Climate Change in Common Core Policy Context: The Shifting Role of Attitudes and Beliefs

Abstract

The success of implementing Common Core State Standards (CCSS) depends not only on the extent to which educators deeply understand the new standards but also on the expectations, values, and resources that support their readiness for making necessary instructional change. Educators’ understanding of and beliefs about CCSS may largely drive their behaviors and action toward implementation. This study investigated a longitudinal dataset of teachers and principals in one large school district serving a diverse student population in California, examining the relationship between educators’ beliefs and trust and the organizational climate. Findings suggest that both teachers’ trust in the principal and an innovative climate play a consistent, critical role in educators’ beliefs about implementing CCSS.