Somewhat off topic
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The authors and backers of CCSS, including the U. S. Dept. of Education, claim that CCSS is “research- and evidence-based”. This claim has been repeatedly, emphatically, and unanimously by CCSS spokespersons. However, this claim has not been substantiated. There is no published document that identifies the research and evidence that CCSS is claimed to be based on.

Because the claimed research and evidence is unavailable, outside experts (i.e., those not involved with the CCSS project) cannot evaluate the quality (e.g., bias, completeness) of the research and evidence, or the soundness of the manner in which the research and evidence was applied to CCSS. In essence, the nation is being asked to accept on faith that there is no significant flaw in the research and evidence base of CCSS. Clearly, this is an astoundingly high and unnecessary risk given the enormous impact that CCSS will have on the nation’s educational system and tens of millions of parents and children.

Therefore, the U.S. Dept. of Education should be challenged to: 1) publish a document that identifies with specificity the research and evidence that CCSS is based on; and 2) how that research and evidence influenced the design of CCSS.

Furthermore, major american educational organizations, such as AERA and teachers unions, should be challenged to evaluate the quality of the research and evidence base of CCSS and the soundness of the way that research and evidence was applied to CCSS. As the experts in our society, and given the enormous impact of CCSS on our society, these organizations have a professional responsibility to conduct this evaluation and inform the public of their findings. If they are negligent in doing so, they will complicit should the CCSS research and evidence base turn out to be of poor quality or unsound.
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The general public, many of whom trust the “experts” to hash out these details, will be surprised that the claimed research and evidence base of CCSS have been kept hidden from the experts. Further, whether or not CCSS organizations choose to publish their claimed research and evidence, it will help everyone to get a clearer and more truthful understanding of the underpinnings of the reforms, which we, as a nation, are in dire need of.

One way to challenge the U.S. Dept. of Education in a way that will raise the public’s awareness on this “research and evidence” issue would be to take out a full page ad in a national newspaper. Of course, this requires someone (such as you, perhaps) to garner enough support and raise enough money.