An Introduction to Ohio’s Learning Standards August 3, 2015

“If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves.” –A Nation at Risk, 1983 Ohio moved toward statewide testing in the late 1980s, early 1990s: Fourth-grade proficiency test and eighth-grade proficiency test. Initial school report cards were issued in the 1990s. Ohio: Standards & Accountability 2

Ohio’s Learning Standards (2010) after input from Ohio teachers and education stakeholders, the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core standards in mathematics and English Language Arts and Ohio-developed standards in science and social studies. Senate Bill 1 (2001) first required Ohio to develop and adopt academic content standards, along with tests aligned to them. House Bill 1 (2009) required Ohio to update and revise our academic content standards across all subjects. 3

Ohio’s Learning Standards… Standards spell out expectations of what students should know and be able to do across grades and subjects. 4

Example: Ohio’s Learning Standards Math: Know number names and the count sequence (Kindergarten) 1.Count to 100 by ones and by tens. 2.Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1). Math: Write and interpret numerical expressions (Fourth Grade) 1.Use parentheses, brackets, or braces in numerical expressions, and evaluate expressions with these symbols. 2.Write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them. For example, express the calculation “add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2” as 2 × (8 + 7). Recognize that 3 × ( ) is three times as large as , without having to calculate the indicated sum or product. –Ohio Department of Education 5

Example: Ohio’s Learning Standards Reading: Key Ideas and Details (Fourth Grade) 1.Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 2.Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. 3.Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. –Ohio Department of Education 6

Example: Ohio’s Learning Standards Reading: Craft and Structure (Eighth Grade) 1.Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. 2.Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. 3.Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. – Ohio Department of Education 7

Common Core State Standards Initiative Grew out of discussions among the nation’s governors in 2006 and 2007 about the need for rigorous, comparable expectations for all students in key subjects like reading and math. The definition of “proficiency” varied widely from state to state. The standards were developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association. Forty-four states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of Defense Schools have voluntarily adopted the standards. 8

Ohio’s Implementation Districts have been: Training teachers about the standards Developing local curriculum aligned to the standards Informing and engaging parents about the changes The standards were fully implemented statewide in the fall

Why Common Core? Only 32% of Ohio graduates (class of 2014) who took the ACT met all of the college‐ready benchmarks, indicating that many of our students will likely struggle in entry‐level college courses. 10

Why Common Core? More than one in five high school graduates do not meet the minimum academic standard required for Army enlistment, as measured by the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT). – Education Trust 11

Why Common Core? Internationally benchmarked: The Common Core standards compare favorably to those of higher performing countries. Allows for comparability across states: Ensures that Ohio is competitive with the rest of the country. 12

Why Common Core? It makes sense. In spring 2013, nearly one-quarter of Ohio school districts reported that their curricula were fully aligned to the Common Core; the remainder indicated that the work was well underway. –Thomas B. Fordham Institute The American Federation of Teachers reports that 75 percent of its members support the Common Core. 13

What You Can Do to Help? Send letters to state representatives supporting Ohio’s Learning Standards, including the Common Core standards. Support implementation at the local level, including these teacher supports:  Ohio’s Learning Standards  Third Grade Reading Guarantee  Ohio Teacher and Principal Evaluation Systems  New assessments and technology requirements  A–F report cards  Straight A Fund Communicate to parents and public. Build awareness, understanding, and support for the standards and how they are improving success…for all Ohioans. 14

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