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conservation, it would likely be taught differently in the Red River Valley than in the Bakken region of the state. In other words, the curriculum would vary. But the standard--a basic understanding of soil conservation--would be the same.
• Forty-five states have now agreed to use the Common Core Standards, but the curriculum (including what textbooks to use) is still decided at the local level.
• Townsend said that for years, states have had their own standards, with curriculum decided at the local level, and the Common Core doesn't change that structure. The big change here is that all these states now have agreed on the same standards, he said.
• The tools that schools have always used to help students that are learning either above or below their grade level will still be available.
• "It is vital to remember that the Common Core State Standards are a floor, not a ceiling," North Dakota State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said in an open letter. "Students can be accelerated and schools can offer supplemental learning."
• Another myth about Common Core is that it means more testing. Townsend said no additional testing is required, although schools may decide to do more testing so they have better data on how the changes are working.
• The new standards: Fewer, clearer, higher
• According to Achieve the Core, "fewer, clearer, higher" was the catchphrase used by the group that worked to develop the standards:
• · Fewer: Instead of having more standards than can be realistically achieved in a year, the standards are doable in the time allotted.
• · Clearer: They more precisely describe what students are expected to know.
• · Higher: The standard is more rigorous, and it's meant to apply to all students.
• Aiming for "fewer" was key in making the higher standards possible, according to Achieve the Core.
• "Rarely in education do we pay so much attention to the limited resource of time," according to the Achieve the Core presentation. "We often, rather, keep adding and adding initiatives."
• Instead, these standards used "the power of the eraser" to clear space for higher standards and deeper learning.
• Achieving that depth of knowledge requires some adjustments for teachers, who attended occasional training sessions to get ready for the change.
• "The instructional strategies that teachers will need to use in the classroom will change to teach Common Core Standards," according to Tami Kramlich, principal of Kulm Elementary School. "The idea of teachers standing in front of the classroom and lecturing will have to change. We need to quit giving kids answers and start giv

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