Presented by: Jessica Vavrus , Asst. Superintendent, Teaching and Learning

1. Common Core State Standards and Assessment InitiativeInformational WebinarsSeptember and October 2010 Presented by: Jessica Vavrus, Asst. Superintendent, Teaching and Learning Joe Willhoft, Asst. Superintendent, Assessment and Student Information

2. The Common Core State Standards Initiative - Background • Beginning in the spring of 2009, Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia committed to developing a common core of state K-12 English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics standards. • States agreed to participate in the development process, provide input on drafts, and consider eventual adoption. • Signing MOA did not require commitment to adopt. • The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) with assistance from Project Achieve, ACT and the College Board (SAT). OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

3. Current and Future Focus for Common State Standards Current (led by CCSSO and NGA): • K-12 English Language Arts Common Core State Standards • K-12 Mathematics Common Core State Standards Future (currently led by various national associations): • Next Generation Science Standards(draft by Fall 2011) (Framework currently under development) • English Language Development Standards (within 1 year) • Social Studies (within 2 years) • Arts (development may begin in January 2011) OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

4. Why Common Core State Standards? • Preparation: The standards articulate college- and career-readiness. They will help ensure students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in post-secondary education and training. • Competition: The standards are internationally benchmarked. Common standards will help ensure our students are globally competitive. • Clarity: The standards are focused, coherent, and clear. Clearer standards help students (and parents and teachers) understand what is expected of them. OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010 Adapted from Understanding the Common Core, Achieve, June 2010

5. Why Common Core State Standards?, cont. • Equity: Expectations are consistent for all – and not dependent on a student’s state of residence. • States have time to consider what state-specific additions to the standards might look like • Collaboration: The standards create a foundation to work collaboratively across states and districts, pooling resources and expertise, to create curricular tools including textbooks, professional development, common assessments and other materials. • Opportunities for ALIGNED and CONNECTED SYSTEMS: • “Common standards” is a common thread among current and evolving national initiatives and opportunities • Standards – Instruction – Assessment OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

6. Common Core State Standards Design Building on the strength of current standards across many states, the CCSS are designed to be: • Focused, coherent, clear and rigorous • Internationally benchmarked • Anchored in college and career readiness* • Evidence and research based *Ready for first-year credit-bearing, postsecondary coursework in mathematics and English without the need for remediation. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

7. Intentional Design Limitations What the Standards do NOT define: • How teachers should teach • All that can or should be taught • The nature of advanced work beyond the core • The interventions needed for students well below grade level • The full range of support for English language learners and students with special needs • Everything needed to be college and career ready Citation: www.corestandards.org/ OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

8. National Process and Timeline K-12 Common Standards: • Core writing teams in English Language Arts and Mathematics (See www.corestandards.org for list of team members) drafted standards • External and state feedback teams provided on-going feedback to writing teams throughout the process • Draft K-12 standards were released for public comment on March 10, 2010; 9,600 comments received nationwide (~ 900 from WA) • Validation Committee of leading experts reviewed standards • Final standards were released June 2, 2010 As of September 8, 2010, 36 states have formally adopted the common core state standards. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

9. Current WA Standards (GLEs) – Grades K-10 Common Core ELA Standards – Grades K-12 Reading Writing Communication (includes Speaking and Listening) Media & Tech Language OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

10. Design and Organization • Three main sections • K−5 (cross-disciplinary) • 6−12 English Language Arts • 6−12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development) • Three appendices • Appendix A: Research and evidence; glossary of key terms, overview of each strand • Appendix B: Reading text exemplars; sample performance tasks • Appendix C: Annotated student writing samples OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

11. Key Advances Reading • Balance of literature and informational texts • Text complexity Writing • Emphasis on writing argumentative, informative/explanatory, and narrative texts • Emphasis on research Speaking and Listening • Inclusion of formal and informal talk Language • Value of general academic and domain-specific vocabulary • Emphasis on the conventions of English and the effective use of language OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

12. Common Core Standards for Mathematics • Grade-Level Standards • K-8 grade-by-grade standards organized by domain • 9-12 high school standards organized by conceptual categories (Number & Quantity, Algebra, Functions, Modeling, Geometry, Statistics & Probability) • Course progressions included in Appendices • Some standards go beyond “career and college readiness level” (e.g., STEM concepts, denoted by “+”) are a thread throughout but go beyond what all students will need to know and at high school may lead to a 4th year of math • Standards for Mathematical Practice • Describe mathematical “habits of mind” • Standards for mathematical proficiency: reasoning, problem solving, modeling, decision making, and engagement • Carry across grade levels and connect with content standards in each grade OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

13. Design and Organization Grade Level Overviews (Example) OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

14. Key Advances Focus and coherence • Focus on key topics at each grade level. • Coherent progressions across grade levels. Balance of concepts and skills • Content standards require both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency. Mathematical practices • Foster reasoning and sense-making in mathematics. College and career readiness • Level is ambitious but achievable. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

15. The Washington Context for Considering Adoption of CCSS • Involvement since November 2009 • Review and input on drafts of English language arts and mathematics standards • 2010 legislation (E2SSB 6696, Section 601) provides for: • “Provisional adoption” by the Superintendent by Aug. 2, 2010 • Detailed report due to Legislature in Jan. 2011 • To include: detailed comparison, timeline and costs, recommendations for possible additions • Formal adoption and implementation will begin following 2011 session unless otherwise directed by the Legislature OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

16. The Washington Context, cont. • Now is the time to begin revision of WA Reading and Writing standards (originally developed in 2005) • WA participation in SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium… OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

17. Background • US Department of Education has awarded grants to two multi-state consortia for the Race-to-the-Top Assessment Program • SMARTER Balanced (WA is one of 31 states involved) • PARCC • $160 million 4-year grant, starting October 1, 2010

18. The Purpose of the Consortium To develop a set of comprehensive and innovative assessments for grades 3-8 and high school in English language arts and mathematics aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The assessments shall be operational across Consortium states in the 2014-15 school year. Note: States must have formally adopted the Common Core State Standards by January 2012 in order to remain in the Consortium. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

19. The Goal of the Consortium To ensure that all students leave high school prepared for postsecondary success in college or a career through increased student learning and improved teaching. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

20. To find out more... ...the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium can be found online at www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

21. What does this mean for Washington’s existing Learning Standards? • Washington’s current Learning Standards in all subjects should continue to be implemented in classrooms. • Current state assessments will align with these standards through the 2013-14 school year. • If the Common Core State English language arts and mathematics standards are formally adopted in WA, • They would be phased in over 2 years to replace WA’s current reading, writing, and mathematics standards by the 2014-15 year. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

22. Draft Implementation Timeline Summer 2010 to the 2014-2015 School Year Phase 1Adopt, Align & Plan 1. Provisional adoption (E2SSB 6696) 2. Gather input on strategy for implementation Phase 2Communicate, Develop Process, Resources for Transition &Implementation Phase 3 Transition to Common Core Standards Phase 4Implementation 1. Spring 2014—pilot the assessment system 2. September 2014-June 2015—full implementation with state-wide assessment system. This is the time to consider and plan for transitioning, while continuing to implement our current standards. It is not the time to stop strong, standards-based instruction… OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

23. Comparison Overview • Two state-level comparisons • External Analysis – Hanover Research (final drafts completed) • Washington-led Comparison (work done in late August; currently being compiled) • Multiple purposes • Snapshot of “how well” WA standards match to the CCS • Snapshot of “how well” CCS match to WA standards • So that… • WA educators can have a clear understanding of CCS in relation to current standards • We can determine what areas may need augmentation in which grades for subsequent support OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

24. Hanover ELA Analysis

25. Hanover Mathematics Analysis - Another look…Of 558 unique PEs, 71 standards that were classified as “true” non-matches, 87.3% of Washington Performance Expectations can be matched to the Common Core. Only 12.7% of eligible WPEs could not be closely aligned to common core standards.

26. How to access the comparisons? • Both available online – early October at http://www.k12.wa.us/Corestandards/default.aspx OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

27. Washington’s Considerations for Adoption and Implementation

28. Adoption ≠ Implementation • State Superintendent has authority to adopt – • Following collaboration, input, and buy-in from key partners and stakeholder groups (State Board, Legislature, state curriculum advisors, content experts, etc.) • When considering adoption, States must adopt 100% of the CCSS, but may adopt additional standards (“up to” 15%) • States responsible for setting the criteria and assessing the additions • Once adopted, implementation would be phased in over several school years; assessment would follow in 2014-15 school year OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

29. We want your input! Please share with us your input on whether or not Washington should add to the standards by completing an online survey accessible through a link at: http://www.k12.wa.us/Corestandards/default.aspx Available for completion through October 30th. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

30. How can I learn more and/or provide input? • Join a statewide Webinar • September 28, 3:30 – 5:00pm • October 28, 3:30 – 5:00pm • Attend a public forum (all held from 6:00pm – 7:30pm) • October 13, Yakima, ESD 105 Office, Ahtanum Room • October 14, Spokane, ESD 101 Office, Classroom 1 • October 21, Vancouver, Evergreen School District • October 25, Westside, Shoreline Center, Mt. Rainier Room • Complete the online survey about whether or not WA should add to the Common Core Standards (Iink to survey available at www.k12.wa.us/corestandards/ late September) Note: OSPI will compile all input and include with recommendations in the report to the Legislature due in January 2011. OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

31. Resources • Washington State’s Core Standards Informational Web Site: www.k12.wa.us/corestandards/ Email:corestandards@k12.wa.us • CCSSO/NGA Common Core Standards Initiative Web Site: www.corestandards.org/ www.corestandards.org/Standards/index.htm • Achieve resources: http://www.achieve.org/achievingcommoncore_implementation OSPI Common Core Information Sessions Sept. & Oct. 2010

32. Thank you. Email: corestandards@k12.wa.us