Standards Review Recommendations

1. Standards Review Recommendations January 11, 2016

2. Proposal Outline • Background • 2. Community Involvement • Committee Work • High Level Revisions • Proposed Revision to Naming • Timelines

3. In May, Governor Christie called on the New Jersey Department of Education to review New Jersey’s Core Curriculum Content Standards in English language arts and mathematics to develop higher standards that reflect the educational needs and goals of our communities.

4. New Jersey Standards The New Jersey Department of Education proposes a standards review process led by professional New Jersey educators that results in the best New Jersey standards for students. New Jersey has a strong history of standards and our review process will build upon the rigor and academic success of our standards in the past. The following principles will guide this local review: Consistency: The standards review will be consistent with the regulatory process of the State Board. Focus on the standards: The review process will focus on the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. Improve what exists today rather than start from scratch: The review process will improve the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in English language arts and mathematics based on NJ expert review and revisions. Public input: The review process will include opportunities for public comment on each standard.

5. Standards Review • Academic Standards define what a student should know and be able to do at a specified grade; standards are not curriculum, textbooks, or lesson plans. • New Jersey has a rich history of academic standards • Over the last 6 months, NJDOE has engaged New Jersey educators in a substantial review of the English language arts and mathematics standards.

6. Proposal Outline • Background • 2. Community Involvement • Committee Work • High Level Revisions • Proposed Revision to Naming • Timelines

7. Community Involvement • Standards Survey • Online survey was available for all stakeholders to comment standard by standard, grade by grade, and content area by content area • Listening Tours – 3 regional • These tours allowed for an open forum for community members, including parents and members of the business community, to address their concerns about specific standards to inform the work of the committees. • Community Focus Groups – 3 regional • These focus groups, made up of parents, business community members, and higher education leaders, met prior to each regional Listening Tour.

8. Community Involvement (cont.) • Additional window for written testimony • Due to Back to School Nights, illness, family obligations we had numerous requests for an opportunity to submit written testimony from those who were unable to attend the listening tour dates. • We honored these requests with an additional 2 week window for additional submissions of written testimony.

9. Proposal Outline • Background • 2. Community Involvement • Committee Work • High Level Revisions • Proposed Revision to Naming • Timelines

10. Standards Committee Standards Review Committee 26 members Guide process and updates Make final recommendation to NJSB • K-2 Content Subcommittee Subcommittees K-2: 22 members 3-12 (ELA & Math): 28 members each 3-12 ELA Content Subcommittee 3-12 Math Content Subcommittee

11. Review Process – Phase 1

12. Review Process – Phase 2

13. Committee Meetings • Standards Review Committee (SRC) – 4 meetings • September, October, November, December • Sub-Committees – 6 meetings • September (2), October (2), November, December * Not including work done individually and in small groups.

14. Proposal Outline • Background • 2. Community Involvement • Committee Work • High Level Revisions • Proposed Revision to Naming • Timelines

15. Setting the Stage • Committee members reviewed the standards looking for clarity, coherence, and focus. • Major themes that arose were as follows: • Focus on multiple approaches to learning to read • Clarification of standards through examples • Coherence across grade levels

16. Major Revisions K – 12 English language arts • Move Standard RF.2.3.d from grade 2 to grade 1 • RF.2.3.d: Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.

17. Major Revisions K – 12 English language arts • Addition of “self reflection” in K-2 Writing Standards. • W.K.5: With guidance and support from adults, strengthen writing through response and self reflection utilizing questions and suggestions from peers. • W.1.5: With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and self reflection, and add details to strengthen writing and ideas as needed. • W.2.5: With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed through self reflection, revising and editing.

18. Major Revisions K-12 English language arts • A major revision to the standards is also reflected in ELA Anchor Standard 1, with the addition of the phrase “and relevant connections.” • CCRA.R1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences and relevant connections from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

19. Major Revisions K-12 English language arts • The SRC agreed to incorporate language from the American Association of School Librarians into Grade 3-12 ELA standards. • An example of this is the addition of the phrase “and reflect on” to the College and Career Ready (CCR) Anchor 9 across all grade levels. • The revision was also incorporated into Reading Literature standards 1 and 9 through the phrase “and reflect on (e.g., practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) central message/theme, lesson and/or moral.”

20. Major Revisions K-12 English language arts • All grade levels added “with scaffolding as needed” to the CCR Anchor Standard 10 to encourage districts to consider reader and task, qualitative and quantitative measures in text selection for classroom instruction. • CCRA.R10: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational text independently and proficiently with scaffolding as needed.

21. Major Revisions K-12 English language arts • There was a re-assignment of standards. Reading LiteratureStandards 4.9 and 5.9 were switched.

22. Major Revisions K-12 English language arts • Reading Literature Standard 1, grades 9-10, was revised to include the statement “including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.”

23. Major Revisions K-12 English language arts • College and Career Ready Anchor Writing Standard 7 was revised as recommended across grade levels. Influenced by the recommendations of the Association of School Librarians, the sub-committee added “an inquiry-based research process.” • CCRA.W7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects, utilizing an inquiry-based research process, based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

24. Major Revisions K-2 mathematics • The sub-committee members made appropriate changes to the standards. Revisions to the K-2 mathematics standards focused mostly on examples and word choices. The revisions serve to clarify standards and to provide examples more in line with developmentally appropriate instruction.

25. Major Revisions 3-12 mathematics • The sub-committee members made appropriate changes to the standards. Revisions to the mathematics standards focused mostly on specific formulae, examples, and word choices. The revisions serve to clarify standards and to provide examples more in line with classroom instruction.

26. Proposal Outline • Background • 2. Community Involvement • Committee Work • High Level Revisions • Proposed Revision to Naming • Timelines

27. Current Standard Structure • New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards • CCSS, NGSS, Social Studies/History, Visual/Performing Arts, Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, World Languages, 21stCentury Life and Careers, and Technology • Curriculum vs. Standards Confusion

28. Proposed Renaming • New Jersey Student Learning Standards • English language arts • Mathematics • Science • Social Studies/History • Visual/Performing Arts • Comprehensive Health and Physical Education • World Languages • 21st Century Life and Careers • Technology

29. Proposal Outline • Background • 2. Community Involvement • Committee Work • High Level Revisions • Proposed Revision to Naming • Timelines

30. Implementation Timeline • Anticipated Adoption May 2016 • District Curriculum Realignment – Fall 2017 • NJDOE will provide guidance documents, materials, resources, and training

31. Assessment Timeline • The revised standards adoption will not impact PARCC for Spring 2016 and the 2016-2017 school year. • Once the revised standards are adopted, we will be doing a routine assessment audit to ensure alignment. • These standards revisions are unlikely to significantly impact PARCC moving forward.

32. Approval Process • January 11, 2016: First Discussion Level Resolution • February-March 2016: 3 Public Hearings • North, Central, and South • April 2016: Second Discussion Level • May 2016: Anticipated Adoption Level Resolution