LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Education announced today the process and timeline for reviewing the state’s education standards for math and English language arts.

“We are committed to providing a quality education to every Arkansas student,” ADE Commissioner Johnny Key said. “As we begin the education standards review process, we will collaborate with highly qualified and dedicated educators to ensure we have a rigorous set of standards that will prepare our students for the future.”

Education standards describe what students in kindergarten through 12th grade are expected to know and do. The review process, which involves teachers, administrators and higher education professors, is conducted every six years to incorporate needed changes to ensure the standards are preparing students for college and careers beyond high school.

The review process begins this month with the selection of committee members who will begin reviewing the existing standards in October. In addition to selecting committee members, four education experts have agreed to review the current standards and provide analysis: Dr. Allan Cochran, professor and trigonometry coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville; Dr. Shannon Dingman, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville; Dr. Donna Wake, associate professor of English language arts/reading and literacy at the University of Central Arkansas at Conway; and Dr. Dixie Keyes, associate professor of middle level education at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro. Revised standards will be available for public comment in March/April, with a final draft submitted to the State Board of Education in May/June.

“ADE appreciates the feedback and direction received from the Governor’s Office, Lieutenant Governor’s Office and the Governor’s Council on Common Core Review, as well as from legislators, educators and parents,” Key said. “As we begin the review process, we want to ensure transparency and encourage feedback from educators and the community.”

To learn more about the review process, go to http://www.arkansased.gov/divisions/learning-services/curriculum-and-instruction/state-standards-review-for-mathematics-and-english-language-arts. The webpage includes a video about the future of Arkansas’ education standards, as well as links to multiple surveys about the existing standards. Comments also can be sent to [email protected], and additional updates will be posted on ADE’s Facebook and Twitter sites.