State's curriculum standards earn 'A' in national report

A national report confirms that Texas does a superior job in crafting curriculum standards for schoolchildren in the Lone Star State.

The national periodical Education Week released its annual Quality Counts report, which this year focused on the national standards debate and examined the quality of work states have done independently in preparing their standards. Texas, along with Alaska, refused to join an effort this year to create national curriculum standards.

Ranking sixth best in the country, Texas earned an "A" on Standards, Assessment and Accountability. The state earned a grade of 100 for both its standards and school accountability systems, and it received a score of 86.7 for its student tests.

According to the national report, 11 states have used Texas' standards to craft their standards.

"The Quality Counts report verifies what Texas leaders have been saying: Our standards are strong. They are models for other states," says Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott. "The Texas standards were crafted after receiving input from thousands of citizens, while the national standards are being written without input from local educators, school boards or parents."

Texas also ranked sixth and earned a grade of "B" in the Transitions and Alignments category, which examines early childhood education, college readiness, and economy and workforce.

The full Quality Counts report is available online at www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2010/01/14/index.html.