Building Awareness in 2011-12Having clearly defined goals helps all of us work together to ensure student success. The District’s goal this year is to increase awareness throughout the District regarding the CCSS. In February and March, the KLCS television show “The Teacher’s Hour” provided an overview of the CCSS focusing on the development of the standards and what they mean for teaching and learning and the shifts in ELA. Dr. Jaime Aquino, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, and several school sites shared their experiences with the standards. Two more follow-up shows are scheduled, April 26th and May 31th. Each show can be viewed in segments or in its entirety at https://sites.google.com/site/teachershour/home.

The Office of Curriculum, Instruction and School Support has also developed banked time professional development (PD) materials for schools to use in increasing awareness about the CCSS. Schools are highly encouraged to incorporate these trainings into their professional development plans. The trainings include a narrated PowerPoint and a Facilitator’s Guide. Trainings can be downloaded from http://www.lausd.net/cdg/ccss/ccss-1.zip. These trainings will provide schools with an awareness of the Common Core State Standards in preparation for implementation in the fall.

Three-Year PlanThe District’s 3-year plan to transition to these shared sets of educational standards begin with the introduction of the major instructional shifts in English/Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Think of these shifts as how the District will change the way we teach students, and change the way students are learning for these subjects. These instructional shifts will help the District transition from how we conduct instruction currently to meet these new common standards. Through these instructional shifts, greater focus will be emphasized in ELA and mathematics to align more with the CCSS. As of now, current standards often reflect a “mile wide, inch deep” curriculum. With the new common standards, our curriculum will be focused more in-depth around concepts and skills to help students develop a deeper understanding.

BackgroundThe Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a state-led effort designed to improve educational outcomes for students. They develop a clear K-12 set of academic standards in English/Language arts (ELA) and mathematics. These standards are relevant to the real world and reflect the knowledge students need to be successful in college and the workforce.

The standards ensure that all students, no matter where they live, are college prepared and workforce ready, and that students are receiving a high quality education that is consistent from school to school and state to state.

The CCSS provide a clear roadmap for learning for teachers, parents, and students. This will help our students develop critical thinking skills that will prepare them for the real world and reflect the knowledge and skills young people need for success in college and careers.

Common Core State StandardsApril 2012

Greater instructional focus aligned with shifts:

English/Language Arts/Literacy1. Building knowledge through

content-rich nonfiction and informational texts

2. Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text

3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary

Mathematics1. Focus strongly on the emphasis

of the standards2. Coherence: Think across

grades, and link to major topics within grades

3. Rigor: Require fluency, application, and deep understanding

Common Core State StandardsApril 2012

With Kindergarten and 1st grade being the starting blocks and grades 6 and 9 being the transition years into middle school and high school, the District will begin full transitions to the CCSS with these grade levels in 2012-13. The implementation and PD for other grades will be phased in during the next two years in a similar way.

In 2012-13, in addition to full implementation at specific grades, there will also be a District wide instructional priority for the CCSS transition (outlined below).

All Schools- All GradesProvide overview for all schools on CCSS Implementation of the following two shifts and one math practice in all classrooms:

1. Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text (ELA and content)

2. Focus strongly on the emphasis of the standards

3. Math Practice 3-building a viable argument

All Schools – Some Grades Transition grades:

K, 1st, 6th, 9th grade to CCSSAssessments

No changes in CST Some piloting of formative

assessments in targeted grades

Professional Development Monthly PD covering

awareness and District CCSS priorities (all schools)

Targeted professional development for Kindergarten, 1st 6th and 9th

2012-13 School Year Big Picture

K,  1st,  6th,  and  9th  grade  teachersK,  1st,  6th,  and  9th  

Additional Resources:• LAUSD CCSS Site• ASCD Newsletter Article: Coming to Terms

with Common Core Standards• CA Dept. of Education CCSS Site• The Official CCSS Site• More information and tools regarding

instructional shifts• New York State Education Dept. CCSS site

Tell  Us  What  You  Think

Click  here  for  a  link  to  our  survey.

What  Does  CCSS  mean  for  you?

Families• Your  students  will  par8cipate  in  a  

more  rigorous  instruc8onal  program  that  will  be<er  prepare  them  for  success

• As  a  parent/guardian,  you  will  know  what  your  student  is  expected  to  learn  and  in  turn  help  support  student  learning

Students• Students will be better prepared

to go onto college and the workforce.

• Students will have a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn in ELA and Mathematics

Community• These  common  standards  will  help  

prepare  students  to  be  college  prepared  and  workforce  ready

• With  these  standards,  students  will  receive  a  high  quality  educa8on  regardless  of  what  school  they  go  to  or  what  state  they  live  in.

What  Schools  Can  Do  Now:

1. Use the LAUSD awareness PD modules by the end of the school year.

2. Build understanding of the three instructional shifts for English and math.

3. Begin planning for a greater use of of text-dependent questions

2012-2013 K, 1st, 6th, and 9th Grade Preparation and Implementation