Understanding the Common Core State Standards and Assessments

Jason Weedon, Sr. Vice President, Achieve

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What Are Standards?

• The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) specify what students should know and be able to do in each grade and by the end of high school.

• States, districts, schools and teachers choose curriculum materials and determine how to get students to meet standards.

There is no national curriculum and there never will be.

Preparation

Equity

Clarity

Competition

The standards are college and career ready. They will help prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in education and training after high school.

Collaboration

The standards are internationally benchmarked. Common standards will help ensure our students are globally competitive.

Expectations are consistent for all — and not dependent on a student’s zip code.

The standards are focused, coherent and clear. Clearer standards help students (and parents and teachers) understand what is expected of them.

The standards create a foundation to work collaboratively across states and districts, pooling resources and expertise, to create curricular tools, professional development, common assessments and other materials.

Why the CCSS?

46 States and DC Have Adopted the CCSS

*Minnesota adopted the CCSS in ELA/literacy only.

Key Instructional Shifts in the CCSS

ANCHORED IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

Grade Topic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Whole Number: Meaning n n n l lWhole Number: Operations n n n n lMeasurement Units s n n n n n lCommon Fractions s n n lEquations & Formulas s l l l n n n n n nData Representation & Analysis s s l l s s s s s2-D Geometry: Basics s l l l n n l2-D Geometry: Polygons & Circles s l l n n n lMeasurement: Perimeter, Area & Volume l l l l s sRounding & Significant Figures l lEstimating Computations l l lWhole Numbers: Properties of Operations l lEstimating Quantity & Size s sDecimal Fractions l n lRelation of Common & Decimal Fractions s n lProperties of Common & Decimal Fractions l lPercentages l lProportionality Concepts l l l sProportionality Problems l l n n s s2-D Geometry: Coordinate Geometry s s l l n l lGeometry: Transformations l l l s s sNegative Numbers, I ntegers, & Their Properties s lNumber Theory l s sExponents, Roots & Radicals l l n lExponents & Orders of Magnitude s s sMeasurement: Estimation & Errors sConstructions Using Straightedge & Compass n s3-D Geometry l n n l n sGeometry: Congruence & Similarity n lRational Numbers & Their Properties s sPatterns, Relations & Functions s n n n nProportionality: Slope & Trigonometry s l lReal Numbers, Their Subsets & Properties lValidation & J ustification l n l lStructuring & Abstracting sUncertainty & Probability s n lComplex Numbers & Their Properties s sI nfinite Processes n nChange n nVectors n sSystematic Counting s s

Intended by four of the six top-achieving countiesl Intended by all but one of the top-achieving countries (five of

six)n Intended by all of the top-achieving countries

Top-Performing Countries Versus the U.S.

Topics

Whole Number Meaning

Whole Number Operations

Measurement Units

Common Fractions

Equations & Formulas

Data Representation & Analysis

2-D Geometry: Basics

Polygons & Circles

Perimeter, Area & Volume

Rounding & Significant Figures

Estimating Computations

Properties of Whole Number Operations

Estimating Quantity & Size

Decimal Fractions

Relationship of Common & Decimal Fractions

Properties of Common & Decimal Fractions

Percentages

Proportionality Concepts

Proportionality Problems

2-D Coordinate Geometry

Geometry: Transformations

Negative Numbers, Integers & Their Properties

Number Theory

Exponents, Roots & Radicals

Exponents & Orders of Magnitude

Measurement Estimation & Errors

Constructions w/ Straightedge & Compass

3-D Geometry

Congruence & Similarity

Rational Numbers & Their Properties

Patterns, Relations & Functions

Slope & Trigonometry

G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8

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Typical U.S. State

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Top-Performing Countries Versus the CCSS (Math)

Standards Comparisons

Standards (2004) CCSSELA/Literacy

Grade 7: Produce written work and oral work that demonstrate comprehension of informational materials.

MathematicsGrade 8: Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem.

ELA/LiteracyGrade 7: Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

MathematicsGrade 8: Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse; apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems in two and three dimensions; apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance between two points in a coordinate system.

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Why New Assessments NOW?

Current state assessments were not designed to:• Assess and signal whether students are on

track for college and careers;

• Produce timely, actionable data for students, teachers and parents; and

• Test key skills, such as critical thinking and ability to problem solve.

Two multistate consortia — PARCC and Smarter Balanced.

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Current State AssessmentGrade 8 ELA/Literacy Sample Item

To save money, your principal is thinking about canceling all field trips for the remainder of the year.

Write an essay persuading him or her to allow students to continue attending field trips.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your response.

PARCCGrade 7 ELA/Literacy Illustrative Sample Item

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Current State AssessmentGrade 7 Math Sample Item

ADD A PRE-PARCC MATH EXAMPLE

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PARCCGrade 7 Math Illustrative Sample Item

13

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The Major Challenges Ahead

• Misinformation• Implementation (e.g., technology, professional

development)• Drop in student achievement scores• Political/leadership turnover

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What Can Chambers Do?

• Make college- and career-ready standards a strategic or legislative priority and set up a working group to focus on it.

• Write an op-ed in support of the CCSS, or when speaking on the record about economic development or global competitiveness, include messaging on the CCSS.

• Encourage partnerships with other business groups or coalitions to further amplify your voice.

• Host events or webcasts to share information and keep your members updated on developments in CCSS implementation.

• Reach out, either with phone calls or informational emails or by requesting in-person meetings with key decisionmakers to explain why you care about the CCSS.

• Provide in-person testimony or letters of support on major college- and career-ready legislation.

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State-Specific Business Support

KENTUCKYThe Kentucky Chamber and Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence demonstrate how business-education partnerships can propel and rally support for college and career readiness (CCR), by:• Supporting the implementation of the new K–12 academic standards;• Making education funding a priority;• Dedicating staff time and resources to develop “Employer Information” and tools;• Issuing targeted communications on CCR featuring a video, radio interviews and

op-eds;• Hosting a statewide tour of local chambers with presentations about CCR;• Developing the brochure “New Standards, New Tests and New Scores”;• Providing a supportive statement prior to unveiling of data from new tests;• Developing the Business Leader Champions for Education — a group of

Kentucky business leaders who support public education; and• Positioning CCSS implementation as a key component of the Prichard

Committee’s “Top 20 By 2020 Campaign” — a statewide campaign to put Kentucky in the highest tier of public education in the nation.

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State-Specific Business Support

TENNESSEE: The Long Game• Spring 2007: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce gives Tennessee an “F”

for “truth in advertising” for telling students they were prepared, even though most weren’t because the state’s standards were too low.

• Summer 2010: The Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) launches “Expect More, Achieve More” campaign.

• August 2010: The Tennessee Business Education Coalition (TBEC) hosts a “standards summit” urging lawmakers to stay the course on standards reform despite lower test scores.

• January 2011: TBEC hosts an “Education Reform Boot Camp” to brief freshmen lawmakers on Tennessee’s reform efforts.

• 2012–13: The CCSS, the further refined set of academic expectations in Tennessee and 46 other states, take effect.

• Spring 2013: SCORE plans grasstops campaign with TBEC and the statewide business community to counter push-back against the CCSS.

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State-Specific Business Support

ARIZONA: To Go Far, Work Together• 98 state-based business leaders sign letter of support for the CCSS.

“We would not support an agenda that gives anyone but Arizonans the control of what is taught and learned in our schools. This is why we support the current Arizona Common Core State Standards, which were reviewed, revised and adopted by Arizonans, for Arizonans, giving our students the best preparation for any career or post-secondary education.”

• Former CEO and Chairman of Intel Craig Barrett writes an op-ed. “The business community is solidly in support of these new standards and a new

assessment tool. The business community has been complaining about low standards and low expectations for many years. They know that for kids to have a fair shot at the American dream we need dramatic improvement in our K–12 system.”

• Inside Tucson Business issues editorial urging legislature to support governor's budget to implement Arizona’s Common Core Standards.

“Nothing is more critical to Arizona's economic future than education. Many people have been working to get the Common Core Standards to this point. Now it 's time for lawmakers to put the state's money behind them.”

• Tucson Metro Chamber president Mike Varney writes an op-ed encouraging the community to get informed and become involved in the education reform debate.

“Sure, the Common Core Standards approach has its critics, but adoption of them seems to be a good step in the right direction of expecting more, increasing availability to data and improving accountability.”

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Other Chambers' Actions

AR State chamber president testifies in support of the CCSS at Arkansas House and Senate education committee hearings.

FL Chamber president/CEO writes an op-ed entitled “High education standards key to state’s fiscal future.”

GA Chamber issues policy statement prioritizing implementation of rigorous academic standards aligned with national and international standards.

LA Association of Business & Industry director of education and workforce development writes an op-ed entitled “Why Louisiana Schools Need the CCSS.”

MI Business leaders and chambers sign open letter of support for CCSS implementation.

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Other Chambers’ Actions Continued…

NC Chamber foundation has made their core mission to leverage businesses’ relationships with policy leaders for the benefit of full enactment of the CCSS and assessments.

OK City chamber includes implementation of the CCSS as an advocacy and policy priority, and Tulsa Regional Chamber hosts “State of Education” luncheon focusing on the CCSS.

RI Providence chamber asks the business community to support Education Commissioner Deborah Gist and her efforts to implement college- and career-ready reforms, including the CCSS.

TN Knoxville chamber’s “Expect More, Achieve More” and “Common Core Pledge” campaigns support the CCSS.

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