The groups behind the Common Core State Standards have released their first official draft. Illinois, which has recognized the need to strengthen its standards, has signed on to the process, being led by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association. Participation is critical to each state’s “Race to the Top” Application. You have until Oct. 21st to comment on the standards. You can read them and comment at corestandards.org. The commenting has already started at the Washington Post, Insider Higher Ed, the Quick and the Ed, and Education Week (article access compliments of edweek.org).

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President Obama spoke to U.S. school-children today about their responsibility to make the most of their education, as what they are “learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.”  You can read the text of the speech now at whitehouse.gov (you can also watch the speech on whitehouse.gov or on C-SPAN at 11a CT) or read about it on chicagotribune.com.

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Advance Illinois Executive Director Robin Steans wrote an op-ed in today’s State Journal-Register, encouraging state legislators and education leaders to take advantage of the historic federal stimulus dollars:  “How would you like to play a lottery where you get to control the odds? That’s what the U.S. Department of Education is offering, by setting aside more than $4 billion in a Race to the Top fund to be given to only a handful of states - if they’re willing and able to take steps that dramatically improve their public schools.”

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