More than 100 Catholic dioceses across the country, including the Diocese of Pittsburgh, have adopted Common Core education standards. Some are beginning to use the Common Core Catholic Identity Initiative (CCCII) – the Catholic version of Common Core.

Proponents of CCCII say they’re “getting on board” because textbooks, testing, assessments and teacher training are aligning with Common Core. This means the role of the Catholic school is cast aside for educational fads and pedagogical theories. Common Core could be the demise of Catholic schools, and I wonder if that is the intention.

It is confounding that Catholic schools, with so many decades of proven success, would adopt this experimental and unproven approach to teaching and learning.