Thank you to Dr. Sandra Stotsky, who was in Fort Collins and Denver to talk about Common Core State Standards and their effect on Colorado Schools. Common Core State Standards do not prepare our students for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers and the shortcomings of these standards as they pertain to English Language Arts. It is estimated these standards will leave our students two to three years behind their peers in well-performing countries. Dr. Sandra Stotsky, Professor Emerita at the University of Arkansas, served on the English Language Arts Validation Committee for the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). She was one of five professors who refused to sign off on the standards.