Getting ready for the Common Core

1. Getting ready for the Common Core Patte Barth Center for Public Education NSBA Annual Conference April 21, 2012

2. Agenda • what are the CCSS? • what are the challenges? • how are states preparing? • what can districts do? • q&a

3. The Common Core Standards are intended to be: Aligned with college and work expectations Focused and coherent Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards Internationally benchmarked so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society Based on evidence and research State led – coordinated by NGA Center and CCSSO SOURCE: Common Core State Standards, www.corestandards.org

4. The Common Core Standards process: • CCSSO and NGA’s Center for Best Practices • Advisory group: Achieve, Inc.; ACT, Inc.; College Board, NASBE, and SHEEO • Two rounds of public review • Final documents released June 2010 • No federal dollars for development; foundation support

5. 46 states & DC have adopted the CCSS adopted not adopted

6. CCSS vs NCLB

7. NSBA & CCSS • supports NGA/CCSSO state-led process • supports federal funding for research and/or help to states for developing assessments • opposes federal mandates or coercion, eg. a condition for receiving Title 1 funds • opposes a national test

8. What’s in the standards – English language arts Reading • Balance of literature and informational texts • Text complexity Writing • Emphasis on argument/informative • Writing about sources Speaking and Listening • Inclusion of formal and informal talk Language • Stress on general academic and domain-specific vocabulary SOURCE: Common Core Standards, June 2010

9. What’s different?English language arts Standards for reading and writing in history/ social studies, science, and technical subjects • Complement rather than replace content standards in those subjects • Responsibility of teachers in those subjects Alignment with college and career readiness expectations SOURCE: Common Core Standards, June 2010

10. What’s different? • The Road Not Taken • by Robert Frost • Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, • And sorry I could not travel both • And be one traveler, long I stood • And looked down one as far as I could • To where it bent in the undergrowth; • Then took the other, as just as fair, • And having perhaps the better claim, • Because it was grassy and wanted wear: • Though as for that the passing there • Had worn them really about the same. • And both that morning equally lay • In leaves no step had trodden black. • Oh, I kept the first for another day! • Yet knowing how way leads on to way, • I doubted if I should ever come back. • I shall be telling this with a sigh • Somewhere ages and ages hence: • Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- • I took the one less traveled by, • And that has made all the difference.

11. What’s different? Explain how the speaker in “Grandmother” feels about Grandmother Asdzan Alts’ iisi. In your response, use details and examples from the poem to support your answer. Write your answer on your answer document.

12. What’s different? • The Road Not Taken • by Robert Frost • Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, • And sorry I could not travel both • And be one traveler, long I stood • And looked down one as far as I could • To where it bent in the undergrowth; • Then took the other, as just as fair, • And having perhaps the better claim, • Because it was grassy and wanted wear: • Though as for that the passing there • Had worn them really about the same. • And both that morning equally lay • In leaves no step had trodden black. • Oh, I kept the first for another day! • Yet knowing how way leads on to way, • I doubted if I should ever come back. • I shall be telling this with a sigh • Somewhere ages and ages hence: • Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- • I took the one less traveled by, • And that has made all the difference. Students analyze how the opening stanza of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not taken” structures the rhythm and meter for the poem and how the themes introduced by the speaker develop over the course of the text.

13. What’s different? Explain how the speaker in “Grandmother” feels about Grandmother Asdzan Alts’ iisi. In your response, use details and examples from the poem to support your answer. Write your answer on your answer document. Both assess reading comprehension Both ask students to use evidence from text 1st item focuses on reader response 2nd item asks for analysis, knowledge of poetic devices and theme Students analyze how the opening stanza of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not taken” structures the rhythm and meter for the poem and how the themes introduced by the speaker develop over the course of the text.

14. What’s in the standards –Mathematics • Number & quantity • Algebra - algebraic thinking K-5 • Functions • Modeling - high school • Geometry • Statistics & probability • Emphasis on Mathematical practice SOURCE: Common Core Standards, June 2010

15. pre-calculus, calculus, advanced statistics, discrete math, advanced quantitative reasoning, specific technical POS Pathways through high school mathematics Algebra II Math III Geometry Math II Algebra I Math I SOURCE: Common Core Standards, Mathematics Appendix A, 2010

16. What’s different? There are a total of y students in Mr. Smith’s classroom. Which of the following represents the number of students in the classroom when 3 students are absent? A. y + 3 B. y - 3 C. y x 3 D. y ÷ 3 SOURCE: Virginia SOL released items, grade 5 math, 2010

17. What’s different? Write an expression that records the calculations described below, but do not evaluate. Add 2 and 4 and multiply the sum by 3. Next, add 5 to that product and then double the result. 2(5+3)(2+4)) or (5+3(2+4))2 or 2(3(2+4)+5) or (3(2+4)+5)2 or 2((2+4)3+5) or ((2+4)3+5)2 or (5+3(2+4))+(5+3(2+4)) SOURCE: Illustrative mathematics, retrieved April 16, 2012

18. What’s different? • Both assess translating words into number sentences • The first requires one step to solve the problem • The second requires several steps

19. The Common Core State Standards 21st century assessments for CCSS

20. State CCSSassessment consortia • formed to develop common “next generation” assessments aligned to the CCSS • supported by $346 million federal grants • PARCC: Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College & Careers headed by Achieve, Inc. • SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium headed by Washington state department of education

21. What’s in common? • intended to assess higher order thinking at grades 3-8 and high school • measure growth and proficiency • computer-administered online to provide rapid feedback • both summative assessments for accountability, and formative assessments to monitor students’ progress • aligned resources, ie., model lessons, diagnostic tools, professional development

22. How do PARCC/SMARTER differ? • PARCC is computer-delivered; SMARTER will be “computer adaptive” • SMARTER is developing comprehensive high school assessment; PARCC is developing EOC high school assessments, including for two math pathways • SMARTER is budgeted to translate assessments into 5 languages, one of which will be Spanish

23. Points of collaborationSMARTER & PARCC • working to ensure comparability of scores • developing protocols for Artificial Intelligent scoring • examining interoperable technology infrastructure • working toward same deadlines SOURCE: Center for K-12 Assessment & Performance Management at ETS, webinar April 4, 2011

24. 24 states & DC are in the PARCC consortium participant non participant

25. 28 states are in the SMARTER consortium participant non participant

26. 46 states & DC are involved involved not involved

27. Next Generation Science Standards • Collaboration of Achieve, NRC, AAAS, NSTA and 26 lead states • “Internationally benchmarked” • First draft to be released in 2012; 2 public reviews • Intended to be adopted ‘in whole’ • Carnegie Corp, Noyce Foundation & Dupont sponsors

28. What will be in the standards Science • Practices: behaviors necessary to the work of scientists & engineers • Cross-cutting concepts: the ‘big ideas’, eg., patterns, scale, cause & effect, etc. • Disciplinary core ideas: physical sciences; life sciences, earth & space sciences; and engineering, technology & applications. SOURCE: Next Generation Science Standards, www.nextgenscience.org

29. 26 lead states – Next Generation Science Standards participant non participant

30. Other assessment consortia • Alternative assessments: $67 million to Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) and National Center and State Collaboration (NCSC) • Assessments for students with “most significant cognitive impairments” • Assessments for ELL: $10.5 million to ASSETS, Assessment Services Supporting Els Through Technology Systems SOURCE: The K-12 Center at ETS, www.k12center.org

31. The Common Core State Standards The challenges

32. ACT’s ‘first look’ at the common core standardsEnglish language arts Percent of 2009 11th graders scoring at college-career ready benchmark SOURCE: ACT, Inc., A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness, December 2010

33. ACT’s ‘first look’Achievement gap - ELA Percent of 2009 11th graders scoring at college-career ready benchmark SOURCE: ACT, Inc., A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness, December 2010

34. ACT’s ‘first look’ at the common core standaards– Mathematics Percent of 2009 11th graders scoring at college-career ready benchmark SOURCE: ACT, Inc., A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness, December 2010

35. NAEP performance v. common core standards – Mathematics Percent of 2009 8th graders answering NAEP/common core items correctly SOURCE: Brown Center on Education Policy, How well are American students learning? January, 2011

36. Technology needs • 33 states offer some level of online testing • Most don’t assess all students • Most are voluntary • Most are summative only • Most schools will need more computers & more bandwidth SOURCE: SETDA, Technology Requirements for Large Scale, Computer-Based & Online Assessment, June 2011

37. District needs • Professional development for staff • Aligned assessments & curriculum • Aligned instructional materials • Supports for students

38. The Common Core State Standards How states are preparing

39. State survey • Most states say CCSS are more rigorous than their current standards • Most states say full implementation will take at least until 2013 or beyond • All are developing professional development materials & guides for districts SOURCE: Year 2 of implementing common core state standards: States’ progress and challenges, Center on Education Policy, January 2012

40. State survey (con’t) • Most states have established partnerships between state education agency and higher ed • Half are aligning undergraduate admissions policies with CCSS SOURCE: Year 2 of implementing common core state standards: States’ progress and challenges, Center on Education Policy, January 2012

41. State timelines for implementation SOURCE: States’ progress and challenges in implementing common core state standards, Center on Education Policy, January 2011

42. School district challenges • Almost 3/5 of districts in CCSS states view CCSS as more rigorous • 2/3 are developing plans and timelines • 3/4 view adequate funding as a major challenge • 2/3 say they are getting inadequate guidance from state • Few see teacher/principal resistance as a major challenge although 3/5 see it as a minor one SOURCE: Common Core State Standards: Progress and Challenges in School Districts’ Implementation, Center on Education Policy, September 2011

43. What the public thinks • 2/3 of voters say it’s better for all states to have the same standards and tests • 3/5 have heard ‘nothing’ about the CCSS • Of those who have heard of CCSS, 1/3 are favorable and 1/3 are unfavorable • 3/5 of teachers have a favorable opinion SOURCE: Achieve, Inc., Strong Support, Low Awareness, October 2011

44. Don’t wait for the state • Get involved with what’s happening at your SEA • Set aside time for school board to review CCSS and their implications • Form teacher/administrator/parent study groups to analyze CCSS against current practices

45. Don’t wait for the state • Partner with local colleges & universities • Professional development • Curriculum alignment • Information sharing • Share placement tests • Survey local businesses • Reach out to the community

46. Watch this space www.centerforpubliceducation.org or contact Patte Barth, pbarth@nsba.org

47. Resources & tools Center for Public Education • Objective, easy to understand research • Up to date analysis • School success stories • www.centerforpubliceducation.org Data First • Data Center with national & state data • Learning Center with downloadable videos • Ask the expert • www.data-first.org