What is Common Core?
Moving forward in Washington with
the Common Core State Standards
www.ReadyWA.org
What is Common Core?
The Common Core State Standards:
• High academic learning standards in math and
English language arts at every grade level
• Matches the standards in top-performing
nations
• Developed and voluntarily adopted by 46
states
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What is Common Core?
Who developed Common Core?
• A non-partisan group of governors and state
school chiefs started working together on shared
standards in 2009.
• Hundreds of teachers, education researchers,
mathematicians, and other experts across the
country provided input and guidance in a
collaborative process.
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Common Core States
* Minnesota adopted the CCSS in ELA only
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What is Common Core?
• Until now, all 50 states had different
learning standards. Common Core fixes
that and raises the bar for learning.
• This is a big change in the way students
learn and one that will take time to see
results, but it’s an approach that will help
Washington students compete for the
quality jobs our state has to offer.
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What is Common Core?
• Consistent learning expectations for all
students
• Clear standards that focus on deeper
understanding
• Critical skills students need in the job
market
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What is Common Core?
Consistent learning expectations
• Before Common Core, all 50 states had different
sets of expectations for what students should
know and be able to do in each grade.
• Common Core provides a consistent set of
learning standards and expectations for all
students, no matter where they live.
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What is Common Core?
Clear standards, deeper understanding
• Common Core goes deeper into fewer
topics and focuses on developing students’
deeper understanding of key concepts.
• The standards build on one another, allowing
students to apply the skills and knowledge they
learned in the previous grade to real-life
situations.
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What is Common Core?
Critical skills for the job market
• Right now, Washington has 25,000 unfilled jobs
for highly-skilled workers – and that
number is projected to double by 2017.
• Common Core focuses on building and applying
real-world skills students need to be ready for
college and work – so they can be more
competitive in the new global economy.
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Why Common Core?
WA adopted Common Core because these
standards and the aligned teaching resources and
tests will help students be better prepared for
college and work. Currently in Washington:
• Less than half of our students graduate from high
school ready for college;
• Washington has the 12th largest achievement gap
in the country; and
• By 2018, 2 out of every 3 jobs in WA will require a
college degree or certificate.
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Common Core Timeline
2011: Washington officially adopts Common Core.
2012: OSPI provides toolkits to teachers and schools to
start implementing standards.
2013: Schools pilot of new tests in math and English
language arts.
2013-14: Common Core standards are taught in every
school in Washington.
2014-15: Students take new tests aligned to the
Common Core.
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Common Core FAQs
Will schools and teachers still have control over
teaching materials and other local decisions?
• Yes. The way in which the Common Core learning
standards are taught is up to each of
Washington’s 295 school districts and more than
2,000 schools. Each school or district will
continue to have the flexibility to select the
teaching materials and resources that best meet
the needs of its students.
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Common Core FAQs
If we raise learning expectations, will the test
be harder, too?
• Initially, yes. But not because students will know
less, because we’ll expect more. Research shows
that when you raise learning expectations,
students will work harder to meet them. Most
parents and teachers understand that a drop in
test scores is temporary, and that raising learning
standards is important for our economy and our
students’ futures.
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Testing in Washington
• In the 2013-14 school year, the current state
exams will remain the same:
– Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) in
grades 3-8; and
– HSPE and math/science EOCs in high school.
• In the 2014-15 school year, students will take
the new Smarter Balanced exams in math and
English language arts.
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Common Core FAQs
Do people in WA support Common Core?
• Yes, across Washington, 80% of parents,
teachers and people like you support the
Common Core. (January 2013 poll by Strategies 360 for Washington STEM)
• 70% of teachers and voters agree that
common standards in math and English will
improve student learning and achievement.
(January 2013 poll by DHM Research for Excellent Schools Now)
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Learn More
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Visit www.ReadyWA.org
Handouts
FAQs
Info on WA’s Common Core efforts
And more to come in fall 2013
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Ready Washington
Ready Washington is a coalition of state and local
education agencies, associations and advocacy
organizations that support college- and career-ready
learning standards. The coalition believes all students
should be better prepared for college, work and life to
build the skills to compete for the quality jobs that our
state has to offer.
Thank You
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
Support for Real Learning for Real Life campaign is brought to
you in part by College Spark Washington