FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM FIRST IN THE NATION TO IMPLEMENT COMMON CORE TEACHER TRAINING

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PRESS OFFICE (850) 245-0413

FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM FIRST IN THE NATION TO IMPLEMENT COMMON CORE TEACHER TRAINING
- Florida gearing up for the next generation of students –

Tallahassee, Fla., August 2, 2012 – The Florida College System Teacher Educator Programs are the first in the nation to voluntarily commit to a system-wide implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The new standards will be embedded in the teacher preparation program curriculum throughout the college system so new teachers who enter the classroom will be ready for the more rigorous standards.

“This is an exciting time for Florida – both K-12 and postsecondary – where major reform on both sides is helping students get ready for success,” said Florida College System Chancellor Randy Hanna. “Our system is embracing the new Common Core State Standards and the teachers we are producing will be ready to teach them.”

“The Common Core standards are designed to ensure that all students – not just in Florida but across the nation – are prepared for success in postsecondary education and the workforce,” said Joe Pickens, President of St. Johns River State College and Chair of the Florida College System Council of Presidents. “We’re proud of the fact that Florida is getting out ahead in training our teachers in the standards that ensure students are receiving a high quality education that is consistent from school to school and from state to state.”

The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by 45 states and 3 territories and outline the English/Language Arts and mathematics knowledge and skills for elementary and secondary instruction.

The standards are benchmarked to international standards and establish clear, consistent goals for learning in order to prepare students for college and careers. In addition to training new teachers, the Florida College System is uniquely positioned to offer current teachers.

“I applaud the Florida College System for taking the bold step of infusing the Common Core State Standards into their educator preparation programs,” said Commissioner of Education Gerard Robinson. “The next generation of educators needs to be ready to teach at an even higher level to effectively prepare their students for career and postsecondary success.”

Faculty members will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Common Core State Standards through lesson demonstrations and implementation planning sessions at specialized training this fall dedicated to higher education faculty.

The Florida College System will also make its “Common Core Training Institute” curriculum available to other states interested in following Florida’s lead. For national Common Core Standards information and resources, visit http://www.corestandards.org/ http://www.corestandards.org/ .

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About The Florida College System Florida’s colleges remain the primary point of access to higher education in Florida, with 66 percent of the state’s high school graduates pursuing postsecondary education beginning at a Florida college, and 82 percent of freshman and sophomore minority students in public higher education attending one of Florida’s 28 colleges. To learn more about The Florida College System, visit http://www.fldoe.org/cc/ http://www.fldoe.org/cc/ .

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