The Future of the Common Core Standards

It has been more than a decade since the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were launched in 2010. Originally adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia, the initiative aimed to ensure that a student in Arkansas learned the same math and reading skills as a student in Oregon. Today, the “Common Core” brand has become politically toxic. However, while the name is disappearing from state websites and school board agendas, the educational framework largely remains. This article examines how states are rebranding, revising, or outright replacing these standards in 2024 and beyond.

The Great Rebranding Effort

For many states, the move away from Common Core is more about marketing than a fundamental shift in pedagogy. State departments of education realized that the term “Common Core” alienated parents and politicians. Consequently, they initiated review processes that resulted in standards that look remarkably similar to the original text but bear locally acceptable names.

North Carolina is a prime example. The state uses the “North Carolina Standard Course of Study.” While there have been tweaks to clarify wording, the progression of math and reading skills mirrors the Common Core architecture. Similarly, Tennessee moved to the “Tennessee Academic Standards.”

This rebranding saves states millions of dollars. Completely overhauling standards requires buying new textbooks, retraining thousands of teachers, and creating entirely new standardized tests. By keeping the foundation (often referred to as “Common Core-aligned”), states can continue using materials from major publishers like Pearson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and McGraw Hill without breaking the budget.

Florida and the B.E.S.T. Standards

While some states merely slapped a new label on the old package, Florida took a more aggressive route toward total replacement. Under Governor Ron DeSantis, the state officially eliminated Common Core in 2020. They replaced it with the B.E.S.T. Standards (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking).

The differences here are concrete, particularly in mathematics. Common Core math became infamous for asking students to “explain their work” using number lines, grouping, and visual models. This often confused parents who were taught to simply stack numbers and solve the problem.

Florida’s B.E.S.T. standards signal a return to the “standard algorithm.” This means teaching students the traditional methods of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing earlier in their education. Additionally, Florida emphasized financial literacy, requiring high school students to take a course on money management to graduate. This shift represents a tangible departure from the conceptual focus of Common Core toward a more functional, back-to-basics approach.

New York’s Next Generation Learning Standards

New York was an early adopter of Common Core, but the rollout was met with severe backlash regarding high-stakes testing. In response, the state engaged in a multi-year review process involving parents and educators. The result was the “Next Generation Learning Standards.”

Unlike Florida’s total overhaul, New York opted for refinement. The state made specific changes to early learning standards. For example, the reading standards for the youngest students were adjusted to be more developmentally appropriate, recognizing that not all six-year-olds read at the same pace. The state also merged certain reading and writing standards to reduce redundancy.

New York’s approach highlights a trend of “continuous improvement” rather than political rejection. They kept the rigor that Common Core provided but softened the implementation to give teachers more flexibility in the classroom.

The Textbook Industry Reality

Regardless of what a state legislature decides to call its standards, the reality of the classroom is often dictated by the textbook market. Educational publishing is a business of scale. Publishers cannot create 50 different versions of a 4th-grade math book to satisfy 50 different sets of standards.

Because the vast majority of states still use standards derived from the Common Core, national textbooks are written to align with that framework. A teacher in a state that has “repealed” Common Core may still be using a textbook designed for it. This creates a “de facto” national standard. Unless a state like Texas or Florida (which represent massive market shares) demands a specific change, publishers will continue to print materials that align with the broad consensus of the 2010 standards.

The Shift Away from Consortium Testing

One of the biggest indicators of the Common Core’s fractured future is the decline of shared testing. Originally, two major consortia—the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)—were supposed to test students across the nation.

Participation in these groups has plummeted. States found the tests too long, too expensive, and too difficult to administer. Today, many states have contracted with vendors to create custom state tests. For example, Georgia uses the “Georgia Milestones Assessment System,” and Texas uses the “STAAR” test. While these tests measure similar skills (critical thinking, evidence-based reading), the dream of being able to perfectly compare a test score from Ohio to a test score from Nevada is largely dead.

What This Means for College Readiness

Despite the fractured landscape of state standards, the definition of “college readiness” has remained stable. This is because the SAT and ACT exams were redesigned significantly over the last decade to align with Common Core principles.

The SAT, managed by the College Board, focuses heavily on “evidence-based reading and writing” and multi-step math problems. Even if a state reverts to 1990s-style standards, their students still need to master Common Core-style reasoning to succeed on college entrance exams. This acts as an anchor, preventing high schools from drifting too far away from the rigorous standards set in 2010.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Common Core still used in 2024? Yes, but rarely under that name. Most states utilize standards that are 80% to 90% identical to the original Common Core State Standards, usually rebranded as “[State Name] Academic Standards.”

Which states have completely replaced Common Core? Florida, Indiana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina are among the states that have formally repealed the standards and drafted their own. However, independent reviews often find significant overlap between the new state standards and the Common Core.

Why did parents hate Common Core math? The backlash largely stemmed from “conceptual math.” The standards required students to understand why numbers work together (using visual diagrams and decomposition) rather than just memorizing formulas. This made it difficult for parents to help their children with homework.

Are the new standards easier? Generally, no. The goal of “college and career readiness” remains. However, some states like New York have adjusted the expectations for Kindergarten and 1st Grade to ensure the material is appropriate for the developmental age of the child.

Do colleges care which standards my state uses? No. Colleges look at GPA, course rigor (AP/IB classes), and SAT/ACT scores. Because the SAT and ACT are aligned with the skills found in Common Core, students are tested on similar concepts regardless of where they live.