Op-ed:
“All Students Can Meet the Deeper Learning Bar Set by Common Core” by Bob Wise and Robert Lenz
Tiana Alba-Lanzerin was not destined for academic success. Her parents never graduated from high school, and all her brothers and sisters dropped out after tenth grade. By her own admission, she was headed for the same fate. But now she is a student at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California, intending to become a teacher.
How did Tiana manage to succeed? She would be the first to tell you that her high school experience prepared her well. Tiana graduated from City Arts and Technology (CAT) High School in San Francisco, which is part of the Envision Schools network. There, she engaged in numerous projects that challenged her not only to master academic content but also to apply her knowledge to solve real-world problems and communicate effectively. In order to graduate, she defended a portfolio of college-ready work before a panel of teachers, parents, and community members.