In lieu of an abstract, here are the article\u27s first two paragraphs:
The adoption and implementation of the Common Core State Standards purports increased learning for all students. The Common Core, through the provision of rigorous standards, provides benchmarks for what students are expected to know or learn, to prepare them for college and the work force (http://www.corestandards.org).
Providing opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in the Common Core allows access to higher level curriculum. The Common Core standards provide a framework of what content should come before and after current standards, assert Saunders, Spooner, Browder, Wakeman and Lee (2013, p. 22,) and indicates what should be taught, not how to teach it (p. 32). This provides flexibility to teachers who possess in-depth knowledge of instructional strategies, how students\u27 best learn, and how to differentiate, making learning and materials assessable to each student (Haager & Vaughn, 2013, p. 6). This is particularly pertinent for special education students in states where access to the general education curriculum has been limited. Access to general education curriculum is a plus for special educators as well, who in theory, should have increased opportunity for professional development in the content areas
