The Illinois State Board of Education adopted new academic standards for K-12 education to better prepare Illinois students for success in college and the workforce in a competitive global economy. These benchmarks are known as the Common Core State Standards. The state’s previous standards were adopted in 1997.  

The Common Core State Standards aim to provide clear, consistent academic benchmarks with "fewer, clearer and higher" academic standards. Illinois developed these standards in cooperation with 47 other states. 

Click here for an overview of the Core Standards.