and work. When states adopt consistent, rigorous education standards, the promise to our children—and their parents—is that a high school education means something. The standards released today represent the best and strongest from across the country, and when students master these skills and knowledge, they will be ready to succeed in today’s world.

“As a former governor who has championed high-quality standards for decades, this is an encouraging first step, but we must not become complacent. In order for Common Core State Standards to be truly effective, they must be supported by an integrated system—including curriculum, assessment, instruction, teacher preparation, and professional development. We must see this effort to the very end.

“I commend the National Governors Association for Best Practices, the Council of Chief State School Officers, teachers, and other education leaders for their commitment to collaboration. I also want to thank the standards writers for their tireless work—ensuring input from every sector was heard—and we have Common Core Standards we can all be proud of.”

For more information on the Common Core State Standards, please visitwww.commoncore.org.