2. COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Communication Resources Hawaii Common Core Smarter Balanced Smarter Balanced & Other Statewide Assessments Training: January 2015 Presented by Donalyn Dela Cruz

3. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Information for educators/parents Smarter Balanced messages must connect to the Hawaii Common Core for context. Provide examples of testing changes. Share what teachers are doing to prepare. Be direct – no sugarcoating, put results into context. Seize opportunities to talk about Hawaii Common Core and Smarter Balanced.

4. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Talking about the Hawaii Common Core Hawaii Common Core standards are aligned with higher expectations of the rapidly changing global economy. Students deserve standards that better prepare them for success in colleges or careers.

5. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Talking about the Hawaii Common Core Previous standards – or academic expectations – in Hawaii and across the nation did not adequately prepare students. Hawaii partnered with more than 20 states to create new tests – Smarter Balanced – aligned with the new standards.

6. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Smarter Balanced Assessments are more engaging than previous tests. They challenge students to solve relevant, real- life problems and measure critical thinking skills deemed essential by colleges and employers. Provide teachers, students and parents better information about how children are performing. Talking about Smarter Balanced

7. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Standards are not curriculum and they do not prescribe how to teach. Common Core was a state-led initiative, and not federally driven or imposed. We call it Hawaii Common Core. Hawaii educators helped shape the standards and assessments. Smarter Balanced assessments replace – not add to – the old Hawaii State Assessment. Addressing misconceptions

8. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Estimated that 41% of 11 th graders will be college and career ready in ELA, and only 33% in math. Percentages are similar for Elementary/Middle. Expectations are higher. DOE parent letters (Aug & Jan) sent home explaining reason for upcoming “drop” and that results will set a new baseline. Students will improve over time. Addressing “The Drop”

9. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Person who has the earliest birthday in the calendar year picks a who will respond to a situation. Listen as the speaker responds to situation; after speaker is done, provide feedback: Positive - “I liked it when you said …” Constructive – “When you said ____, your audience might think …” Communications Practice

10. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO You’re in a waiting room at the doctor’s office. A couple strikes up a conversation with you. They want to know: “What is this Common Core stuff all about?” What would you say? Scenario 1

11. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO You’re at a family gathering. A relative tells you how frustrated their family is with the math homework Johnny brings home. “This Common Core homework is ridiculous. Johnny is supposed to draw all these pictures for his math and it’s obvious that he could do it faster if he did it like WE learned math.” What would you say? Scenario 2

12. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Three key levels of communication: Internal (staff intranet, memos, mass emails) School/complex level (parent nights, newsletters, emails) Public at large/Mass media (newspaper, radio, TV, DOE website) Communicating the changes

13. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Communicating the changes: Internal audience

14. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Communicating the changes: School/Complex audience

15. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Communicating the changes: School/Complex audience

16. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Communicating the changes: Public at large/media

17. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Communicating the changes: Public at large/media

18. Resources available online!

19. COMMUNICATIONS and COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OFFICE HawaiiPublicSchools.org CCAO Informational videos, brochures, fact sheets, myth busters, parent guides and more: HawaiiPublicSchools.org bit.ly/CommonCoreHI bit.ly/SBACHI Staff Intranet Six Strategies > Common Core Resources available online!