Fremont CSD's Iowa Core What Is It
March 30, 2010
Fremont’s Iowa Core Curriculum Vision Talking points
What it is…
A set of essential skills and concepts all Iowa students must know to succeed in today’s competitive world. They include:
- Grades K-12 literacy (listening, viewing, writing, speaking and reading);
- Grades K-12 mathematics (number and operations, algebra, geometry and measurement, data analysis and probability);
- Grades K-12 science (inquiry, physical science, earth and space and life);
- Grades 9-12 social studies (behavior sciences, economics, geography, history, political science and civic literacy); and
- Grades 9-12 21st century skills (employability, financial literacy, health literacy, civic literacy and technology literacy).
- Grades K-8 social studies and 21st century skills are currently being developed.
- A statewide mandate supported by funding, a network of implementation specialists and instruction and assessment resources for teachers and administrators.
- A collaborative effort designed by subject-specific teams of teachers, school administrators, curriculum directors, AEA staffers and business leaders.
- A support for Iowa’s mandated core content standards in reading, math and science.
What it is not…
- An initiative to make all Iowa schools teach the same lesson plans on the same days, or use the same textbooks.
- A move to replace the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or Iowa Test of Educational Development, or to promote a costly new battery of tests.
- An effort to subvert the creative contributions of Iowa’s talented teaching professionals.
- A program that will divert money from other education needs. In fact, the Legislature appropriated new money to finance Iowa Core Curriculum professional development training.
