Norwalk Public Schools ’

MAY 2012

46 STATES + DC HAVE ADOPTED THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS *Minnesota adopted the CCSS in ELA/literacy only *Adopted by the CT State Board on July 7, 2010

RECENT CHANGES IN AMERICA…

• C ommon C ore S tate S tandards ( CCSS )voluntary, but almost universal (46 States) • Two testing consortia (PARC & SBAC), both promising computerized testing and performance assessments • CCSS dictates change in

content

which will necessitate change in

teaching

practices

WHAT IS CCSS?

• A core set of academic standards in Mathematics and English/Language Arts collectively developed by states • Science standards to be ready 2013

CCSS BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS

• They were adopted to bring about real and meaningful transformation of our education system to benefit all students • They define the knowledge and skills all students need to succeed in college and careers • Expectations will be consistent for all students

CCSS BENEFITS FOR PARENTS

• Helps parents understand 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

CCSS BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS

• Allows for more focused teacher training • Assures that what is taught is aligned with what is assessed • Informs the development of a curriculum that promotes deep understanding for all children

WHAT WILL THE CCSS ACCOMPLISH?

OVERVIEW

• Consistent Standards at each grade level for ALL states in Math, Language Arts & Science • • • Higher standards for ALL students (rigor) Prepares students to compete globally More focused teacher training • • National common assessments (tests) at each grade level Provides the opportunity to compare and evaluate student achievement across states, Districts, schools, etc…

CCSS AND THEN COMMON ASSESSMENT

•

Common assessments

aligned to the Common Core will help ensure the new standards truly reach every student and “Proficiency” will be a national standard • This means that every state will have an

equal/comparable

measure of student performance 10

FEWER, CLEARER, HIGHER - DEPTH over BREADTH MATHEMATICS (K-8)

 The K-5 standards provide students with a solid foundation in

whole numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and decimals (less breadth but more depth)

 The 6-8 standards describe robust learning in

geometry

,

algebra

, and

probability and statistics

 Modeled after the focus of standards from high-performing nations, the standards for grades 7 and 8 include

significant algebra and geometry content

 Students who have completed 7 th grade and mastered the content and skills will be

prepared for algebra, in 8 th grade or after

MATHEMATICS (9-12)

Grades 9-12 organized in conceptual categories or modules/progressions under the headings: • • • • • • Number and Quantity Algebra Functions Geometry Statistics and Probability

Modeling

•

MAJOR SHIFTS K-5

Numeration and operation intensified, and introduced earlier

•

Memory of basic addition and multiplication facts at specific grades

•

Early place value foundations

•

Regrouping as composing / decomposing

•

Specific references are made to using the “standard algorithm”

•

Emphasis on using unit fractions

•

Emphasis on number line as visualization /structure

•

Focus on properties of operations

MAJOR SHIFTS K-5 MATHEMATICS

•

K – Count by 10’s and 1’s to 100, using fingers to represent addition and subtraction. Fluency with numbers to 20

•

Gr. 1 – Count, read, write and represent numbers to 120

•

Gr. 2 – Memory of all addition facts

•

Gr. 3 – Memory of all multiplication facts. Study of fractions begins

•

Gr. 4 – Fluently add and subtract multi-digit problems. Emphasis on unit fractions and using the number line

•

Gr. 5 – Beginning of division

INSTRUCTIONAL SHIFTS IN MATH

• FOCUS “Less is more,” “Depth over Breadth,” Fewer topics • COHERENCE Developmentally appropriate progressions: i.e. – What can or should a child learn at each grade level?

• RIGOR (balanced) Fluency (“fast & accurate”), Concepts (“Deep Understanding”) & Application (“Real World”)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

The Standards comprise three main sections: a comprehensive K-5 section and two content area-specific sections for grades 6-11, one in English language arts and one in history/social studies and science Contains appendices with research supporting the standards, examples of illustrative texts, and samples of student writing

MAJOR SHIFTS K-5 IN LITERACY

• Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction and informational text (50:50 info. Text to lit in K-5) • Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text • Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary •

Increased emphasis on Speaking & Listening skills

ASSESSMENT SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Assessment system that balances summative, interim, and formative components for Language Arts and Mathematics: • • • • Summative Assessment (Computer Adaptive) Interim Assessment (Computer Adaptive) Formative Processes and Tools Exit exams for secondary subjects

COMPUTER ADAPTIVE TESTING (CAT)

-

Automatically

adjusts the level of difficulty to each child -

Provides more challenging questions until each student achieves a set percentage level

-

Reporting

the results can be made available more quickly -

Test Security

is preserved as students are presented with different items

QUESTIONS…

Common Core State Standards (home): http://www.corestandards.org/ Connecticut State Department of Education: CT CCSS website: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=322592 Norwalk Public Schools: http://portal.norwalkps.org/default.aspx

Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC): http://www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER/