Freshman Humanities Common Core Standards

District 202 Superintendent Dr. Eric Witherspoon has put forth a recommendation to the Board of Education to consider restructuring the freshman experience at ETHS.

The recommendation states:

All freshmen will take either 1 Humanities or 1 Humanities with Support. These courses will be aligned with the rigorous common core standards adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education and many other states. Freshmen taking biology will take either 1 Biology or 1 Biology with Support. Students in 1 Humanities and 1 Biology will be able to earn honors credit by meeting very high academic standards and fulfilling the requirements of multiple assessments aligned with International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement skills.

This recommendation is designed to create a school where many more students attain higher academic achievement, to improve learning for all students, to raise the academic ranking of ETHS, and to increase the prestige of ETHS when colleges, universities, and employers are considering Evanston Township High School students and their credentials.

By restructuring the freshman experience, all students will benefit from a stronger learning environment—those achieving at the top will benefit from increased academic standards and skills, and those capable of greatly improved achievement will be supported in meeting much higher expectations. This recommendation is designed to greatly benefit all ETHS students and benefit our community for generations to come.

For more information, including the research that informs this recommendation, please view the following documents:

Freshman Common Core Standards Recommendation

Appendix - How Students Will Earn Honors Credit

FAQ

Myths vs. Facts: Common Core Curriculum

Bibliography of Research

Board of Education Meetings to Discuss Freshman Common Core Standards:
Pathways to Excellence and Equity in the Classroom

November 8, 2010	7:30 PM	Regular Board of Education Meeting
November 22, 2010	7:30 PM	Regular Board of Education Meeting
November 29, 2010	7:30 PM	Special Board of Education Meeting
December 13, 2010	7:30 PM	Regular Board of Education Meeting