2.  At each faculty meeting we will be spending 15-20 minutes to go over RttT initiatives  The focus for 2013-14 will be on learning about the Common Core Curriculum in ELA and mathematics

3.  You may wonder why?  How does this impact me?

4.  The same presentation will be shared with each building, so there will be a common understanding across the district  All teachers are responsible for the Reading and Writing standards, so understanding what is taught in the ELA classrooms is important to all teachers  Many of our teachers are parents, so this is a way to become aware of the curriculum your child is being taught

5.  Parents and community members speak regularly to teachers, you have constant contact with families  Parents trust teachers  We want to equip all of you with as much knowledge as possible about what curriculum is taught at South Lewis in ELA and math, and why we chose it so you are all able to communicate this, no matter if you teach ELA, mathematics, or another subject matter

6.  On July 19, 2010 NY adopted the Common Core Learning Standards for ELA and Mathematics.  Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity have adopted the Common Core State Standards.

7.  The two organizations that spear-headed this idea to have national, consistent standards across our country were the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers  There were work groups for ELA and mathematics, feedback groups, and then validation committees  The “main” Common Core writers are David Coleman and Susan Pimentel for ELA and Jason Zimba, Phil Daro and William McCallum for mathematics

8.  In addition to the standards, the Common Core writers also released “Publisher’s Criteria”  These are documents that give a lot of clarity and supplemental information on what changes in instruction need to take place with the implementation of the new standards, and are intended to be used by those creating curriculum to ensure they truly are making the “shift” to increased rigor, increased learning that is intended by this Educational Reform

9.  The Tri-State Collaborative (composed of educational leaders from Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island and facilitated by Achieve) has developed criterion-based rubrics and review processes to evaluate the quality of lessons and units intended to address the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and ELA/Literacy.  Achieve is the Project Manager for the PARCC assessments.

10.  2012-13 all K-8 students were to be provided instruction that aligns to the Common Core Learning Standards in ELA and mathematics, along with the “shifts” in instruction  In 2013-14 all students entering 9 th grade will be provided classes that are aligned to the Common Core, along with the “shifts” in instruction (ELA and mathematics)  Our 2017 graduates will be the first group to graduate that will be required to receive CC ELA and mathematics instruction and take the CC Regents exams

11.  New York State decided that they were going to spend a large amount of their RttT grant money on developing a high-quality curriculum to go along with the standards that districts across the state could choose to use.  The Education Dept. felt that they would take the lead on reviewing, creating, writing this entire curriculum so that each district didn’t have to take on this task, unless they wanted to.

12.  In March 2012, NYSED issued a 140 page RFP explaining what they wanted for a curriculum in mathematics and ELA  The RFP explains that this curriculum must follow the “Publisher’s Criteria” and the Tri- State Rubric to ensure the standards are covered as the CC writers wanted  Take a moment to read over the hand-out with a quote from the High School Math Publisher’s Criteria and the definitions from the RFP of what “modules” are

13.  The companies that were awarded the contracts to write this curriculum are: › K-2 ELA “Core Knowledge”  Domains, Skill Work › 3-8 ELA “Expeditionary Learning” modules › 9-12 ELA “Public Consultant Group” modules › UPK – Pre-Calc (math) “Common Core Inc”  modules

14.  The companies submit the curriculum to NYS when they feel it is complete.  NY then has “reviewers” who ensure it matches the standards, rigor, and shifts in instruction intended. David Coleman and Jason Zimba, lead writers for the Common Core have been involved in this review.  If the “reviewers” have concerns, questions, the modules get kicked back to the writers for revision, and this is often why the materials have been late in being posted on EngageNY.

15.  The original RFP asked that all tasks and assessments match the PARCC Frameworks.  PARCC was originally to be the assessment system NY would use in 2014-15 (next school year).  At this time, PARCC has been post-poned until 2015-16.  In the meantime NY writes it’s own assessments, which are based on the Common Core Standards.

16.  Teaching is the Core Teaching is the Core