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National Urban League Survey of African American Parents Shows Overwhelming Support for Common Core State Standards, But Underscores Need for Sufficient Resources To Ensure Its Success

- 60% of African American parents retain a favorable perception of the goals for student achievement under Common Core -

- Parents agree that schools with a majority African American (64%) or Latino (67%) student population were deficient in resources necessary to teach the Common Core -

Nov. 3, 2014 (New York, NY) – Today, the National Urban League released the results of its latest national study on the awareness, perception and understanding of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) among African American parents. The study, conducted by polling firm Dr. Silas Lee and Associates, finds that despite ongoing debate and tension among politicians regarding Common Core, as parents become more knowledgeable about CCSS, they tend to have a more favorable view of what they are and what they have the potential to achieve. In fact, 60% of the respondents in the survey have a “very/somewhat favorable” impression of the Standards. Similarly, the survey findings indicate that African American parents view Common Core as a transformative education policy that can improve student achievement and academic performance. By a 2-1 margin, more than 60% of parents surveyed have “a lot/some confidence” that student achievement will improve under Common Core State Standards.

The survey results also indicate that awareness of Common Core State Standards may not necessarily signal true understanding of the issue. Seventy-six percent (76%) of the parents surveyed concurred that the Common Core State Standards are a state-led effort that establishes a single set of educational standards; yet, 70% subscribe to the misconception that the federal government was involved in creating Common Core. This underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to ensure the dissemination of accurate information about the Standards.

“The results of our survey of African American parents on Common Core State Standards strongly indicate that when parents are fully informed – void of distortion, myth and political agendas, they tend to support Common Core and its potential to transform public education and help ensure that all of our children – regardless of their family income, zip code or ethnicity – are prepared for college or career,” said Marc H. Morial, President & CEO of the National Urban League. “Nothing is more important in a child’s education than his or her parents’ involvement, engagement and understanding of what their children need to learn to be high-performing adults in a 21st century society. So, when parents are empowered and knowledgeable about the expectations and goals of Common Core, they are able to tune out the political rhetoric – and tune in to the potential for their children.”

Click here to read the full press release.