As Elizabeth Devaney and Nicole Yohalem wrote in a commentary for the Forum for Youth Investment, “The good news is that the Common Core defines college and career readiness in a way that pushes beyond traditional academic competence and reflects some skills that youth organizations have long championed (e.g., problem-solving, perseverance, independence, understanding other cultures). This reinforces the importance of developing these kinds of skills and creates more room for recognizing the value that out-of-school learning experiences can have.”
Expanded learning programs that incorporate global learning can be engaging to youth, relevant to the real-world, and—by simultaneously meeting and exceeding the Common Core State Standards—prepare students for life and work in the global innovation age.