With greater availability of schooling in developing countries, global education reform is on the rise. Despite the rapid increase in worldwide literacy rates, the United States no longer stands as a world dominator in education. Currently, the majority of states in America follow a series of guidelines for teaching, known as Common Core standards, set forth in 2010. However, following a sharp backlash from parents and teachers in response to standardized testing and other new procedures, many politicians feel that these standards need stark revisions.

Evidently, many of these concerns remain far-fetched since people do not fully comprehend the essence and intentions of Common Core. Considering the future of the United States as an international leader, it is imperative to reconsider the potential benefits of Common Core in educating future generations.

In an attempt to improve the quality of education, the National Governor’s Association (NGA) gathered in 2009 to create an outline of basic math, writing, reading skills, also known as Common Core standards. Compelled by President Obama’s “Race to the Top” initiative, or federal grants encouraging states to implement the Common Core standards, 42 states, including New Jersey, adopted the standards as fundamental goals in the coming years.

For the most part, the benchmarks set forth received approval. However, the national approval of Common Core crumbled, as opposition from both political parties quickly formed. With only 37% of Republicans supporting Common Core standards in 2015, many fear that the standards are the government’s attempt to further its involvement in people’s affairs. Some Democrats believe that the standards will ultimately be used to punish teachers for the underperformance of their students. Subsequently, both parties have increasingly opposed Common Core.

It is important to remember that the NGA created Common Core standards with practical intentions in mind. With a great increase in economic inequality in society today, national education standards are quintessential in closing the widening gap between rich and poor communities.

As Sydney Lawrence ’18 puts it, “It’s useful because people in poorer places will get a better and fairer education that will equal the playing field for getting into college, or even getting a job.” A student’s zip code should not simply determine his or her access to education. When lower income students receive a similar education to that of the rich, continuing to implement standards from Common Core will be successful in giving everyone an equal chance.

In addition to creating a comparable access to education for all income brackets, the United States should also strive to revive its competitive edge. The 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, a tool used to measure education systems worldwide, ranked the United States 24th in science, 21st in reading, and 31st in math, a distinct decrease from 2009.

These figures indicate that the United States’ education level needs improvement to remain influential on a global platform. Kaitlyn Van Baalen ’18 thinks, “Education reform like Common Core is important to bring the United States into competition with the rest of the developed world, and to make instruction more comparable across state lines. However, I think it should have been more thoroughly researched and more transparently presented. People fear what they don’t understand, so a candid, open-to-change approach might have convinced more people of Common Core’s practicality.”

The politicization of education may not be in the best interest for next generation Americans. Without truly understanding the crux of Common Core, plenty of politicians are quick to jump to conclusions. In fact, a plethora of candidates for presidential hopefuls recently expressed their disdain for government-implemented education standards. Republican candidate Donald Trump, in an evident effort to gain support, recently tweeted, “I will end Common Core. It’s a disaster.”

American History teacher Mrs. Seiffert expresses, “I do think the whole conversation is interesting in that some politicians are currently discussing the overhaul of Common Core in their respective states. Recent discussion in the state of New York has been focused on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to overhaul Common Core and testing associated with it in his state. That said, critics feel that some politicians are simply vying for the sympathies of parents as a way to gain favor in the polls.”

Frankly, it is too early to judge Common Core’s effectiveness in strengthening the nation’s next generation. America’s education system still needs more reforms, and these standards are just the starting point. At the same time, parents, teachers, and students need to reconsider the potential benefits that Common Core standards have to offer for our country.