The Common Core State Standards

1. The Common Core State Standards August 2010

2. Common Core Development • Initially 48 states and three territories signed on • Final Standards released June 2, 2010, and can be downloaded at www.corestandards.org • As of August 10, 2010, 32 states had officially adopted • Adoption required for Race to the Top funds

3. Common Core Development • Each state adopting the Common Core either directly or by fully aligning its state standards may do so in accordance with current state timelines for standards adoption, not to exceed three (3) years. • States that choose to align their standards with the Common Core Standards accept 100% of the corein English language arts and mathematics. States may add additional standards.

4. Benefits for States and Districts • Allows collaborative professional development to be based on best practices • Allows the development of common assessments and other tools • Enables comparison of policies and achievement across states and districts • Creates potential for collaborative groups to get more mileage from: • Curriculum development, assessment, and professional development

5. Characteristics • Fewer and more rigorous. The goal was increased clarity. • Aligned with college and career expectations – prepare all students for success on graduating from high school. • Internationally benchmarked, so that all students are prepared for succeeding in our global economy and society. • Includes rigorous content and application of higher-order skills. • Builds on strengths and lessons of current state standards. • Research based.

6. Intent of the Common Core • The same goals for all students • Coherence • Focus • Clarity and specificity

7. Coherence • Articulated progressions of topics and performances that are developmental and connected to other progressions • Conceptual understanding and procedural skills stressed equally NCTM states coherence also means that instruction, assessment, and curriculum are aligned.

8. Focus • Key ideas, understandings, and skills are identified • Deep learning of concepts is stressed • That is, adequate time is devoted to a topic and learning it well. This counters the “mile wide, inch deep” criticism leveled at most current U.S. standards.

9. Clarity and Specificity • Skills and concepts are clearly defined. • An ability to apply concepts and skills to new situations is expected.

10. CCSS Mathematical Practices The Common Core proposes a set of Mathematical Practices that all teachers should develop in their students. These practices are similar to the mathematical processes that NCTM addresses in the Process Standards in Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.

11. CCSS Mathematical Practices • Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. • Reason abstractly and quantitatively. • Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. • Model with mathematics. • Use appropriate tools strategically. • Attend to precision. • Look for and make use of structure. • Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

12. Common Core Format K-8 Grade Domain Cluster Standards (No pre-K Common Core Standards) High School Conceptual Category Domain Cluster Standards

13. Grade Level Overview

14. Cross- Cutting Themes Grade Level Overview Critical Area

15. Grade Level Format of K-8 Standards Domain

16. Standard Format of K-8 Standards Cluster Standard Cluster

17. Domain Format of High School Standards Standard Cluster

18. Common Core - Domain • Overarching “big ideas” that connect topics across the grades • Descriptions of the mathematical content to be learned, elaborated through clusters and standards

19. Common Core - Standards • Content statements • Progressions of increasing complexity from grade to grade

20. Common Core - Clusters • May appear in multiple grade levels with increasing developmental standards as the grade levels progress • Indicate WHAT students should know and be able to do at each grade level • Reflect both mathematical understandings and skills, which are equally important

21. High School Conceptual Categories • The big ideas that connect mathematics across high school • A progression of increasing complexity • Description of the mathematical content to be learned, elaborated through domains, clusters, and standards

22. High School Pathways • The CCSS Model Pathways are NOT required. The two sequences are examples, not mandates • Two models that organize the CCSS into coherent, rigorous courses • Four years of mathematics: • One course in each of the first two years • Followed by two options for year 3 and a variety of relevant courses for year 4 • Course descriptions • Define what is covered in a course • Are not prescriptions for the curriculum or pedagogy

23. High School Pathways • Pathway A: Consists of two algebra courses and a geometry course, with some data, probability, and statistics infused throughout each (traditional) • Pathway B: Typically seen internationally, consisting of a sequence of 3 courses, each of which treats aspects of algebra; geometry; and data, probability, and statistics.

24. Additional Information • For grades preK-8, a model of implementation can be found in NCTM’s Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics • For the secondary level, please see NCTM’s Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making www.nctm.org/cfp www.nctm.org/FHSM

25. Acknowledgments • Thanks to the Ohio Department of Education and Eric Milou of Rowan University for providing content and assistance for this presentation