CHAPEL HILL – The first round of North Carolina’s Common Core Standard scores are scheduled to be released Thursday morning with the understanding that the numbers aren’t looking good.

Test scores were originally scheduled to be released in October, but instead, the Department of Public Instruction discussed the benchmark for passing scores.

State officials considered whether or not to lower the initial passing scores to allow a chance to ease into the new system, but instead stuck with numbers that have many worried.

The new standards are designed to give the students more depth in their education. Rather than learning a large amount of topics, they are now supposed to be learning more about fewer topics.

The 2012-13 school year is being thought of as a transition year since there isn’t other information with which to compare the new numbers.

Stay tuned to WCHL and Chapelboro.com for the release of the test results. The state says it expects to release the numbers at around 11:00 a.m.