State Education Commissioner John King made the case for the Common Core while visiting two Rochester area schools today.
King says our international competitors are dramatically outperforming the US in math and science, but the common core curriculum is designed to close that gap.
He says in order to grow the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics -- or the STEM fields critical to our region -- our students need to be better prepared.
Opponents to the Common Core say, among other things, that some of the test questions are inappropriate for a student's level of development.
King visited The Children's School of Rochester this morning.
He says that's a school that has made significant gains in state English Language Arts and Math tests, despite the fact that for half of the student population there, english is their second language.
King also said he's optimistic that the University of Rochester, the City School District and bargaining units will all work together to create a successful plan for East High School.
The University, district and labor unions are working on a deal that would see the U of R manage East High, which was on the verge of being closed.
King says he believes there is real commitment to flexibility among the partners involved so the U of R can make dramatic changes in the school.
Here's Commissioner King joining City School Superintendent Bolgen Vargas at one of the classrooms at School 15:
http://youtu.be/UoeRqvmvpws