TRANSITIONING TO THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS

1. TRANSITIONING TO THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS South Middleton School District Education Committee April 10, 2012

2. WHAT ARE COMMON CORE STANDARDS? • The standards for K-12 were developed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers and introduced as a requirement to seek federal education monies. • They are based on the idea that all elementary and secondary students should learn certain skills and information no matter where they live. • The standards are informed by the highest, most effective models from states across the country and countries around the world, and provide teachers and parents with a common understanding of what students are expected to learn. Consistent standards will provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live.

3. WHAT ARE COMMON CORE STANDARDS? • Common Core Standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards: • Are aligned with college and work expectations; • Are clear, understandable and consistent; • Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills; • Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards; • Are informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and • Are evidence-based.

4. WHAT DO THE CORE STANDARDS COVER? • MATH - The math standards are divided by grade level from kindergarten through eighth grade. For high school, the standards cover six areas: number and quantity, algebra, functions, modeling, geometry and statistics and probability. • ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - The English language arts standards are divided by grade level and represent a “staircase” of increasing complex skills and content that includes reading -- literature, information text and foundational skills -- as well as speaking and listening, writing, and language. • HISTORY, SOCIAL STUDIES AND SCIENCE - At the high school level, the standards address reading history and social studies as well as science and technical material. However, they don't address particular content students should master in those areas.

5. WHAT STATES HAVE ADOPTED THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS?

6. Where is PA in the Process of Transitioning to Common Core Standards? • July 2010 - Pennsylvania adopts the Common Core Standards. • January 2012 –Release PA Academic Standards in reading and math to create a set of PA Common Core Standards. • March 2012 – PDE releases eligible content for curriculum and assessment development.April 2012 – Begin development of Common Core aligned PSSA reading and math tests. • January 2013 – Students in grades 9-12 begin taking Keystones. Keystones will count toward AYP, but not graduation. • April 2013 - Grades 3-5 still being assessed on current PA Standards. • September 2013 – Freshman Class of 2017 required to pass Keystones for graduation. • Spring 2014 – Implement Common Core aligned PSSA tests, grades 3-5 • April 2014 - Grades 6-8 still being assessed on current PA Standards. • April 2015 – Implement Common Core aligned PSSA tests, grades 6-8 • June 2017 - Graduating students required to have passed Keystones.

7. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE SOUTH MIDDLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT? • We must develop a transition plan which deals with: • the realignment of Math and English Language Arts curriculum. • the rewriting of Math and English Language Arts curriculum. • determination of needs for textbook and supporting materials necessary to support instruction while being mindful of available resources in SMSD. • transition to state assessment based on the Common Core Standards considering: • PDE’s less than perfect track record with the transition to Core Standards, PSSA’s and Keystones. • the need for our third through eighth grade students to be proficient on the new PSSAs. • the need for our high school students to be proficient on the Keystone exams from 2013-2106 • the need for our high school students, beginning with the class of 2017, to pass the new Keystone Exams as a graduation requirement.

8. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN March/April 2012 – Complete an analysis at each grade level of the current and new curricula in Math and English Arts TIME LINE/TASK With the eligible content recently being released, time is crucial. The Core Standards emphasize algebra skills for all students by the end of 8th grade. As a result, the essential components of every current math curriculum on average will need to be introduced one year earlier. The new English Language Arts Standards are more closely aligned with our current standards and curricula. We have been through the alignment and rewriting of curriculum before. Teachers understand the process and product. We are using release time for Math Coach/Remedial Teachers to meet. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/CHALLENGES • The Math Coach/Remedial Teachers who know the broad curricula, the core standards and the newly published eligible content are currently meeting to develop a matrix for change. The matrix must determine: • What skills/content must be added at each grade level. • What skills/content must be moved from each grade level to another. • What skills/content will be deleted from each grade level.

9. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN April /May/June 2012 – Complete a revision/rewrite of math curricula for grades Kindergarten through eighth. TIME LINE/TASK In order to prepare students in grades three through five to take the PSSA’s based on the Core Standards in the Spring of 2014, the realigned curriculum must be implemented with the start of the 2012/13 school year. In order to write a solid alignment of curriculum and in order to prepare students in grades six through eight to take the PSSA’s based on the Core Standards in the Spring of 2015 , the realigned curriculum must be written along with the others for implementation with the start of the 2013/14 school year. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • Using the matrix developed by the math coach/remedial teachers as a guide, math teacher(s) who understand the specifics of instruction at each grade level must verify the changes recommended in the matrix and revise or rewrite the math curricula for grades 3-8. Economic Impact - It must be determined whether to utilize release time or pay teachers for curriculum revisions and/or rewrites. The cost of revisions/rewrites would range from $2250.00 to $4050.00 depending on the number of revisions versus rewrites. If release time were utilized, the estimated cost would be $3420.00 to $5130.00. Paying for curriculum revisions/rewrites is less costly. Using release time is more efficient given the timeline.

10. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN By the end of 2012/13 – Complete a revision/rewrite of High School Algebra and Geometry Courses. TME LINE/TASK In order to prepare students entering high school in 2013/14 for the Keystone Exams, the algebra sequence of courses at the high school are going to need to be revised and possibly re-sequenced. Rewriting the Algebra courses may require revisions in other high school math courses. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • Using the matrix developed by the math coach as a guide, the new middle level math curricula the high school math teacher(s) who understand the specifics of instruction in each high school course must revise or rewrite the math curricula for grades 9-12. Economic Impact - It must be determined whether to utilize release time or pay teachers for curriculum revisions and/or rewrites. The cost of revisions/rewrites would range from $1900.00 to $3800.00 depending on the number of revisions versus rewrites. If release time were utilized, the estimated cost would be $1710.00 to $3420.00. Using a combination of the two could also be considered given the longer time line.

11. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN April – December 2012 – Complete a revision/rewrite of English and Reading curricula for grades Kindergarten through eighth. TIME LINE/TASK The Core Standards in Reading and English are more closely aligned with the current PA standards than the math standards. This allows a little buffer in their implementation. In order to prepare students in grades three through five to take the PSSA’s based on the Core Standards in the Spring of 2014, the realigned curriculum must be implemented with the start of the 2013/14 school year. In order to write a solid alignment of curriculum and in order to prepare students in grades six through eight to take the PSSA’s based on the Core Standards in the Spring of 2015 , the realigned curriculum must be written along with the others for implementation with the start of the 2014/15 school year. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • Using the matrix developed by the reading coach/remedial teachers, reading and English teachers who understand the specifics of instruction at each grade level must verify the changes recommended in the matrix and revise or rewrite the English and Reading curricula for grades 3-8. Economic Impact - It must be determined to whether utilize release time or pay teachers for curriculum revisions and/or rewrites. The cost of revisions/rewrites would range from $4500.00 to $8100.00 depending on the number of revisions versus rewrites. If released time were utilized, the estimated cost would be $6840.00 to $10,260.00. Using a combination of the two could also be considered given the longer time line.

12. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN By the end of 2012/13 – Complete a revision/rewrite of ninth and tenth grade English courses. TME LINE/TASK In order to prepare students entering high school in 2013/14 for the Keystone Exams, the English sequence of courses at the high school are going to need to be revised and possibly re-sequenced. Rewriting the ninth and tenth grade English courses may require revisions in other high school English courses. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • Using the matrix developed by the Reading Coach as a guide, the new middle level Reading and English curricula the high school English teacher(s) who understand the specifics of instruction in each high school course must revise or rewrite the math curricula for grades 9-10. Economic Impact - It must be determined whether to utilize release time or pay teachers for curriculum revisions and/or rewrites. The cost of revisions/rewrites would range from $750.00 to $1350.00 depending on the number of revisions versus rewrites. If release time were utilized, the estimated cost would be $1710.00 to $3420.00. Using a combination of the two could also be considered given the longer time line.

13. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN September 2012 – April 2013 – Determination of textbook and supporting materials necessary to support instruction. TIME LINE/TASK The eight year curriculum cycle will need to be re-sequenced in order to purchase new math texts for the 2013/14 school year. That would be seven years after the last purchase and one year ahead of schedule. Other large textbook purchases may need to be delayed in order to move a math series earlier in the cycle. Regardless of text book companies advertising that they have books aligned with the PA Common Core Standards, they did NOT have the eligible content available and therefore anything on the market is questionable for such a large investment. In the interim (2012/13), teachers are going to have to pull together resources to supplement their current texts. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • Utilizing the new math curricula teachers must determine the instructional materials necessary to support teaching and learning. Economic Impact: It will be difficult to defer the purchase of math texts and materials when they are scheduled to be purchased.

14. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN September 2013 – April 2014 – Determination of textbook and supporting materials necessary to support instruction. TIME LINE/TASK The eight year curriculum cycle may need to be re-sequenced in order to purchase new math texts for the 2014/15 school year. That would be six years after the last purchase and two years ahead of schedule. Other large textbook purchases may need to be delayed in order to move an elementary language arts series earlier in the cycle. Regardless of text book companies advertising that they have books aligned with the PA Common Core Standards, they did NOT have the eligible content available and therefore anything on the market is questionable for such a large investment. In grades K-5, the language arts series may need to be evaluated to determine its alignment with the new curricula. In grades 6-8, the curriculum requires an integrated use of textbooks, novels, poetry, nonfiction and research materials to apply basic skills. A language arts series is not series is nit required. This will help better spread and defer costs. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • Utilizing the new English and Reading curricula teachers must determine the instructional materials necessary to support teaching and learning. Economic Impact: It will be difficult to defer reinvestment in an elementary language arts series when they are scheduled to be purchased.

15. SMSD TRANSITION PLAN September 2012 – April 2015 – Transition to state assessment based on the Common Core Standards. TIME LINE/TASK Due to a major realignment of he math curricula, preparation for PSSA’s based on the Keystones must start in the school year prior to their implementation. At the end of that school year, students will still be assessed on skills based on the current standards. Due to a closer alignment between the current Reading/Writing Standards and the English Language Arts Core Standards, we do not anticipate that the transition to the new PSSA’s will be as difficult. RESOURCES/ADVANTAGES/ CHALLENGES • PDE’s current plan: • Spring 2014 – Implement Common Core aligned PSSA tests, grades 3-5 • April 2015 – Implement Common Core aligned PSSA tests, grades 6-8 • 2013/14 and 14/15 School Year – Keystone Exams for Graduation Academic Impact: If we wait a year to implement the new math curricula our students will do well on the final PSSA’s based on the current math standards. If we make the transition to math curricula based on the core standards a year in advance, our students will not likely do as well on their final PSSA’s based on the current math standards, but will do better on the PSSA’s based on the Core Standards.

16. Questions/Concerns?