o Nearly all 50 states have adopted the Common Core State Standards and Essential Standards.

o State-led and developed Common Core Standards for K-12 in English Language Arts and Mathematics along with all other Essential Standard subjects

o The focus will be on learning expectations for students, not how students get there

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Common Core

State Standards

North Carolina Essential

Standards

English Language ArtsMathematics

Arts EducationCareer and Technical EducationEnglish as a Second LanguageExceptional ChildrenHealthful LivingInstructional TechnologyScienceSocial StudiesWorld Languages

North Carolina Standard Course of Study .

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North Carolina’s Mandates

“Essential”

“Narrow”

“Deep”

“Rigorous + Relevant”

“Readiness for College and

Career”

Common Core

“Essential”

“Fewer, Higher, Clearer”

“Focused”

“Relevant”

“Enduring”

“Measurable”

“Clear and Concise”

“Prioritized and Focused”

“Rigorous”

“Readiness for College and Career”

o EquityStudents expectations the same regardless of where they live

o College and Career ReadinessStudents need to be more than proficient

o Comparability State results will be comparable through common assessments

o Sharing of ResourcesThe ability to share instructional materials across state lines can improve practice

o Economies of ScalePossible savings due to sharing of resources and assessments

o Student MobilityStudents moving into and out of states will have the same standards

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o College and career readiness standards developed in summer 2009

o Based on the college and career readiness standards, K-12 learning progressions developed

o Multiple rounds of feedback from states, teachers, and feedback group and validation committee

o Groups representing English language learners and students with disabilities were instrumental in developing the ELL and students with disabilities statements in the introduction to the standards

NC Input

o Text complexityo Balance of literature and informational textso Direct link to college and work readinesso Literacy standards for science and social studies o Clear vertical progressions across grades

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ELA Standards Advances

o Focus in early grades on arithmetic and operations to build a solid foundation in math

o Consistent pacing across all grade levelso High school math will focus on using math and solving

complex problems, similar to what we would see in the real world

o Problem-solving and communication is emphasized

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Math Standards Advances

Plan to Support and Transition

Provide Professional Development so that educators can:

o Use valid, reliable assessments and data to diagnose need, inform instruction, and monitor progress

o Identify the prerequisite knowledge and skills that are key to mastery of a standard

o Connect and apply standards across subject areas

o Create plans – long-term, unit, and daily – that lead students to mastery of the standards

o Explain a standard in student-friendly language and make simple and compelling arguments to students as to why the standard matters

o Know and plan for common student mistakes or likely misunderstandings

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Professional Development

For All New Standards

Plan to Support and Transition

o Leveraging Shared StandardsConnecting educators to shared resources that will develop nationally around ELA and Math

o Building an Understanding of the Common CoreUnpacking the Common Core so educators know specifically what a student will know and be able to do

o Connecting the Common Core to the Revised Bloom’s TaxonomyInterpreting the Common Core through the lens of the taxonomy to provide uniformity in all content areas

o Common Core Format ImplicationsProviding support around understanding the way the Common Core is organized (which is different than the ES) and what that means for instruction and assessment

o Communication PlanCreate communication plan to build stakeholder belief in the value of the Common Core

Specific to the Common Core Standards in ELA and Math

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The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (“the Standards”) are the culmination of an extended, broad-based effort to fulfill the charge issued by the states to create the next generation of K–12 standards in order to help ensure that all students are college and career ready in literacy no later than the end of high school.

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The Common Core State Standards set requirements not only for English language arts (ELA) but also for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Just as students must learn to read, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, so too must the standards specify the literacy skills and understandings required for college and career readiness in multiple disciplines.

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New standardsDifferent assessments

New emphasis on▪ Integrated content▪ Increased rigor▪ Higher‐order thinking▪ College and career readiness▪ Depth over breadth

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Teachers will prepare students to:

Read like a detective. Write like an investigative reporter. Listen like a safe‐cracker. Speak like a teacher.

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For over a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have pointed to the conclusion that the mathematics curriculum in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country.

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To deliver on the promise of common standards, the standards address the problem of a curriculum that is “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

These standards are a substantial answer to that challenge.

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Six Shifts in ELA/Literacy

Balancing Informational and

Literary Text

Building Knowledge in the

Disciplines

Staircase of Complexity

Text-Based Answers

Writing From Sources

Academic Vocabulary

Six Shifts in Math

Focus

Coherence

Fluency

Deep Understanding

Applications

Dual Intensity

Is having common standards the first step toward nationalizing education? No. The Common Core State Standards are part of a state-

led effort to give all students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. The federal government was not involved in the development of the standards. Individual states choose whether or not to adopt these standards.

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Will the common core state standards keep local teachers from deciding what or how to teach? No. The Common Core State Standards are a clear set of shared

goals and expectations for what knowledge and skills will help our students succeed. Local teachers, principals, superintendents and others will decide how the standards are to be met. Teachers will continue to devise lesson plans and tailor instruction to the individual needs of the students in their classrooms.

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Will more standards mean more tests? No. For states that choose to adopt these common

standards, having one set of standards will make it easier for states to pool information and resources to develop a shared set of high-quality tests to better evaluate student progress. The goal is not to have more tests, but to have smarter and better tests that help students, parents, and teachers.

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We need parent and community support as we implement this new curriculum. We believe this is the best curriculum for the way our students of today learn.

Any questions?

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