common core standards

Common Core StandardsAllen Sylvester, Ph.D.

[email protected] Sylvester

[email protected] 2010

Gains or Losses???

Age 9 NAEP math: • 1986 to 1990 (+8 points) and 1999 to 2004 (+9 points) approximately 2 points per year gains. • 2004 to 2008 (+4 points) only 1 point per year - rates have declined since NCLB.

Age 13 NAEP math: • 1999 to 2004 (+5 points), or 1 point per year. • 2004 to 2008 (+2 points), or half a point per year.

Age 17 math:• 1999 to 2004 essentially no change• 2004 to 2008 flat to slightly lower

Age 9 NAEP math: From 2004-08, the black-white gap widened by 2 points and the Hispanic-white gap remained unchanged, with no changes being statistically significant.

Age 13 NAEP math: From 2004 to 2008, the black-white score gap closed 2 points and the Hispanic-white score gap remained unchanged, with no changes being statistically significant.

Age 17 math: The black-white gap closed one point from 2004-2008, while the Hispanic-white gap widened by two points, with no changes being statistically significant.

Gains or Losses???

Advance Organizer

1.History of Standards in Kansas (How did we get here?)

2.What is the “Common Core” all about?3.Why is the “Common Core” important/good for

everyone?4.Why do we need a change now?5.What do they look like?6.What happens next?7.NCLB vs. “Blueprint” (if time allows)

How did we get here?

• 1983 – A Nation at Risk; the beginning of standards-based education.• 1989 – NCTM first edition of “Curriculum and Evaluation Standards

for School Mathematics” was published.• 1990 – KATM (NOT KSDE) under the direction of Sue Neal created a

document called Kansas Curriculum Standards. • 1993 – KSDE Standards committee (Kim Gattis)

• the first “official” KS Math Standards • written for "end of grade 4th grade", "end of 8th grade" and “10th grade”.

• 1997 – KSDE Standards committee (Kim Gattis) revised version 1993. • It took 7 drafts before the 1999 version was accepted by KSBE.

• 2000 -- New state assessments were created • testing at grades 4, 7 and 10.

Part 1: (the “good old days..”)

And then….


• 2001 – No Child Left…Behind.• Testing in grades 3-8, and once in High School.• Initially used the 1999 assessments & standards

• 2002 – KSDE (Ethel Edwards) • It took 11 drafts before it was approved in July 2003 by KSBE. • New state assessments based on this version started in spring 2006.

• 2007 – ESEA (NCLB) due for reauthorization, no action taken• 2009 – Barak Obama elected President• 2009 – Economic “downturn”

And then…

Part 2: (The Empire Strikes Back…)


• 2009 – RACE TO THE TOP!• September 2009 – NGA & CCSSO publish “College & Career Ready

Standards”• December 2009 – CCSSO releases “Common Core” to States• KSDE convenes the fourth “Standards Committee”• To revise KS standards in compliance with RTTT

• January 2009 – RTTT application due, Kansas submits application• March 2009 – Public draft of “Common Core” released.• March 2009 – Kansas doesn’t win RTTT funding. • June 2009 – Final draft of “Common Core” released.

Part 3: (A New Hope…)

Race to the Top?

…As you may know, the Kansas State Board of Education voted unanimously last week to not apply for funding in Phase II of the Race to the Top grant. After placing 29th in Phase I of the competition, staff from the Kansas State Department of Education carefully analyzed the reviewers’ comments and concluded there was little chance of earning the necessary points in the second round. Kansas is proud to be a local-control state in terms of education, and The Race to the Top competition simply does not appear to favor such states…

--Letter from KSBE to Sec. Duncan, April 23, 2010

What is the Common Core State Standards Initiative?

“The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a significant and historic opportunity for states to collectively develop and adopt a core set of academic standards in mathematics and English language arts.” – NGA, 2010.

A common core of standards that are:•Internationally benchmarked•Aligned with work and post-secondary•Inclusive of higher order skills•Based on research and evidence•Inclusive of rigorous content and skills

From Dr. Alexa Posney’s May 2009 presentation “Common Core Standards”

Why is this important?

• Currently, every state has its own set of academic standards, which means public education students in each state are learning at different levels.

• All students must be prepared to compete with not only their American peers in the next state, but with students from around the world.

• 48 states and 3 territories have signed on to the Common Core State Standards Initiative led by the NGA and CCSSO.

• This initiative will potentially affect 43.5 million students which is about 87% of the student population.(Source: SchoolDataDirect.org; 2007)


Why is a common core of state standards good for parents?

• Helps parents understand exactly what students need to know and be able to do

• Helps parents support their children and educators by making expectations clear and goals high

• Provides equal access to a high quality education• Provides opportunities to meaningfully engage

parents


Why is a common core of state standards good for educators?

• Allows for more focused pre-service and professional development

• Assures that what is taught is aligned with assessments including formative, summative, and benchmarking

• Provides the opportunity for instructors to tailor curriculum and teaching methods

• Informs the development of a curriculum that promotes deep understanding for all children


Why is a common core of state standards good for states?

• Allows states to align curricula to internationally benchmarked standards

• Allows states to ensure professional development for educators is based on best practices

• Creates the opportunity for America to compete for high-wage, high-skill jobs in a knowledge-based economy

• Allows for the development of a common assessment• Gives states the opportunity to compare and evaluate

policies that affect student achievement across states• Creates potential economies of scale around areas such as

curriculum development and assessment


Why is a common core of state standards good for students?

• It will help prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and careers

• Expectations will be consistent for all kids and not dependent on a student’s zip code

• It will help students with transitions between states • Clearer standards will help students understand

what is expected of them and allow for more self-directed learning by students


P20 Alignment Team

The Kansas P20 Council will determine how well prepared high school students are to continue their education, enter the workforce, or participate in training in the work force by forming a P20 Alignment Team.


What the “common core standards” look like:

• Fewer, clearer, and higher• Articulate to parents, teachers, and the

general public expectations for what students will know and be able to do, grade by grade, and when they graduate from high school

• Internationally benchmarked• Research and evidence based • Ready for states to adopt

(Kentucky already has…)

•Standards define what students should understand and be able to do.•Clusters are groups of related standards. •Domains are larger groups of related standards.

How to read the Common Core grade level standards

Kansas to Common Core Conversion Chart (patent pending)

“Current” Kansas Standards call it a(n): “Common Core” calls it a(n):

Standard Domain

Benchmark Cluster

Indicator Standard

Kindergarten (overview only)

1st Grade (overview only)

2nd Grade (overview only)

3rd Grade (overview only)

4th Grade (overview only)

High School (Part 1 of 5)Number and Quantity (Overview)

High School (Part 2 of 5)Algebra (Overview)

High School (Part 3 of 5)Functions (Overview)

High School (Part 4 of 5)Geometry (Overview)

High School (Part 5 of 5)Statistics & Probability (Overview)

What happens next?

• Adoption of the common core state standards is “voluntary” for states…until ESEA is reauthorized.

• Each state will follow its individual process for coalition-building and adoption.

• States choosing to adopt the common core state standards have agreed the common core will represent at least 85% of the state’s standards in mathematics and English language arts

• Consortia of states will voluntarily come together to develop new, innovative, common assessments

• Kansas is a member of two consortia: – “Balanced” and “Smarter”

What happens after states adopt common core standards?

• The common core state standards are the first step in transforming our education system. For systemic change to occur:– Educators must be given resources, tools, and time to

adjust classroom practice.– Instructional materials need to be developed that align to

the standards.– Assessments will be developed to measure student

progress.– Federal, state, and district policies will need to be re-

examined to ensure they support alignment of the common core -- throughout the system -- with student achievement.

Kansas State Assessments for the 2010-11 School Year The Kansas State Assessments for the 2010-11 school year will continue to measure the current content standards. KSDE has received questions regarding assessments of the Common Core Standards in 2010-11. To date, no decision has been made to adopt the Common Core Standards in Kansas. Additionally, the Common Core Standards themselves have not been finalized. KSDE is operating under the assumption that any assessment measuring the Common Core Standards (which again are not complete and have not been adopted in Kansas) is at least four years away. KSDE is basing this assumption on recent discussions with national testing experts that comprise its Technical Advisory Council.

Be aware…

How are NCLB & “Blueprint” different?

NCLB:• States required to adopt “challenging” standards; • no requirements on content or rigor of standards;• all students “proficient” by 2014.

Blueprint:• “College and career ready” standards; • common core standards or work with public university system to ensure standards adequately prepare students to enter college without remediation; • all students “college and career” ready by 2020

NCLB:• Students in grades 3-8 and high school tested annually on state-determined assessments in reading and math; • data disaggregated by subgroups.

Blueprint:• High-quality statewide assessments align with new state standards; • only those states that have implemented assessments based on “common” state standards by 2015 will receive formula funds to create assessments;• data collection will also include

graduation rates, college enrollment rates and rates of college enrollment without remediation; performance targets created and based on school and subgroup growth and graduation rates


NCLB:• Adequate yearly progress (AYP); • 100 percent proficient by 2014; • sanctions for not meeting AYP

Blueprint:• student growth and schoolwide progress over time; • designate “reward” districts for schools and districts that make major inroads in turning around low-performing schools; • designate “challenge” schools, districts and states for lowest-performing 5 percent of schools in each state; • “reward” districts and states will have greater flexibility while “challenge” districts and states may face restrictions on the use of federal funds


How is teacher quality determined?

NCLB:• “Highly qualified” teachers

Blueprint:• Effective teachers based on student growth; • evaluation systems that reflect state standards for effectiveness & differentiate teachers and principals across at least three performance levels; • track teacher and principal performance back to preparation programs

This is our “Political Reality”…

Luck favors the prepared!

common core standards

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