The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were developed in 2009 to create national standards in Language Arts and Math.  However, of those who served on this secretive panel that was not subject to public vetting, only a handful had limited teaching experience (most had none), and no one, not one member had any experience in early childhood education. From CCSS, our Colorado State Standards were born, which mimic the CCSS standards.

By looking at desired outcomes for high school graduates and working standards backwards down to kindergarten, we are left with expectations that are not developmentally appropriate for kindergarten students. To meet these standards, teachers are pushed by districts and required curriculum to increase desk work activities, with very small blocks of time leftover that can be used for play based learning (which is what is developmentally appropriate for kindergarten). Pushing too many standards down to kindergarten has caused an increase in social and emotional problems and a increase in red flags in reading deficiencies. By not allowing time for mastery of foundational skills that are appropriate for a five year old brain before we push for more, we are creating more problems for students down the road. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have revised developmental milestones in the Learn the Signs. Act Early. program. This petition calls for a similar movement for the State of Colorado to examine standards to ensure that our expectations for young learners aligns with developmental norms. 

In tandem, our rigor in kindergarten has increased exponentially, but their level of preparedness has not. The cutoff for the State of Colorado is that they must be five by October 1st. This needs to be changed! Children born in August and September (which are also identified by CDC as the months with the most births typically) are coming to kindergarten at FOUR years old. These students and families are often blind sighted with the rigors of kindergarten and they start out their schooling not being prepared, which leads them to years of school struggles.

In summary, this petition calls for two actions:

1. Evaluate and revise State of Colorado educational kindergarten standards to match appropriate child development.
2. Revise the cutoff to start kindergarten to 'must be five by August 1st'.