The mayors of Missouri's two largest cities have expressed their support for the state's adoption of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts and math.

Kansas City Mayor Sly James and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay endorsed the more rigorous standards designed to ensure that all students graduate from high school college and career ready.

"We are very pleased that Mayor Slay and Mayor James support our efforts to improve educational outcomes in our two largest urban areas and statewide," said Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro. "The mayors' support underscores our work to ensure students gain the critical thinking and problem solving skills they will need throughout their lives."

Preparing students for college and careers is a primary goal of the Top 10 by 20 initiative, which calls for Missouri to rank among the top 10 performing states in the nation in education by the year 2020.

Adopted by the State Board of Education in 2010, the Common Core State Standards are part of Missouri's Learning Standards. The Common Core standards were developed through a state-led effort spearheaded by governors and state education leaders and from across the country, including Missouri.

The standards have been adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia. In Missouri, hundreds of schools districts, colleges and universities, businesses, and business, civic and education organizations have expressed their support for the standards.

The standards establish what students should know at each grade level and describe the skills they need to acquire for postsecondary education and an increasingly competitive workforce. Local school districts and educators will determine how the standards will be taught, as they currently do now, and teachers will continue to create lesson plans and tailor instruction to meet the needs of the students in their classrooms.

The standards:

• Promote college and career readiness and are designed to ensure all students graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills they need.

• Provide clear and consistent expectations for students. Built on the strength of existing state standards, the new standards serve as a road map for quality education and provide students, parents and teachers with a thorough understanding of what students are expected to learn.

• Allow for greater collaboration among educators, offering teachers and schools more opportunities to share ideas and resources.

For more information about the Missouri Learning Standards and the Common Core State Standards visit www.missourilearningstandards.com.