Common Core ELA /Math Testing and How it relates
to Common Core
 The Common Core Standards have shifted which




has resulted in a shift in the types of assessment
questions
Students need to try their best on these exams just
as they would on anything else in school
Testing is just one snapshot of student
performance, assessment occurs daily
Deeper Meaning is at the core of both assessments
Students will be taking the assessments on a
computer, at some point in the future
NYS Common Core Standards Shifts Impact NYS Assessments
Common Core Implementation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Balancing Informational and Literary Text
Building Knowledge in the Disciplines
Staircase of Complexity
Text-based Answers
Writing from Sources
Academic Vocabulary
6
Shifts in ELA
Common Core Assessments
Literacy
1 & 2: Non-fiction Texts
Authentic Texts
3:
Higher Level of Text Complexity
Paired Passages
4&5:
Focus on command of evidence
from text: rubrics and prompts
6:
Academic Vocabulary
6 Shifts in Mathematics
1.
2.
3.
4.
Focus
Coherence
Fluency
Deep Understanding
5. Applications
6. Dual Intensity
1:
Intensive Focus
2:
Linking Back
4, 5, 6: Mathematical Modeling
Shifts in ELA/Literacy
Shift 1
Balancing Informational
& Literary Text
Students read a true balance of informational and literary texts.
Shift 2
Knowledge in the Disciplines
Students build knowledge about the world (domains/ content
areas) through TEXT rather than the teacher or activities
Shift 3
Staircase of Complexity
Students read the central, grade appropriate text around which
instruction is centered. Teachers are patient, create more time
and space and support in the curriculum for close reading.
Shift 4
Text-based Answers
Students engage in rich and rigorous evidence based
conversations about text.
Shift 5
Writing from Sources
Writing emphasizes use of evidence from sources to inform or
make an argument. Text-based
Shift 6
Academic Vocabulary
Students constantly build the transferable vocabulary they
need to access grade level complex texts. This can be done
effectively by spiraling like content in increasingly complex
texts.
3
GRADE THREE SAMPLE QUESTION ELA
 Which detail from the story best shows why Maggie
believes the otter trusts her?
A) “Swiftly, a young brown otter swam toward the still
figure on the edge of the cliff.”(paragraph 6)
B) “Two otters wrestled, tumbling over and over.”
(paragraph 8)
C) “The otter was gone.” (paragraph 17)
D) “And when he had eaten, he twisted in the water
and chased his tail.” (paragraph 31)
EXTENDED RESPONSE WORTH 4 POINTS
The author provides many details about how sea turtles are
similar to and different from each other. How is a
leatherback sea turtle similar to a green sea turtle? How
are they different from each other? Use details from the
passage to support your response.
In your response, be sure to:
• explain how a leatherback sea turtle is similar to a green
sea turtle
• explain how a leatherback sea turtle is different from a
green sea turtle
• use details from the passage to support your response
Sample Grade 4 ELA questions
 Why is Pecos Bill’s conversation with the cowboys
important to the story?
 It predicts the action in paragraph 4.
 It predicts the action in paragraph 5.
 It explains the choice in paragraph 10.
 It explains the choice in paragraph 11.
Fourth Grade Extended Response 4 Points
 How are the topics of “Call of the Wild” and
“Elephants Don’t Wear Boots” similar?
 How are the topics of both articles different? Use
details from both articles to support your response.
In your response, be sure to
• explain how the topics of “Call of the Wild” and
“Elephants Don’t Wear Boots” are similar
• explain how the topics of both articles are different
• use details from both articles to support your
response
Sample Math Questions Grade 4
Sample Math 2010 (pre CCLS)
Sample Math 2013 (post CCLS)
 Lisa collects baseball cards. She
 A group of 6 people at an
has 4,381 baseball cards in her
collection. She sells 1,427 of her
baseball cards. How many
baseball cards does Lisa have
left?
 Show your work.
elementary school gave a total
of $1,890 to a town to fix up a
playground. Each person gave
the same amount. At a middle
school, 5 people each gave
$280 to the same town.
 How much more did each
person at the elementary school
give than each person at the
middle school?
 Show your work.
Sample Math Question Grade 3

The Rogers family drove a total of 482 miles,
starting on Friday and ending on Sunday.
They drove 138 miles on Friday and 225 miles
on Saturday. How many miles did they drive
on Sunday?
General Features of the Test
The 2014 Grades 3–8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests consisted of
three books that were administered over three days.
Common Core English Language Arts Tests :
■ Grades 3 and 4 was allotted 70 minutes of testing time each day; and
■ Grades 5–8 was be allotted 90 minutes of testing time each day.
The 2014 Grades 3–8 Common Core Mathematics Tests consisted of three
books that were administered over three days. The testing times for the 2014
Grades 3–8 Common Core Mathematics Tests were as follows:
■Grade 3 was allotted 60 minutes of testing time for Days 1 and 2, and 70
minutes of testing time for Day 3.
■ Grade 4 will be allotted 60 minutes of testing time for Days 1 and 2, and 90
minutes of testing time for Day 3.
Day 1-MC, Day 2-MC and Extended Response, Day 3-Extended Response
Links to Parent Report and Parent Guide
 http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/ei/scorerepo
rts/ccela-14/ela-scorereport14-enw.pdf
 file:///C:/Users/RodriguezL.44I-BRS-401E-
1/Downloads/shifts-for-students-and-parents.pdf