OAKLAND, Calif., April 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In a poll released today by Children Now, California voters sent a clear message that they want schools to prepare students for a competitive job market by teaching them critical thinking and problem-solving skills (93 percent indicated it is “important” and 67 percent said it is “extremely important”), and 85 percent agree with raising education standards so U.S. students can be more competitive with other countries. Moreover, nine out of ten voters also support measuring students on reading and writing skills across all subjects, including math and science, with 57 percent expressing that it is very important to do so.

In addition to demonstrating strong support for these – and other – components of the Common Core State Standards, more than two thirds (67 percent) favor the use of the updated standards in California schools even when connected to the Common Core brand.  That support was echoed by those who currently have children in K-12 public schools (67 percent) as well as those employed in the education field (82 percent). Californians view Common Core and its key elements as important reforms for California public schools.

“We weren’t surprised to find such widespread support for Common Core among Californians,” said Ted Lempert, president of Children Now. “Common Core is transforming our education system to help ensure student success and close the achievement gap. Thanks to Common Core, our schools will be focusing on preparing all students with the skills they need to become 21^st -century learners, be better able to tackle the challenges and seize opportunities they’ll face in college, career and life.”

Common Core is particularly welcomed by California’s diverse populations, with 82 percent of Latinos, 77 percent of African-Americans and 75 percent of Asian voters in support of Common Core. The survey of 1,000 California voters was conducted on behalf of Children Now by the California-based research firm EMC Research.

Additional findings show high support for other Common Core elements, including aligning high school education with college preparation to help close the higher education readiness gap (80 percent  say this is “important”) and providing teachers and schools flexibility to determine what works best in their classrooms (85 percent say this is “important”). Click here to read the poll summary prepared by EMC Research that outlines the key findings.

“California is leading the nation in successfully implementing Common Core and preparing students for the future,” said Lempert. “The education landscape is much more supportive and collaborative in the Golden State as school districts, teachers, students and parents continue adjusting to the standards that increase academic expectations, foster excellence and promote a deeper level of teaching and learning.”   

Common Core is a set of academic standards for math and English that define what students should know and be able to do at the end of each school year. The updated standards, which require a greater use of analysis, critical thinking and real-world skills, were developed under the leadership of governors and state superintendents from across the country with input from leaders in K-12 education, higher education, community development and business. Since California adopted the state standards in 2010, local districts and teachers have worked hard to create and execute updated curricula and lesson plans.

Children Now is a leading national group , nonpartisan, umbrella research, policy development, and advocacy organization that works with opinion leaders and decisions makers to craft “win-win” approaches that help all children achieve their full potential. The organization also leads The Children’s Movement of California.