PA Core StandardsNorth Wales Elementary Home and School Meeting

North Penn School District

Dr. Toni Butz, Manager of Curriculum, K-12

What are the PA Core Standards?

• Are a set of expectations for what students need to know, do and understand in order to be successful for college and career.

• Were developed by PA teachers and educators and based upon the work from national consortium of educators at both the K-12 and college level as well as business leaders.

• Currently, 48 states have adopted these standards.

• Are currently developed for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics with plans for Science standards in the future.

What are the PA Core Standards?

• The PA Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

What are the PA Core Standards?

• Pennsylvania State Legislature adopted the PA Core Standards in June 2010.

• By law, school districts must implement the PA Core Standards by the 2013-14 school year.

• The impact of the PA Core Standards include the following:– Newly aligned curriculum with PA Core in

Mathematics and English Language Arts– Revised assessments (new PA Core PSSAs)

beginning in 2014-15– Aligned with new Keystone Examinations (graduation

requirement beginning with Class of 2017)

What are Keystone Exams?

• Keystone Exams are “end of course” assessments in the following areas:– Algebra 1– Biology– English Literature– Composition and Civics (In development for future years)

• By law, Keystone Exams must count as a graduation requirement beginning with the Class of 2017 (current 9th grade students)

What are the 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.

What are the ELA Standards?

What are the ELA Standards?

Increased Literacy and Content Knowledge

Science

Social Studies

Reading, Writing & Speaking

How is the district implementing the new PA Core Standards?

Curriculum Instruction Assessments

How can parents support PA Core at home?• Provide time and space for your child to read

independently. • Ask your child what he or she learned from reading and

how that knowledge can be used in real life. Have him or her read the most interesting or useful sections aloud.

• It is also helpful when your child sees other people reading at home. You can share what you are reading with your child.

• Keep track of the time that your child spends reading every day.

• Be sure your child has access to books and to reading materials.

• Use technology to help build your child’s interest in reading and math.

PA Core StandardsParent Support Resources• www.pdesas.org• http://engageny.org/parent-guides-to-the-common-core-st

andards• http://www.cgcs.org/Domain/36• http://www.cgcs.org/domain/72 • http://pta.org/parents/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2583• http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/CommonCoreLibrary/F

orFamilies/LearningAtHome/default.htm• http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/1106

Questions & Answers Time

Contact Information

Toni Butz, Ed. D.

Manager of Curriculum

North Penn School District

401 E. Hancock Street

Lansdale, PA 19446

(215) 853-1055

butzto@npenn.org