The common academic standards adopted by all but four states contain a “literature deficit” that could harm students’ preparation for college, the authors of a new white paper argue.
The paper, released Sept. 20 by the Boston-based Pioneer Institute, takes aim at the Common Core State Standards’ emphasis on informational text, saying that such a focus, especially in high school, would shortchange the analytical-thinking skills students need to thrive in college.
To remedy the problems, authors Sandra Stotsky and Mark Bauerlein argue, state policymakers must require English/language arts teaches to design their secondary curricula in a way that emphasizes the standards’ literary-historical standards.
The lead authors of the standards have argued that they do not reduce the role of literature in students’ studies, since teachers of social studies, science, and other subjects will carry much of the increased focus on informational text.
