• Contrary to the Common Core State Standards themselves, Common Core-based tests developed and released by the NC Department of Public Instruction include relatively few English language questions and no traditional grammar, spelling, mechanics, or usage questions.
• Despite expectations that teachers spend equal amounts of time on nonfiction (“informational”) and literary texts, informational text questions outnumber literary texts in five of the six end-of-grade exams evaluated.
• Although withdrawal from the Common Core is the preferable course of action, state legislators and the members of the State Board of Education can and should ensure that the state adopts a state testing program that places a greater emphasis on grammar, spelling, mechanics, and usage.
