Common Core State Standards A Primer for Parents 1

 The Common Core State Standards grew out of an effort to develop a set of educational standards that are consistent across the country.  The Common Core State Standards replace an individual state’s state standards for education which determine what is going to be taught and when it will be covered.  In Louisiana, they are replacing our GLE’s (Grade Level Expectations). 2 What are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) ?

 The standards provide a set of learning skills that all American students should achieve in order to be successful in a career or college.  The standards are more rigorous than state standards have been in the past.  The standards are written for ELA and Math and progress from kindergarten through high school. What are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) ? 3

 The Common Core State Standards were developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the NGA Center (National Governor’s Association) working with parents, teachers, school administrators, and educational experts.  They have been adopted by 46 states so far. What are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) ? 4

In ELA, there are 3 major shifts or changes in instruction. Common Core State Standards in ELA 5

1. More complex text will be used. Common Core State Standards in ELA 6

2. Evidence from the text will be used to support both reading and writing. 7 Common Core State Standards in ELA

3. There will be a much greater emphasis gaining knowledge from non-fiction text. 8 Common Core State Standards in ELA

There are 4 instructional shifts in Math. 9 Common Core State Standards in Math

1. The math curriculum is more focused so that fewer concepts, or topics, are covered at each level, but what is included is covered in much greater depth. 10 Common Core State Standards in Math

2. The order in which math topics are covered has been rearranged so that the overall progression of instruction is more coherent. 11 Common Core State Standards in Math

3. There is increased emphasis on understanding math. This includes being able to justify why an answer is correct and applying math to real-life problems. 12 Common Core State Standards in Math

4. Precision and fluency in math are also being stressed. 13 Common Core State Standards in Math

 1. We are in a transitional period. The Common Core State Standards are being phased in.  2. Kindergarten and first graders from have started the CCSS.  3. In other grades, the curriculum is shifting toward the CCSS more slowly so that there are no gaps in what students learn. 14 Where are we at with implementing the Common Core State Standards?

 New standardized tests, known as the PARCC tests, are being developed.  PARCC stands for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.  PARCC is a group of 23 states who are working together to design a set of common assessments for grades K-12 in English/Language Arts and Math How will we assess student mastery of the Common Core State Standards? 15

 The tests will be given in grades  This testing will be done online.  Current LEAP and iLEAP tests are shifting slowly toward PARCC tests.  PARCC testing will begin in the school year, and will replace current LEAP, iLEAP and ITBS testing. How will we assess student mastery of the Common Core State Standards? 16

 Science and Social Studies are not part of the Common Core Standards or PARCC testing.  At the state level, the curriculum in science and social studies is being made more rigorous.  The state will develop new, more rigorous tests for science and social studies and these will also be given for the first time in What about Science and Social Studies?

 Common Core State Standards –  Louisiana Department of Education  Louisiana PASS-  PARCC-  Parent resources- Sources 18