Common Core State Standards:Their Promise and Potential

CSG Regional Meeting – Atlanta, GANovember 15, 2011

Lucille E. Davy, Senior Advisor

Background and History

• Standards movement - almost 20 years ago• No Child Left Behind - states required to adopt

standards and administer assessments• Standards are statements of the skills young

people are expected to learn• Changes in 21st century workforce• Governors focused on economic development

Source: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2010

Voluntary, state led effort• Conversations among governors and state

education chiefs began in 2005• NGA and CCSSO took the lead with states• Open, collaborative effort – K-12, higher

education, business, research, experts• Multiple drafts and input• Validation committee

Common Core State Standards Development Process

Why should states work together?

• High college remediation rates• Economies of scale and efficiencies• Student mobility• High expectations for all students

English Language Arts Highlights• Text complexity• Balance between literature and

informational/non-fiction texts• Literacy skills developed in other subjects• Writing to inform/persuade• Speaking and listening• Media and technology integrated

Mathematics Highlights

• Focus and coherence• Balance between computational fluency and

conceptual understanding• Careful progressions• Emphasis on problem solving and applications• Skills “floor” – not the ceiling

Implementation Alignment

• Curriculum • Assessments• Accountability• Teacher pre-service preparation• Teacher professional development• Instructional materials (including open source)

Critical Partners• State legislators and policymakers• State agencies• K-12 educators• Higher education• Business community• Parents and local school boards• Advocacy organizations

Resources• www.hunt-institute.org• www.corestandards.org/the-standards• www.ccsso.org• www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER• www.parcconline.org• http://www.youtube.com/user/TheHuntInsti

tute#g/u