HARRISBURG, Pa. — Acting Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq yesterday announced a website designed to provide the public with the opportunity to review and provide feedback on the Pennsylvania Standards.
The site is available by visiting www.paacademicreview.org.
“Governor Corbett and I are focused on ensuring that students, parents, educators and taxpayers have a comprehensive understanding of what is expected of our students at each grade level,” Dumaresq said. “I encourage the public to take the opportunity to visit this website, share their thoughts and provide suggestions about the Pennsylvania Standards.”
The site is currently populated with the eligible content in English language arts and mathematics for grade three. By mid-November, the site will be updated to include the eligible content in English language arts and mathematics for grades four to eight and Algebra I and Literature at the secondary level.
The website includes interactive features that allow visitors to provide feedback and suggestions as well as view sample questions from the state tests so they can see examples of what is being presented to and asked of students.
“I encourage Pennsylvania educators to use this website to share their thoughts and ideas regarding Pennsylvania’s eligible content,” said Dr. Linda Hippert, executive director of Allegheny Intermediate Unit. “The website is a user-friendly resource that will provide the department and the State Board with quality information as they complete this review process.”
In September, Governor Corbett called on Secretary Dumaresq and the State Board of Education to complete the final phase of a nearly three-year effort to permanently rollback the national Common Core State Standards adopted during the Rendell administration in 2010 and replace them with Pennsylvania-specific standards.
Pennsylvania’s standards do not mandate curriculum, teaching methods, materials or instructional strategies to be used in the classroom, nor does the Department of Education and the State Board of Education mandate specific textbooks or reading materials. These decisions are made by local school officials in consultation with parents and the community.
Once the website is fully populated with the eligible content for grades three to eight and Algebra I and Literature, it will remain available for public review until mid-January 2015.
The review website can also be accessed by visiting the department’s website at www.education.state.pa.us and clicking on the “Pennsylvania Standards: Eligible Content Review” graphic.
