IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 979 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 16, 2009 Mr. Fattah submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

Whereas the Common Core State Standards Initiative is a joint effort by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with Achieve, ACT, and the College Board; Whereas governors and State commissioners of education from across the country committed to joining a State-led process to develop a common core of State standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K–12; Whereas these standards will be research and evidence-based, internationally benchmarked, aligned with college and work expectations, and include rigorous content and skills; Whereas the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers are coordinating the process to develop these standards and have created an expert validation committee to provide an independent review of the common core State standards, as well as the grade-by-grade standards; Whereas students in the United States compete with peers across the country and around the world; and Whereas the future economic, diplomatic, and military strength of the United States will be determined by the quality of education available to the Nation’s young people: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers should be commended for their efforts to increase the rigor, utility, and comparability of State academic standards.