The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led educational initiative in the United States aimed at developing a set of learning standards in mathematics and English-language arts (ELA) for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The standards, also known as the Common Core, were launched in June 2010 with the goal of ensuring that graduating high school students are sufficiently prepared to enter 2- and 4-year universities or the workforce. While the standards detail what knowledge and skills students should have at the end of each grade level, they do not dictate how these goals are to be achieved. Decisions regarding curriculum, pedagogy, and educational materials are still left to state and local decision makers. The standards are meant to increase educational equity in ...