And, the standards require students to be disciplined and demonstrate good work habits such as being on time and dependable. Students who meet the standards will receive a Certificate of Initial Mastery. By achieving a Certificate of Initial Mastery, students will graduate from high school knowing how to read with comprehension, write with clarity and substance, and spell and punctuate correctly. They will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of math and science, government and economics, and will know how to use computers to enrich and enliven their lives. Students who meet the standards will receive a Certificate of Initial Mastery.
Standards provide clear, consistent targets.
Before, teachers may have covered much of the same curriculum but requirements varied from classroom to classroom. The focus was on what teachers taught, rather than on what students learned. There was often little continuity form grade to grade and school to school. Now, standards set clear, measurable guidelines that give all students and teachers a common goal and a consistent way to measure progress. In 3 rd grade, for example, students will be expected to demonstrate they can read at grade level.