Rachel Evans
The Common Core State Standards, developed with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have been adopted by many states and school districts across the United States. However, their implementation in Catholic schools has been controversial. While some Catholic schools have voluntarily adopted the Common Core standards, others have expressed concerns that these standards are not aligned with the religious and moral foundations of Catholic education. Butler Catholic School, a preschool-through-8th-grade institution in Butler, PA, is one such school that upholds its Catholic identity and values while providing a well-rounded education to its students. The question of whether Butler Catholic School has adopted the Common Core standards is an important one, as it could impact the nature of the school's curriculum and teaching methods.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Core mandatory for Catholic schools | No |
| Common Core curriculum mandates for Catholic schools | No |
| Common Core impact on Catholic schools | Testing, curriculum and textbooks |
| Common Core focus | College and entry-level job preparation |
| Catholic curriculum focus | Whole child development |
| Common Core emphasis | Textbooks and testing |
| Catholic education emphasis | Classical literature, skilled educators |
| Common Core and Catholic education | Misconceptions about Common Core's role in Catholic education |
| Catholic schools | Under no obligation to conform to Common Core |
| Catholic schools' focus | Gospel values, spiritual development |
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What You'll Learn
Common Core is not mandatory for Catholic schools
The Common Core standards, developed with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have been adopted by many states and have become particularly controversial in Catholic circles. Despite this, the Common Core is not mandatory for Catholic schools. No government has required the Common Core in private schools, and Catholic educators are under no obligation to conform. It is up to each state to decide whether to adopt the standards, and those standards are mandatory only for government schools.
Catholic schools are under pressure to adopt the Common Core standards, and many Catholic schools have voluntarily conformed their curricula and teaching to secular state standards. Textbook publishers are already conforming to the Common Core, and the standards do prompt changes in curricula and teaching. The Gates Foundation has committed more than $10.5 million in grants to develop Common Core-compliant curricula. In 2014, the Foundation also granted $10 million to the New Ventures Fund to help implement Common Core with “lesson plan content, webinars, online platforms for sharing instruction plans, and networking events.”.
The Common Core curriculum is focused on readying students for college and entry-level jobs, while Catholic education is focused on forming the whole child, developing young minds and souls so that they are ready to be good citizens of this world and the world to come. Catholic schools already have a core curriculum – the Catholic faith. Catholic education focuses on students being taught by reading classic books and learning from skilled educators. Classical literature is not emphasized with the Common Core, but it is essential to true Catholic education.
The Common Core standards were never tested by teachers and students. They were quickly designed and deployed, and it is unclear if they achieve their goals. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released an FAQ about the Common Core in 2014, pointing out that the dioceses have typically considered state standards and adapted them to their schools. However, they advised dioceses to “review, study, consultation, discussion, and caution” in relation to the Common Core, noting that it was “incomplete” and not designed for Catholic schools.
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Common Core's focus on textbooks and testing
Common Core is a set of standards that outline the skills and concepts students should know at each grade level. It is not a curriculum and does not dictate teaching methods or textbooks. However, it has influenced the development of textbooks and testing practices. Textbook publishers have created Common Core-aligned textbooks, and testing consortia have developed assessments to measure students' mastery of Common Core standards.
The Common Core standards were developed by teams of academics and educators and were rapidly adopted by many states. The standards aim to ensure that all students, regardless of their state or background, have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for college and careers. The standards focus on a few key topics in depth, emphasizing conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, as well as the application of knowledge to real-world problems.
In mathematics, Common Core standards seek to build a coherent sequence of topics and concepts across grades. For example, by 5th grade, students are expected to understand volume and relate it to multiplication and addition. The standards also emphasize problem-solving and critical thinking skills, such as constructing arguments and analyzing complex texts.
However, the focus on Common Core standards and the use of Common Core-aligned textbooks and tests have been controversial, especially in Catholic education. Critics argue that the standards prioritize "rote" learning and uniformity over creativity and analytical thinking. They also believe that the standards were not adequately field-tested and may hinder the development of young minds. Catholic schools are not required to adopt Common Core, and they have their own distinct curriculum focused on the formation of the whole child and the integration of faith and learning.
While Common Core has influenced education across the country, it is important to note that its impact varies depending on state and school district decisions. Some states have fully embraced Common Core, while others have backed out of using Common Core-aligned tests. The impact of Common Core on specific schools, such as Butler Catholic, would depend on the decisions made by the state and school district in which it is located.
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Catholic schools have their own core curriculum
The Common Core standards were developed with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and promoted with federal grants from the Obama administration. They were adopted rapidly by many states and have been controversial, especially in Catholic circles. The Common Core is not mandatory for Catholic schools, and Catholic educators are under no obligation to conform. However, many Catholic schools have voluntarily conformed their curricula to secular state standards, which are now Common Core in most states.
The Cardinal Newman Society expressed serious reservations about the rapid adoption of the Common Core State Standards in Catholic schools. They argue that Catholic schools should maintain a strong Catholic identity and not measure their quality according to secular standards. The society launched the "Catholic Is Our Core" initiative in response to these changes in education.
Catholic education focuses on forming the whole child, developing young minds and souls so that they are ready to be good citizens of this world and the world to come. It emphasizes reading classic books and learning from skilled educators, rather than rote learning via textbooks. Teachers are free to be innovative and partner with parents, who know best what their child needs. Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York, for example, have embraced the Common Core Learning Standards while also maintaining a robust curriculum based on NYS Standards.
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Common Core's rapid adoption by Catholic schools
The Common Core standards were developed with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and promoted with federal grants from the Obama administration. The standards were adopted rapidly by many states and have become controversial, especially in Catholic circles. Catholic educators and bishops were warned that "it is important to get on board" with the untested standards. While the Common Core is not mandatory for Catholic schools, many have voluntarily conformed to secular state standards. The Cardinal Newman Society, for instance, expressed serious reservations about the rapid adoption of the Common Core State Standards in Catholic schools across the US.
The Common Core curriculum is focused on readying students for college and entry-level jobs. Catholic schools, on the other hand, emphasize forming the whole child, developing young minds and souls so that they are ready to be good citizens of this world and the world to come. Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, former secretary to the Congregation for Catholic Education, explained that the specific purpose of a Catholic education is to enrich society with the Gospel while also forming scholars and saints. Catholic schools already have a core curriculum—the Catholic faith—and their educators are free to be innovative and partner with parents.
The Common Core puts a lot of emphasis on "rote" learning via textbooks, which can hinder the development of great minds. Classical literature, which is essential to Catholic education, is not emphasized in the Common Core. Catholic education focuses on students reading classic books and learning from skilled educators. Standardized everything rarely works in education, and Catholic educators can develop national tests that measure success according to authentic Catholic education standards.
The rapid adoption of the Common Core by Catholic schools can be attributed to various factors, including political pressure, the promise of federal grants, and the belief that Catholic schools can maintain their strong Catholic identity while measuring their quality according to secular standards. However, the Cardinal Newman Society and other Catholic organizations have responded to these radical changes in education by launching initiatives to promote and defend faithful Catholic education.
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Common Core's incompatibility with Catholic education
The Common Core standards, developed with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have been rapidly adopted by many states and have become controversial, especially in Catholic circles. While the Common Core is not mandatory for Catholic schools, many have voluntarily conformed to these secular standards. However, there are several reasons why Common Core is incompatible with Catholic education:
Emphasis on Rote Learning
Common Core places a heavy emphasis on "rote" learning via textbooks, which can hinder the development of critical thinking and analytical skills. Classical literature, essential to a true Catholic education, is de-emphasized in favour of informational texts. Catholic education, on the other hand, utilizes classic books and skilled educators to foster a love of learning and encourage intellectual curiosity.
Lack of Consultation with Parents
Parents, who are the primary educators of their children, were not consulted in the design of the Common Core curriculum and have little say in what their children are taught. This goes against the principle of subsidiarity, which states that parents know what is best for their children.
Workforce Preparation Focus
The primary focus of Common Core is to prepare students for the workforce by providing them with transferrable skills for entry-level jobs. This is at odds with the academic, spiritual, and moral mission of Catholic education, which seeks to form the whole child and develop young minds and souls. Catholic schools aim to nurture faith and prepare students to live lives guided by Catholic values, which is not addressed by Common Core.
Inadequate Academic Standards
Common Core's math standards fall short of academic excellence, stopping short of even a full Algebra II course. Catholic education, on the other hand, has been proven effective over centuries and provides a well-rounded, classical liberal arts education that combines humanities, arts, and religious instruction to aid in spiritual development.
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