FOM: CCSS, Aspen, and You

Hi Anti CC Warriors! Back in June 2015, I published a ‘tell all’ article about Sen. Lamar Alexander, the CCSS Machine, the re-authorization of the HEA (Higher Education Act), and how Common Core, along with Career Tech Education, is involved. So, since the Senator publicly stated the HEA was next in being ‘next’ on the CCSS Machine’s agenda, (see: http://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?c4545511 )

we know where anti CC efforts need to be aimed. THIS IS IMPERATIVE, Warriors!
See the June article: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/06/10/wybi-sen-alexander-the-hea-and-next-america/

Why Aspen?

Why am I taking an updated look at the Aspen Institute (aka Aspen)?
After all it was barely mentioned in the June article by way of indirect association to the Alexander/HEA/Alignment effort.
If you’re new to the CCSS War and don’t know much about Aspen, I’d like to introduce you. If you’ve been in the War awhile, you may know about Aspen’s involvement. However, do we know the latest? Do we have time to learn about the latest CCSS Machine alignment efforts for post-secondary education? We ALWAYS have time to learn about fighting the CCSS Machine!

Before I get to the absolute latest information, here are the other Aspen articles I’ve written:
From May 2015: How Aspen Institute is working with NCICTE (National Center for Innovation in Career and Technical Education) to re-invent a Common Core post-secondary world: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/05/21/tech-thursday-career-tech-education-federal-style-update/

From February 2015: How Aspen Institute, “Be the Change“, “Opportunity Nation“, the Boy Scouts, community colleges, United Way, and many others are involved in re-inventing career alignment. See: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/02/16/monday-musings-opportunity-or-ultimatum/

The Danger about CCSS Machine’s career alignment isn’t so much the post-secondary portion as is the entire process begins well BEFORE a student’s admittance into post-secondary education.

Remember, post-secondary education has many choices: community college, public or private 4 year schools, for profit trade schools, on-line classes, etc. ANY citizen who enters these will be CCSS aligned via the courses.

The Latest on Aspen:

For one. there’s the “Presidential Fellowship  Program ” for Community Colleges. See: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/college-excellence/presidential-fellowship/program-overview The danger, as I’ve pointed to before is, that community colleges are already aligned to Common Core. So any effort to continue to support such a continued effort to align is playing right into the CCSS Machine’s hands! (*Note: just do a general search of my blog for “community colleges’ and you’ll see what I mean.)  
Aspen Institute knows what we’re overlooking, or, taking for granted: that a tremendous amount of students–of all ages, attend community colleges. If ever there was a ‘back door’, nobody’s-watching-mindset, community colleges are ” perfect”.

Think about it, a widely accepted institution in our backyards, yet full of CCSS alignment!
Here’s a CCSS Machine reality, community college leaders aligning to CCSS/CTE right under our noses. How, you ask? The ‘New Community College Leaders”! See: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/college-excellence/new-college-leadership-project  You, as an anti CCSS Warrior, will especially ‘love’ the rhetorical line about community colleges being forced into re-thinking how things are done. Why are they being ‘reinforced’ to take another look? The public, private partnerships which involve businesses..especially, those Chamber of Commerce member businesses! To see the Aspen Institute’s new leaders sales pitch, http://www.aspen institute.org/policy-work/college-excellence/new-college-leadership-project  Be sure to take note there’s a new curriculum being developed for leaders in community colleges, as well as pointers on WHO  is being hired to run these educational institutions! You can’t have a compliant CCSS run school if you are manipulating who is hired. One of the agenda points we’ve heard repeatedly from those supportive of Common Core is how our leaders will be measured as ‘successful’ based on student achievement. See: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/college-excellence/tools-hiring-leaders

The bait for alignment via a community college? One million dollars. See: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/college-excellence/overview

Helping lead all this alignment between community colleges, workforce, Career Tech Education, Common Core, and more?  “education and workforce imperatives facing our country, the Aspen Institute, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and Lumina Foundation have partnered to support the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.” See the link directly above.

In Case You Need a Reminder:

How is Aspen Institute tied to Common Core?  Below, are a few articles, you may understand.
1) http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/implementation-common-core-state-standards-transition-guide-school-level-leaders
2) http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/tools-teachers-implementing-key-shifts-common-core-state-standards
3) http://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/2013/09/19/what-how-leading-common-core-success-school-level
4) http://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/2013/12/09/evolving-role-federal-policy-education-rd-dissemination
5) http://www.achievementnetwork.org/common-core-transition/ (*Note: how Aspen and anther group are working as one to align your schoools.)

A last NOTE:

As you’ve read before here on my blog, Career Tech Education IS Common Core on an adult level, which just happens to also start at a much younger, than adult age. It also involves Career Pathways. An example? The State of NC’s Community College’s CTE programs (and again, search my blog for other articles)
See: http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/search/content/career%20tech%20education

Closing:

Know that there’s so much more to the Senator’s moves in higher education, Common Core, and all it’s Career readiness. In case you’ve not already noticed a direct tie between Aspen and Common Core, see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/12/gates-gives-150-million-in-grants-for-common-core-standards/

I’ll be covering MUCH more on this, so stay tuned. Please remember, HR5, S1177, also will connect to the re-authorized version of the HEA. Why? A united, trained workforce.