Common Core State
Standards
What Parents Need to Know
Oswego CUSD 308
~Music Credit: Vince Guaraldi Trio “Linus & Lucy”, 1964
Brain Sweat
Rich Discussions
Independent
Learner
Challenge
Increased Rigor
High Expectations
What is Common Core?
 National Gov. Assoc. and Council of Chief
State School Officers (state-led and driven
initiative)
 An effort designed to improve educational
outcomes for all students
 A set of consistent, voluntary, rigorous,
internationally-benchmarked standards in
Math, English Language Arts, and Science
 Emphasis that Standards “are not intended to
be new names for old ways of doing business”
 46 States have adopted these Standards
Why Common Core
Standards?
 Clear, consistent standards equip parents/educators to understand
and support what children should learn and know
 Common Core Standards are aligned to International Standards
from the highest achieving countries (Students globally competitive)
 These standards are designed to prepare students for success in
whatever they choose to do after graduation (College and Career
Readiness / Citizenship)
 These standards will prepare our students for career success in the
rapidly changing world of work (21st Century skills for 21st Century
jobs!)
 Common Core Standards ensure that all students regardless of
income or geography, have the opportunity to engage in equally
challenging work
Local/National Standards are
No Longer the Yardstick…
 In a global economy we compare our
schools, our districts and our country to
the best performers in the world.
 Can our students apply knowledge the
way that other students from high
performing countries (Finland, etc) can?
Application of knowledge
a key!
 Our students learn concepts….but in what way?
 The concern was --- are we teaching students to
extrapolate from what they have learned and apply
their knowledge in varied situations?
 242 students need to be transported to the park for a
field trip. How many busses are needed if the busses
hold 65 students each?
 A) 3.72
 B) 4
 C) 2
Implications for Students
“Brain Sweat”
 Rigorous content and application of knowledge
through high order skills
(Perseverance, Independence)
 Clear, understandable, and consistent
standards
 Alignment with college and work expectations
for all students
 Increased rigor will impact student
performance and grades (report cards, MAP
and ISAT) – i.e. you may see an initial dip!!
Math Common Core
Standards
 Eight Math Practices which will reflect what educators
will seek to develop in their students
 Students will be required to demonstrate increased
levels of:
Focus
Coherence (Conceptual Connections)
Fluency
Deep Understanding
Real Life Applications
Dual Intensity
English Language Arts
 Balance of informational and literary text (more
nonfiction and digital literacy)
 Integrated approach to instruction
 Students will need to independently read and
comprehend more complex texts earlier than current
expectations demand (Staircase of Complexity)
 From Kindergarten, students will be expected to
explain their thinking in writing and speaking based on
evidence (text-based support)
 Writing will be integrated in all content areas at all
grades!
 Academic Vocabulary (ex. “discourse,” “theory,”
“principled”) in addition to content specific vocabulary
(“mitosis”)
District 308 Plan
Our Common Core Executive Committee has established
a Five-Year Plan for Common Core Implementation.
This is an abbreviated version of the plan:
Year 1:
(11-12)
Year 2:
(12-13)
Year 3:
(13-14)
Year 4:
(14-15)
Year 5:
(15-16)
Awareness
Focus on Practices and Anchor Standards
Begin Lesson Design (authentic
performance tasks)
Continue Lesson Design
Begin Unit Design
Continue Unit Design
Assessments aligned with CCSS
Full Immersion in CC– all grade
levels
“SUSTAINED LEARNING”
To “Sustain” (according to Webster’s II)
…to keep up; maintain
…to supply with nourishment
…to support the spirits, courage or
resolution of
 …to withstand or endure
 …to uphold as valid, true or legal
 …to corroborate; confirm
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Help Your Child at Home:
SUSTAINED LEARNING
 Learning does not end in the classroom-talk to
your child about school
 Build a partnership with your child’s teacher
 Create a dedicated place for your child to study
 Encourage real-world relevance of what is
learned at school
 Model love of reading, research and math and
build a “Culture of Inquiry”
 Allow your child to persevere!
“Learning should not be for
40 minutes or 40 days,
rather for 40 years.”
--Grant Wiggins