Tougher Academic Challenges Ahead for Santa Barbara Students

Santa Barbara Unified School District students will face new academic challenges this upcoming school year. The district is implementing Common Core State Standards. It is a statewide effort designed to prepare students for the real world with an emphasis on rigor and analyzing material.Superintendent Cash says “it will be the biggest game changer in closing the achievement gap because we’re going to be moving away from emphasis on memorizing discrete skills and facts to an emphasis on critical thinking.”The school year will be five days shorter this year. Teachers are taking seven unpaid days off to balance the budget. School starts Monday, August 27th.Watch Ryan Carmel’s story tonight on KEY News starting at 5.