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Arizona College And Career Ready Standards Policy Brief

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To: Professor Stritch
From: Lexis Townsend
Date: November 14, 2014
Subject: Arizona College and Career Ready Standards Policy Brief

Policy and Background:

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were developed nationally in 2009 with the intent of better preparing students for college, and their eventual careers. Faced with the option of whether to adopt or reject CCSS, the state of Arizona chose the former. The Arizona College and Career Ready Standards (AZCCRS) were officially adopted in 2010, with required implementation starting in the 2013 school year. The approved common core subjects are English and math, and place a heavy focus on the development of real world, critical thinking skills. Common Core standards were adopted by the state of Arizona because of the perceived need to enhance students’ abilities to transition from K-12 grade levels to college and the career world. The AZCCRS clearly dictate what Arizona children should know at each grade level (Expect More Arizona, 2014) Aside from updating everyday classroom standards, there has also been a push to replace the outdated Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test. While there was debate over which standardize test to administer, the state of Arizona has decided that Arizona’s Measure of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching (AZMERIT) will be the best tool to measure the success of the new educational standards. As with most new policies, there are strong opinions about the new standards.

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