Charlene Goodman: Common Core transition difficult, but necessary

Re “Common Core test results due next month” (Page B1, July 8): Common Core is transforming education in California by setting a high bar in the classroom to ensure children of all backgrounds and needs get the quality education they deserve. Our state needs Common Core to help shrink the opportunity gap and better prepare kids for the future.

To make sure our districts’ students are on target to graduate from high school ready for the challenges of college and career, we must be able to consistently and reliably measure their progress. The Smarter Balanced Assessments were created to test learning under Common Core, and give parents and teachers the specific information they need to provide every student with individualized support.

The transition to Common Core is a multi-year, multi-faceted effort and challenges are inevitable. But no temporary difficulty outweighs the long-term benefits. It will take time to fully transition to this new system that will better prepare students for what they will face after high school. We must work together to navigate potential bumps in the road and help our kids succeed.

This story was originally published July 13, 2015 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Charlene Goodman: Common Core transition difficult, but necessary."