Common Core for the “Commoners” Presentation provided by: Dr. Mary Kay Bacallao, Board of Education Member, Fayette County Professor of Mathematics Education, Mercer University Website: Educational Freedom Coalition at

Eratosthenes er-uh-tos thuh-neez

Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics

The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic (Prime Factorization)

Scientific Measurement Concepts

Patterning

Probability and Statistics

RL 1-2

Popular Activities from the Past Heads or Tails? Coin Flip TrialsClass Coin Flipping Trials

Probability in elementary grades prepares the foundation for Statistics in 5 th grade and beyond National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Probability standards in Pre-K – 2 nd grade international content: Probability standards in Kindergarten Former Massachusetts Standards: Pre-K – 4 standards include concepts of chance CCSS- No probability in elementary grades.

What happens in 6 th Grade CCSS? Students are expected to begin statistics without any prior instruction in probability. Let’s look at the actual Common Core State Standards. The CCSS set up our students and teachers to fail in 6 th grade.

CCSS Statistics and Probability 6.SP Develop understanding of statistical variability. 1. Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the answers. For example, “How old am I?” is not a statistical question, but “ How old are the students in my school?” is a statistical question because one anticipates variability in students’ ages. 2. Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape. 3. Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number. Summarize and describe distributions. 4. Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots. 5. Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by: a. Reporting the number of observations. b. Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement. c. Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean ) and variability ( interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation ), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the data were gathered. d. Relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the shape of the data distribution and the context in which the data were gathered.

How can this be happening? Who decided our students are not ready for concepts of chance in elementary school? Who decided to surprise our 6 th graders with concepts they could have been prepared for in elementary school? This is just one example of the poor planning that went into the standards adopted sight unseen by Governors in 45 states.

Accurate Weights and Measures The CCRPI is not an accurate measure. According to the CCRPI, students with limited English proficiency, students who are economically disadvantaged and special education students are better prepared for college and careers than other students. Why? Those students generate more points than other students, even with the same test scores. That is the way the CCRPI bonus and challenge points work at the school level. And who out there thinks the CCRPI is a valid and reliable score? What was it intended to measure, college and career readiness? The name needs to be changed. Just because it intends to measure college and career readiness, does not make it so.

Common Core Educational Treadmill- Everyone goes the same speed.

Will taking your temperature more often bring down your fever? What makes us think that more tests increase student achievement?

Accurate Measures Testing, not assessment What kind of tests do we need? Formative placement tests so we know where to start. End of the year tests so we can see how much we have learned.

Tests to determine… End of School Year Reading Level End of School Year Math Level End of School Year Writing/Grammar Level Truth in Testing… equal opportunity not equal educational results.

Cyrus McCormick The Wright Brothers

Powerpoint from Achieve, Inc. describing the CC math pathways

CC Contradictions GPPF Report cites Achieve and the Fordham Foundation Language Arts- 81% Correlation, 50% change Math- 90% correlation, 1-2 year change Mobility: Integrated vs. Traditional CC Math

Broad CFR sponsored task force Achieve US DOE CCSSO Pearson Sir Michael Barber CEO McKinsey & Co. College Board ACT In-Bloom Wireless Generation Parent Trigger Americas Promise Alliance NCEE NGA Gates PARCC Walton FEE J. Bush FEE J. Bush Student Achieve- ment Partners Student Achieve- ment Partners Americas Choice Common Core US Dept of Defense Connections Academy Colin Powell Lou Gerstner Big Data FUSE TFA Lumina State Farm Walton Boeing GE Nationwide David Coleman Former Consultant President Lou Gerstner Bob Wise FORMER DIRECTOR CO-SPONSORED CCSS INITIATIVE EDUCATIONAL REFORM & NATL. SECURITY REPORT Condi Rice Lou Gerstner Co-Founder Partner to Manage PARCCSC SBAC After 2014 Lumina Joanne Weiss Joanne Weiss Director RTTT Chester Finn Broad McKinsey Advisors for 2009 DOE Blue Print Broad McKinsey Advisors for 2009 DOE Blue Print Alma Powell Chair Pearson Walmart Lumina Boeing LockHeed Ford Funders Rupert Murdoc h & Joel Klein Rupert Murdoc h & Joel Klein Spelling Gene Wilhoit (CCSSO) Spelling Gene Wilhoit (CCSSO) Fordham Funds Sponsored ALEC Bill State Farm Acquired For Profit Spin Off From NCEE Sir Michael Barber Former Consultant Creator Chair Board State Farm Supports Natl Curriculum CCSS BOD Co-Chair Petersmyer Co-Chair McKinsey Consultant Helped Develop Supports FUSE A Board Member Employed by Gates Florida ? Contract to Manage Data After 2015 Marc Tucker Chris Minnich Director Former Employee CCSSO Klein Co-Sponsored The CFR Paper Supports CCSS Managed Data Collection for PARCC Facilitated by CCSSO (Corporate Partner) Developed Standards American Enterprise Inst. Rick Hess signs report American Enterprise Inst. Rick Hess signs report Revenaugh was co-chair of ALEC Education Committee Slide from Karen Bracken