W H A T F A M I L I E S A N D C O M M U N I T I E S N E E D T O K N O W A B O U T N E W L E A R N I N G S T A N D A R D S

Common Core State Standards:

School’s Out Washington and Ready Washington

April 29, 2014

Expecting the Best

School’s Out Washington provides services and guidance for community organizations to ensure that all students have a safe place to learn and grow when not in school.

Ready Washington is a coalition of state and local education agencies, associations and advocacy organizations that support preparing all students for career, college and life.

Agenda

What is Common Core?

Why Common Core?

Group activity: Family communications

What is different?

Survey: About what you learned today

Questions and Answers

What is Common

Core?

What is Common Core?5

The Common Core State Standards:

Set learning expectations for all students.

Standards in math and English language arts (math, reading & writing).

Provide teachers with tools to help students learn.

What is Common Core?6

The Common Core State Standards:

Raises learning expectations for all students.

Align student learning with skills needed for employment and education after high school.

Guide schools and teachers to prepare all kids for career, college and life.

What is Common Core?7

A big change in the way students learn.

One that will take time to see results –new tests will be given in 2015.

Will help students compete for quality jobs in Washington state and in our nation.

WhyCommon

Core?

8

Why Common Core?9

Currently in Washington State:

Employers report graduating students are not prepared enough for jobs.

Less than half of our high school graduates are ready for 2-year or 4-year college.

Nearly half graduates entering community college and must take remedial courses.

Why Common Core?10

By 2018, 2 out of 3 jobs in WA will require technical training or a college degree.

Diverse students and families are greatly impacted by not being prepared for employment, technical school or college.

Group Activity11

Family and Community Engagement

Barriers: What do you see as barriers to communicating Common Core to families? (5 min.)

Worksheets: Write down your answers in English or Spanish.

Common Core: What’s

Different?

12

Common Core: What’s Different?131. Consistent learning expectations for all

students.

2. Big change in the way students learn.

3. Clear standards that focus on deeper understanding.

4. Students learn skills they will need in a job.

5. New exams/tests will be given in 2015.

What’s Different?14

1. Consistent learning expectations

Before Common Core, all 50 states had different learning expectations for students.

Common Core provides consistent learning standards and expectations for all students, no matter where they live.

What’s Different?15

2. Big change in the way students learn

Students gain knowledge in academic areas.

Also gain skills in ways to think, to manage self and to transition to college and career opportunities.

Skills like: critical thinking, problem-solving, persistence, and working together

What’s Different?16

3. Clear standards focus on deeper

understanding

Goes into fewer topics and focuses on deepening students’ understanding of concepts

They allow students to apply the skills they learned to real-life situations.

More opportunities for hands-on and experiential learning

What’s Different?17

4. Critical skills for the job market

Common Core focuses on building real-world skills in learning.

Prepares students with the knowledge andskills they need to succeed in education, training and work after high school.

What’s Different?18

5. New testing in 2015

Different test to support Common Core –Smarter Balanced.

Technology-based test

What’s Different?19

Because a different test and

different bar:

Test scores will be initially lower, compared to previous state exams scores.

Research shows students work hard to meet raised learning expectations.

There is shared understanding that raising learning standards is important for our students’ futures.

SURVEY20

Please fill out the survey about what you learned today.

Questions/Answers

21

Thank You!

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Support for Real Learning for Real Life campaign is brought to you in part by College Spark Washington