State-led and developed common core standards for K-12 in English/language arts and mathematics

Initiative led by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and National Governors Association (NGA)

Common Core State Standards Initiative

What are educational standards?

Why do they matter?

State-led Initiative

States in the driver’s seat

The federal government did not develop the standards or require their adoption.

Why do we need common standards? Why now?

Disparate standards across states

Today’s jobs require different skills

Global competition

For many young people, a high school degree isn’t preparing them for college or a good job.

Why is This Important for Students, Teachers, and Parents?

Prepares students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and work

Ensures consistent expectations regardless of a student’s zip code

Provides educators, parents, and students with clear, focused guideposts

Offers economies of scale

Features of the Standards

Aligned with college and work expectationsFocused and coherentInclude rigorous content and application of

knowledge through high-order skillsBuild upon strengths and lessons of current state

standardsBased on evidence and researchInternationally benchmarkedShould be read to allow the widest possible range

of students to participate fully6

Foundation for the Standards

Aligned with college and work expectations Prepare students for success in entry-level,

credit-bearing, academic college courses (2- and 4- year postsecondary institutions)

Prepare students for success in careers that offer competitive, livable salaries above the poverty line, opportunities for career advancement, and are in growing or sustainable industries

Standards Development Process

College- and career-readiness standards for English/language arts and mathematics developed summer of 2009

Based on the college and career readiness standards, K-12 standards for each grade were developed

Continual input throughout the process from states, educators, and business and higher education leaders

Public comment period with nearly 10,000 responses

Final standards released on June 2, 2010

42 states and D.C. have fully adopted the Common Core State Standards; 1 state has provisionally adopted the standards; and 1 state has adopted only the ELA standards.

What’s in the Standards

Applications

Applications for English language learners Learn academic content while learning English. English proficiency is

not a prerequisite to students achieving the goals laid out in the standards.

Application for students with disabilities “Students with disabilities are a heterogeneous group with one common

characteristic: the presence of disabling conditions that significantly hinder their abilities to benefit from general education.” (IDEA 34 CFR §300.39, 2004) Therefore, how these high standards are taught and assessed is of the utmost importance in reaching this diverse group of students.

“Promoting a culture of high expectations for all students is a fundamental goal of the Common Core State Standards.”

STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA)

&

LITERACY IN HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND TECHNICAL SUBJECTS

Design and Organization

Introduction Description of capacities of a literate student (e.g., demonstrate

independence, come to understand other perspectives and cultures)

Three main sections K−5 cross-disciplinary 6−12 English language arts 6−12 literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects

Three appendices

A: Research and evidence; glossary of key terms

B: Reading text exemplars; sample performance tasks

C: Annotated student writing samples

ELA Key Advances

Reading Balance of literature and informational texts Text complexity

Writing Emphasis on argument and informative/explanatory writing Writing about sources

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

MATHEMATICS

STANDARDS

Design and Organization

Standards for Mathematical Practice Carry across all grade levels Describe habits of mind of a mathematically expert student

Standards for Mathematical Content K-8 standards presented by grade level High school standards presented by conceptual theme

Appendix Designing high school math courses based on the Common

Core State Standards

Math Key Advances

Focus in early grades on number (arithmetic and operations) to build a solid foundation in math

Evened out pace across the grades

Focus on using math and solving complex problems, similar to what would see in the real world in high school

Emphasis on problem-solving and communication