WHEREAS the achievement of high academic performance for California’s school children is a goal of all citizens and is best fostered by the setting of high yet attainable academic content standards; and

WHEREAS school achievement requires the capacity, resources, and means through which teachers and all others in the school enterprise are able to support opportunities for student learning; and

WHEREAS a strong disagreement surfaced due to the actions of the State Board of Education’s adoption of Mathematics Standards different from those originally recommended by the statewide panel charged with standards development; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that the California Council on the Education of Teachers recommends the following considerations as future student academic content standards are adopted for California:

* That student academic content standards for the K-12 curriculum represent conceptually important knowledge for California’s diverse student population and be accessible and  applicable to all children regardless of ability and geographic, cultural, linguistic, or socioeconomic background.

* That all K-12 curriculum standards reflect both the most current research and the best practice relative to the subject matter fields involved.

* That the expertise of both subject matter and pedagogy experts be heard and utilized in the development and adoption of all student academic content standards.

* That all student academic content standards reflect the increasing role of technology in a literate society.

* That in adopting and disseminating all student academic content standards the California Department of Education and California State Board of Education seek to align adopted curriculum guides and frameworks, approved textbooks, and required standardized examinations with state standards.

* That assessment of all student academic content standards include multiple modes of assessment in languages students can understand.