The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics August 2010

Common Core Development • Initially 48 states and three territories signed on • As of August 2, 2010, 26 states have officially adopted • Final Standards released June 2, 2010, and can be downloaded at www.corestandards.org • Adoption required for Race to the Top funds

Common Core Development • Each state adopting the common core either directly or by fully aligning its state standards may do so in accordance with current state timelines for standards adoption not to exceed three (3) years. • States that choose to align their standards to the common core standards accept 100% of the corein English language arts and mathematics. States may add additional standards.

Benefits for States and Districts • Allows for collaborative professional development to be based on best practices • Allows for the development of common assessments and other tools • Enables comparison of policies and achievement across states and districts • Creates potential for collaborative groups to get more economical mileage for: • Curriculum development, assessment, and professional development

Characteristics • Fewer and more rigorous. The goal was for more clarity. • Aligned with college and career expectations – prepare all students for success upon graduating from high school. • Internationally benchmarked, so that all students are prepared for succeeding in our global economy and society. • Includes rigorous content and application of higher-order skills. • Builds upon strengths and lessons of current state standards. • Research based

Intent of the Common Core • The same goals for all students • Coherence • Focus • Clarity and Specificity

Coherence • Articulated progressions of topics and performances that are developmental and connected to other progressions • Conceptual understanding and procedural skills stressed equally • NCTM states coherence also means that instruction, assessment, and curriculum are aligned

Focus • Key ideas, understandings, and skills are identified • Deep learning of concepts is stressed • That is, time is spent on a topic and on learning it well. This counters the “mile wide, inch deep” criticism leveled at most current U.S. standards.

Clarity and Specificity • Skills and concepts are clearly defined • Being able to apply concepts and skills to new situations is expected

CCSSM CCSSM stands for Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

CCSSM Mathematical Practices The Common Core proposes a set of Mathematical Practices that all teachers should develop in their students. These practices are similar to NCTM’s Mathematical Processes from the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.

CCSSM Mathematical Practices • Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. • Reason abstractly and quantitatively. • Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. • Model with mathematics. • Use appropriate tools strategically. • Attend to precision. • Look for and make use of structure. • Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Common Core Format Domains are large groups of related standards. Standards from different domains may sometimes be closely related. Look for the name with the code number on it for a Domain.

Common Core Format Clusters are groups of related standards.Standards from different clusters may sometimes be closely related, because mathematics is a connected subject. Clusters appear inside domains.

Common Core Format Standards define what students should be able to understand and be able to do – part of a cluster.

Common Core Format K-8 Grade Domain Cluster Standards (There are no preK Common Core Standards) High School Conceptual Category Domain Cluster Standards

Grade Level Overview

Grade Level Overview Critical Areas – similar to NCTM’s Curriculum Focal Points

Grade Level Format of K-8 Standards Domain

Standard Format of K-8 Standards Cluster Standard Cluster

Domain Format of High School Standard Cluster

Common Core - Domain • Domains are overarching big ideas that connect topics across the grades • Descriptions of the mathematical content to be learned elaborated through clusters and standards

Common Core - Standards • Standards are content statements. An example content statement is: “Use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions.” • Progressions of increasing complexity from grade to grade

Common Core - Clusters • May appear in multiple grade levels in the K-8 Common Core. There is increasing development as the grade levels progress • What students should know and be able to do at each grade level • Reflect both mathematical understandings and skills, which are equally important

High School Conceptual Categories • The big ideas that connect mathematics across high school – such as Functions or Probability and Statistics • A progression of increasing complexity • Description of mathematical content to be learned elaborated through domains, clusters, and standards

High School Pathways • The CCSSM Model Pathways are two models that organize the CCSSM into coherent, rigorous courses • The CCSSM Model Pathways are NOT required. The two sequences are examples, not mandates • Four years of mathematics: • One course in each of the first two years • Followed by two options for year three and a variety of relevant courses for year four • Course descriptions • Define what is covered in a course • Are not prescriptions for the curriculum or pedagogy

High School Pathways • Pathway A: Consists of two algebra courses and a geometry course, with some data, probability and statistics infused throughout each (traditional) • Pathway B: Typically seen internationally that consists of a sequence of 3 courses each of which treats aspects of algebra, geometry and data, probability, and statistics.

Additional Information • For grades preK-8, a model of implementation can be found in NCTM’s Curriculum Focal Points • For the secondary level, please see NCTM’s Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making www.nctm.org/cfp www.nctm.org/FHSM

Acknowledgments • Thanks to the Ohio Department of Education and Eric Milou of Rowan University for providing content and assistance for this presentation

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics