As you preview and review the lessons that we cover in class, you will notice that certain lessons are missing or not being introduced in order. The reason for this is that our school district is following the Common Core State Standards Initiative. These standards (CCSS) were adopted in 2009 and 2010 by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers for elementary and secondary schools. Through the input of teachers, school administrators and other stakeholders across the political spectrum, the CCSS were developed to provide a clear framework to prepare students in the K-12 environment for college and careers. In lieu of each state having its own standards, the CCSS are shared across each state to provide students common understanding of what knowledge, skills and abilities they are expected to learn in subjects such as English language arts and mathematics in order for them to be competitive in a global economy. It also helps teachers and parents know what they need to do to help children perform and compete.