Connecticut Core Standards

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

New Milford BOEDecember 3rd, 2014http://digitallearningforallnow.com

http://www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr

costa@educationconnection.org

Jonathan P. Costa

Mission

To prepare

EVERY student

for learning, life,

and work

in the 21st century.

Our world has changed…

1. It is digital, flat, open and pluralistic.

2. It is unpredictable andvolatile.

3. It is increasingly unforgiving to those who are unskilled.

3 Domainsof Education

MissionLeadership

Focus

Goals

MeasuresPractices

CommonCore?

The Evolution of Educational Standards and Testing

Focus

Learning Goals

Assessment Protocols

Accountability

Teacher Prep

Curriculum

Testing Tools

Student Abilities

Instructional Focus

Inputs/Outputs

Universal Access

Locally Determined

Rank and Sort

No News is Good News

Get A Degree

Table of Contents

Pencil & Paper

Grouped & Labeled

Teacher Dependent

Ready for K - 59.9 to Leave

Universal Proficiency

State by State

Tests for ALL

Label Failing Schools

Certifications & BEST

State Standards & Frameworks

Pencil & Paper With Performance Tasks

Integrated (N=40)

Standards Aligned

Need for Pre-School

Skill Demonstrations

Universal Measures

46 State Consortia

(Math, LA, Science)

Smarter Balance (IPI) for All

Ranking Every District, School and Teacher

Certifications, TEAM,

and SEED

Multi-State

Unified Standards

Digital With

Performance Tasks

Integrated & Scrutinized

(N=20)

Common Core Aligned

And Digitally Supported

Pre-K and Full-K Standards

Demonstrations & Tests

Areas of Before 1986 NCLB 2001 PA12-116 2012

The Irony of it All

Close reading to determine fact is a CCSS foundational skill…from the tone of the debate over this last year, I think we could all use a little more of it.

Jonathan P. Costa

These Standards Are Lowering the Bar

Point: Not rigorous, not benchmarked, somehow actually less difficult than your current state standards.

Counter Point : Read the standards.

• 91% ELA Aligned

• 83% Math Aligned

Which of These Skills Would You Want Your Child to NOT HAVE?

• Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

• Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

• Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

• Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

• Use appropriate tools strategically and attend to precision.

By Having a Common Set of Standards,We Are Saying We Want All Kids to Be the Same

Point: Kids are different, standards should be different.

Counter Point: Standards refer to the WHAT not the HOW. Differentiated standards allow for permanent tracking of students based on predetermined assessments. How many of you would volunteer to have your child in the slow track?

There is no evidence to justify a single standard for all students, given the

diversity of interests, talents and needs among students. A one size-fits-all

model assumes that we already know the best standard for all students; it assumes that one best way for all students exists.

No Teachers Were Involved in Writing the Standards

• Point: The standards were created by non-educators who don’t understand children.

• Counter Point: The Common Core drafting process relied on teachers and standards experts from across the country. Connecticut teachers were involved, as was our CSDE, as well as extended periods for public comment. No different from any other standards drafting process for the last 30 years.

Big Brother, Big Government Takeover

Point: By having common standards, we are endorsing Obama’s collectivist & socialist future and allowing a federal intrusion into local public education.

Counter Point: The largest federal intrusion in history came under freedom loving President George W. Bush (NCLB) and passed the 2001 Congress on a combined vote of 475-53. As for getting more money if you adopt them –yes – the same as every other federal education program - ever.

Common Curriculum Resources for Free

Race to the Top: While Connecticut did not win one, we benefit from the

states that did. All curriculum

resources as a result of these

grants, must be made

available to the public

at no expense.

This Is About Money, Not Education

Point: Pearson and other contractors/publishers are getting rich and are pushing these tests and materials just to make money.

Counter Point: Apparently pre-Common Core educational vendors were all non-profit organizations selling materials for the good of all mankind.

It’s All About the Money: Part Two

Point: Bill Gates is pouring money into the reform process because he has some ulterior motive – undo influence, technology stocks…?

Counter Point: The same man whose foundation is responsible for a 74% reduction in African childhood deaths from measles over the past decade, and the near-eradication of polio on that continent, has some underlying evil intent because he has demonstrated support for raising educational standards?

Big Brother Data Mining

The Charge: Vendors or the government are going to use the data they have on your children to gain some leverage and control your future.

Counter Point: In the modern era, schools have always collected this data (address, phone, wealth, health, performance) and there are laws that govern who has it and what it can be used for.

Tests, Tests, and More TestsPoint: Testing is out of control. We are dramatically increasing the amount of time we spend testing our children and it plays too large a role in determining our children’s future.

Counter Point: The actual amount of time tested – when compared to CMT/CAPT is less – although – if a student wants more time to finish any portion of the test, they can have it (formally, just the purview of special education IEPs).

Perfect, no - but it is a better test.

The assessment consortia has published the criteria that they will use to score open ended items.

Student’s Under StressPoint: All of this testing and accountability talk puts too much stress on our children.

The Counter: We own this one. The higher the stakes, the more corrupt the system will become and the more stress will be communicated through the adults in the system to the children in the system. This is not about the test – its about what we do with the results of the test.

Improvements?There is always room…

• Fewer, high leverage skills should be focus.

• Seamless integration of digital learning – not just testing.

• Less reliance on text for comprehension/communication.

• Communicate with parents about implementation strategies.

• Other?