Critical thinking and problem-solving.

Those are two key elements behind Common Core standards … you know, those educational assessment standards and tests despised by most people.We mention these elements today upon our reporting of the test scores among students in area school districts.Last spring, Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, or PSSA, tests were given to students in grades three through eight in core content areas of English-language arts, math and science.Keystone Exams were given to high school students, but those results are yet to be released.The PSSA outcome: Collectively, students across Pennsylvania and in our region performed a lot worse on the new, more challenging standardized math test, and slightly worse on the English tests.Sure, there are pockets of improved scores, but for the most part, scores are down.The caveat is that these scores are a new benchmark because of the updated standards.State Education Secretary Pedro Rivera called the exams "fundamentally different" and cautioned against comparing this year's scores with last year's, saying that would not be an accurate measure of student growth or academic achievement.The tests are more difficult because they contain new content.The scores also show that teachers and schools need time and resources to adapt and update the curriculum they are using to align to the new standards.Students need time and updated instructional materials in order to learn the new content on the tests and to develop further the problem-solving and critical thinking skills that these tests require.Simply put, the tests change what is considered "advanced" and "proficient."But the work required to improve these scores cannot be done only in the classrooms.The fact is, too many parents - especially in the Keystone Central School District - do not instill in their children the value of education … the overall importance of going to school.That leaves educators with the monumental task of not only teaching knowledge, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, but first trying to convince their students that education is so important to personal and professional success.If education is not valued in the home, it will not be valued in school … or in life.- The Lock Haven ExpressThe foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.