The Parent’s Guide to The Common Core and PARCC Assessment

MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICTSPRING 2014

The Parent’s Guide to

The Common Core and PARCC Assessment

What is the Common Core?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s0rRk9sER0

Common Core Standards

Common Core State Standards (CCCS) provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn to be college and career ready. The PARCC Assessments measure student progress toward standards.

In June 2010, the New Jersey State Board of Education (NJBOE) and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) adopted the CCCS.

These Educational standards in Math and English Language Arts were developed nationally in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.

Common Core Standards

The Common Core Standards Are aligned with college and work expectations; Are clear, understandable, and consistent; Include rigorous content and application of knowledge

through high-order skills; Build upon strengths and lessons of current state

standards; and, Are evidence based.

46 States and DC Have Adopted the Common Core Standards

How Will The Standards Be Different?

Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills

Provide performance-based collaborative activities and assessments

Integrate literacy across content areas including Science and Social Studies

Place stronger emphasis on informational text, research, and media skills

Instructional Shifts in ELA

6 Shifts in ELA Read as much nonfiction as fiction Learn about the world by reading Read more challenging material closely Discuss reading using evidence Write non-fiction using evidence Increase academic vocabulary

Instructional Shifts in Math

6 Shifts in Mathematics Focus: Learn more about fewer, key topics Coherence: Build skills within and across grades Fluency: Develop speed and accuracy Deep Understanding: Really know it, really do it Application of Concepts: Use them in the real world Dual Intensity: Practice/Understand-Think fast & solve

problems

ELA Shift 1:Read as Much Non-Fiction as Fiction

Students Must... Parents Can…

Read more non-fiction Supply more non-fiction

Know the ways non-fiction can be put together

Read and discuss more non-fiction with your child

Enjoy and discuss the details of non-fiction

Have fun with non-fiction in front of children

ELA Shift 2:Learn About the World by Reading

Students Must… Parents Can…

Build proficiency in Science and Social Studies through reading

Supply series of text on topics of interest

Handle “primary source” documents

Find books that explain

Get “smarter” through text Discuss non-fiction text and the ideas within

ELA Shift 3:Read More Complex Material Carefully

Students Must… Parents Can…

Re-Read Provide more challenging text that students WANT to and can read

Read material at comfort level AND work with more challenging text

Know grade level/reading level appropriate text

Unpack text Read challenging text with student

Handle frustration and keep pushing

Show that challenging text is worth unpacking

ELA Shift 4:Discuss Reading Using Evidence

Students Must… Parents Can…

Find evidence to support their arguments

Talk about text

Form judgments Demand evidence in every day discussions/disagreements

Become scholars Read aloud or read the same book and discuss with evidence

Discuss authors’ point of view

ELA Shift 5:Discuss Reading Using Evidence

Students Must… Parents Can…

Make arguments in writing using evidence

Encourage writing at home

Compare multiple texts in writing Write “books” together and use evidence/details

Write well

ELA Shift 6:Academic Vocabulary

Students Must… Parents Can…

Learn the words that they can use in college and career

Read often and constantly with your children

Get smarter about using “language of power”

Provide multiple books on the same topic

Talk to your children about reading

Listen to your children read

Play word and rhyming games with your children

Mathematics Shift 1:Focus: Learn More About Less

Students Must… Parents Can…

Spend more time on fewer concepts

Know what the priority work is for their children and grade levels

Spend time with their children on priority work

Ask teachers about progress on priority work

Mathematics Shift 2:Coherence: Skills Across Grades

Students Must… Parents Can…

Keep building on learning year after year

Be aware of child’s struggles and how they could impact future learning

Advocate for their child and ensure that support is given for “gap” skills

Mathematics Shift 3:Fluency: Speed and Accuracy

Students Must… Parents Can…

Spend time practicing many problems on the same idea

Push children to know/memorize basic math facts

Know all fluencies their child should have and prioritize learning the ones children haven’t mastered

Mathematics Shift 4:Deep Understanding: Know It/Do It!

Students Must… Parents Can…

UNDERSTAND why the math works. Make the math work.

Notice whether your child REALLY knows why the answer is what it is

TALK about why the math works Provide time your child needs to learn key math

PROVE that they know why and how the math works

Be familiar with the math your child needs to know

Mathematics Shift 5:Application of Concepts: Real World

Students Must… Parents Can…

Apply math in real world situations

Ask your children to do the math that comes up in their daily life

Know which math to use for which situation

Mathematics Shift 6:Dual Intensity: Practice & Understand/Think Fast &

Solve

Students Must… Parents Can…

Be able to use core math facts FAST

Notice which skills your child is smart in and where they need to get smarter

Make sure your child is PRACTICING math facts he/she struggles with

Be able to apply math in the real world

Make sure your child is thinking about math in real life

Mathematical Practice Standards

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

Reason abstractly and quantitativelyConstruct viable arguments & critique the

reasoning of othersModel with mathematicsUse appropriate tools strategicallyAttend to precisionLook for and make sense of structureLook for and express regularity in repeated

reasoning

PARCC Assessments

What is PARCC?What will it look like?How will it be different from NJASK?When will PARCC assessments be

administered?

PARCC Assessments

The Partnership for Assessments of College and Careers (PARCC) is a group of 19 states working together to develop a common set of computer-based K-12 assessments in English Language Arts/Literacy and Math linked to the new, more rigorous Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Why New Assessments Now?

Current state assessments were not designed to: Assess and signal whether students are on track for

success in college or careers Produce timely, actionable data for students, teachers

and parents Test key skills, such as critical thinking and ability to

problem solve

PARCC Priorities

Determine whether students are college and career ready or on track

Connect to the Common Core Standards

Measure the full range of student performance, including that of high and low achieving students

Provide educators data throughout the year to inform instruction

Create innovative 21st Century, technology-based assessments

Be affordable and sustainable

How Will PARCC Be Different

Students: Will know if they are on track to graduate ready for college/careers

Teachers: Will have earlier access to data to plan for learning and instruction for the following year

Parents: Will have clear and timely information about student progress

States: Will have valid results that are comparable across borders

How Will PARCC Be Different

For Teachers and Schools: Computer-based testing will boost student

engagement and scores More efficient than pencil-paper Timely data during the year will aid instruction,

professional development Tests will assess the full range of student performance Tests will measure student growth at all levels as well

as measuring proficiency

PARCC Assessments

Beginning in 2014-2015, PARCC Assessments will replace NJASK in grades 3-8. At the high school level, End of Course exams will be introduced for English 9, 10, 11 and Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2.

PARCC Assessments are comprised of two sections: Performance Based Assessment (PBA) End of Year Assessment (EQY)

Two Required AssessmentsYield Overall Score

29

Beginning of School Year End of School

Year

DiagnosticAssessment

Mid-Year Assessment

Performance-Based

Assessment

End-of-Year Assessment

Speaking and Listening

Assessment

Optional Required

Key:

Flexible administration

PARCC Assessments

Teachers, students, parents, and others can engage with the sample items using computer-based tools such as drag-and-drop, multiple select, text highlighting, and an equation builder. PARCC has also released online tutorials that demonstrate how students will navigate the test, how to use the computer-based tools, and features that make the test more accessible for all students, including those with disabilities and English learners.

http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#

In the Morris School District…

Are we prepared for PARCC? Full Implementation of CCSS for 2013-14 Focus on informational text (non-fiction), citing text,

and critical analysis in ELA Focus on fact fluency and problem solving in

Mathematics

In the Morris School District…

What about the technology needs that are required for computer-based testing? Technology specifications for computer-based testing

was sent to districts two-years ago. Recent upgrades to our network systems and the

additional purchasing of equipment has put MSD “ahead of the curve” in the area of PARCC preparedness.

Increased focus on technology skills such as typing, “click & drag”, and utilizing multiple windows has been a priority at each school.

Questions?

Resources and References

www.corestandards.orgwww.achievethecore.orgwww.PARCConline.orgwww.morrisschooldistrict.org