Common Core State Standards &

PARCC

Conception, Shifts, and Criticisms

Chris MartelliPrincipal

May Whitney Elementary School1.23.13

Background Key shifts for ELA &

Mathematics PARCC Assessment Criticisms

Overview

Developed by an organizations called Achieve and the

National Governors Association 46 states, three U.S. territories, and the District of

Columbia have voluntarily agreed to use the CCSS The CCSS are broken into two areas:

English Language Arts and Literacy Standards Mathematics Standards

CCSS are built on the best of the state standards and learning expectations the preceded them

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) is aligned directly to the CCSS

Background

Building Knowledge Through

Content-Rich Nonfiction Reading and Writing Grounded

in Evidence Regular Practice with Complex

Texts and Academic Language

3 Key Shifts for ELA and Literacy Standards

Implementation

Reading content-rich nonfiction in history,

social studies, science and the arts Students need to be grounded in

information about the world around them to develop general knowledge and vocabulary

Students will need to read rich literature as well as content-rich nonfiction in elementary schools

Building Knowledge Through Content-Rich

Nonfiction

Emphasize using evidence from texts to

present careful analysis, well-defended claims, and clear information

Quality text-based questions, unlike low-level “search and find” questions, require close reading and deep understanding of the text

Narrative writing throughout the grades Evidence-based writing and speaking to

inform and persuade is a significant shift

Reading and Writing Grounded in Evidence

The ability to comprehend

complex texts is the most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-ready readers

This shift toward complex text requires practice, supported through deliberate close reading

Regular Practice with Complex Texts and Academic

Language

The Trends in International Math and

Science Study (TIMSS) have concluded that math education in the U.S. is “a mile wide and inch deep”

States that had prior standards most similar to the CCSS show significantly better results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Mathematic Standards

Greater Focus on Fewer Topics Linking Topics and Thinking

Across Grades Rigorous Pursuit of Conceptual

Understanding, Procedural Skill, and Application

3 Key Shifts in Mathematic Standards

Educators must significantly narrow the

scope of content in each grade and deepen the time and energy spent on the following major topics: K-2, concepts, skills, and problem

solving related to addition and subtraction

3-5, concepts, skills, and problem solving related to multiplication and division of whole numbers and fractions

Greater Focus on Fewer Topics

For example, in 4th grade, students

must “apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a whole number” (Standard 4.NF.4)

This extends to 5th grade, when students are expected to build on that skill to “apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction or whole number by a fraction” (Standard 5.ND.4)

Linking Topics and Thinking Across Grades

Rigorous mathematics refers to a

deep, authentic command of mathematical concepts – it’s not simply making math harder

Three aspects of rigor: Conceptual understanding Procedural skill and fluency Application

Rigorous Pursuit of Conceptual Understanding, Procedural Skill, and

Application

It is not sufficient for students to know

they can find equivalent fractions by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the same number. Students need to know why this procedure works and what the different equivalent forms mean.

Conceptual understanding helps students build on prior knowledge and create new knowledge

Conceptual Understanding

The standards require speed

and accuracy in calculation Should not simply be

memorizing without understanding

Fluency must be addressed in the classroom and in our materials

Procedural Skill and Fluency

This is the “why” we learn

math. We learn it so we can use it in situations that require mathematical thinking

Application

Alliance of 24 states to

develop a common set of K-12 assessments aligned to the CCSS

Administered twice a year

PARCC

Developed by an organization called Achieve

and the National Governors Association – written primarily by David Coleman

Organizations were funded by the Gates Foundation

State adoptions was influenced by the federal Race to the Top program, a new competitive grant program that provided $4.35 billion to states that agreed to adopt the CCSS

CCSS were adopted in 46 states and the District of Columbia without any field test

Criticisms