Illinois State Board of
Education
100 North First Street • Springfield, Illinois 62777-0001 www.isbe.net
Gery J. Chico
Chairman
Fact Sheet: Common Core State Standards
August 2013
Division of Public Information, Illinois
State Board of Education
Christopher A. Koch, Ed.D.
State Superintendent of Education
The Common Core State Standards establish clear
expectations for what students should be learning in
English language arts and mathematics at every grade
level from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Spearheaded by governors and state education leaders
from a consortium of more than 40 states, the Common
Core represents a collaborative effort to raise
expectations and improve instruction for all students
regardless of where they live and to provide students
with an equal opportunity to succeed academically. The
Common Core sets high, clear and uniform standards to
prepare students for college and the work force.
The Common Core standards differ from previous
learning standards because of their emphasis on critical
thinking and concept mastery. In English language arts,
the Common Core underlines the importance of reading
nonfiction, using evidence to back claims and expanding
academic vocabulary. In mathematics, the standards call
for greater focus on fewer topics so that students gain a
more comprehensive understanding of key topics. They
also emphasize the application of math towards solving
real-world problems. The Common Core’s changes will
ensure that students not only gain skills and knowledge,
but can also apply their knowledge to succeed after high
school graduation.
Although created by a national consortium of states, the
Common Core standards are independent of the federal
government. Implementation decisions will remain local
and teachers and school administrators will continue to
write local curricula and lesson plans for their
classrooms. The Common Core standards establish the
benchmarks for what students need to learn, but
districts still determine the best strategies and content
for instruction and curriculum. Teachers will continue to
make daily instructional decisions to reach individual
students.
Illinois adopted the Common Core standards in 2010
after recognizing that it needed to update its existing
learning standards. The creators of the Common Core
consulted with parents, teachers and school
administrators through two public comment periods held
in September 2009 and March 2010. After considering
public feedback, staff members from the Illinois State
Board of Education then submitted their own
suggestions to the consortium developing the Common
Core standards. Educators across the state have already
begun to incorporate elements of the Common Core into
their curricula and all schools are expected to fully
implement curricula that meet the new standards during
the 2013-2014 school year.
Illinois is currently in the process of updating its science
standards as well. It was one of 26 lead states that
collaborated on the Next Generation Science
Standards (NGSS), which will provide a new way of
teaching science and engineering to students in
kindergarten through the 12th grade. As a lead state,
Illinois helped to write the standards and provided
guidance on their eventual implementation. The final
draft of NGSS was released in April 2013 and the State
Board will review the new science standards for potential
adoption later this year. NGSS is similar to the Common
Core in that it is rigorous, internationally benchmarked
and intended to better prepare students for college and
career.
Students will ultimately benefit from the Common Core’s
consistency and higher standards. Since the majority of
states have adopted the Common Core, students who
move from one state to another will face the same
expectations. The standards ensure that an education in
Illinois is on par with an education in other states. The
Common Core aligns with international standards as well
so that students will be well-equipped to compete in
today’s global economy. Because it encourages students
to apply and demonstrate their knowledge in real-world
settings, Illinois’ students will be better prepared for life
after high school graduation.
Resources
Illinois State Board of Education:
http://www.isbe.net/common_core/default.htm
Common Core IL, a project of the Core Coalition:
http://commoncoreil.org/real-learning/
Common Core State Standards Initiative:
http://www.corestandards.org/
Additional fact sheets provided by the ISBE Division of
Public Information will be released throughout 2013.
###
From http://www.corestandards.org/readthe-standards/
Read the Standards
Building on the best of existing state standards, the Common Core State Standards provide clear and
consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life. The standards clearly
demonstrate what students are expected to learn at each grade level, so that every parent and teacher can
understand and support their learning.
The standards are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Research and evidence based
Clear, understandable, and consistent
Aligned with college and career expectations
Based on rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills
Built upon the strengths and lessons of current state standards
Informed by other top-performing countries to prepare all students for success in our global
economy and society
According to the best available evidence, the mastery of each standard is essential for success in college,
career, and life in today’s global economy.
With students, parents, and teachers all on the same page and working together toward shared goals, we can
ensure that students make progress each year and graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college,
career, and life.
The standards focus on core concepts and procedures starting in the early grades, which gives teachers the
time needed to teach them and gives students the time needed to master them.
The standards draw on the most important international models, as well as research and input from
numerous sources, including educators from kindergarten through college, state departments of education,
scholars, assessment developers, professional organizations, parents and students, and members of the
public.
Because their design and content have been refined through successive drafts and numerous rounds of state
feedback, the standards represent a synthesis of the best elements of standards-related work in all states and
other countries to date.
For grades K-8, grade-by-grade standards exist in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. For
grades 9-12, the standards are grouped into grade bands of 9-10 grade standards and 11-12 grade standards.
While the standards set grade-specific goals, they do not define how the standards should be taught or
which materials should be used to support students. States and districts recognize that there will need to be
a range of supports in place to ensure that all students, including those with special needs and English
language learners, can master the standards. It is up to the states to define the full range of supports
appropriate for these students.
No set of grade-specific standards can fully reflect the great variety of abilities, needs, learning rates, and
achievement levels of students in any given classroom. Importantly, the standards provide clear signposts
along the way to the goal of college and career readiness for all students.
English Language Arts/Literacy Standards Mathematics Standards
Video
Learn about the Common Core in 3 minutes >
Resources
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Frequently Asked Questions
Myths vs. Facts
Key Shifts in English Language Arts
Key Shifts in Mathematics
Statements of Support
Application to Students with Disabilities
See Other Resources >
FAQs
Were teachers involved in the creation of the standards?Do the English language arts standards include a
required reading list?What does this work mean for students with disabilities and English language
learners?More Frequently Asked Questions >
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From http://www.corestandards.org/
Application to Students with Disabilities
The Common Core State Standards articulate rigorous grade-level
expectations in the areas of mathematics and English language arts.. These
standards identify the knowledge and skills students need in order to be
successful in college and careers
Students with disabilities ―students eligible under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)―must be challenged to excel within
the general curriculum and be prepared for success in their post-school
lives, including college and/or careers. These common standards provide
an historic opportunity to improve access to rigorous academic content
standards for students with disabilities. The continued development of
understanding about research-based instructional practices and a focus on
their effective implementation will help improve access to mathematics
and English language arts (ELA) standards for all students, including those
with disabilities.
Students with disabilities are a heterogeneous group with one common
characteristic: the presence of disabling conditions that significantly hinder
their abilities to benefit from general education (IDEA 34 CFR
§300.39,2004). Therefore, how these high standards are taught and assessed
is of the utmost importance in reaching this diverse group of students.
In order for students with disabilities to meet high academic standards and
to fully demonstrate their conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills
in mathematics, reading, writing, speaking and listening (English language
arts), their instruction must incorporate supports and accommodations,
including:
 supports and related services designed to meet the unique needs of these
students and to enable their access to the general education
curriculum (IDEA 34 CFR §300.34, 2004). 
 An Individualized Education Program (IEP)1 which includes annual goals
aligned with and chosen to facilitate their attainment of grade-level
academic standards. 
 Teachers and specialized instructional support personnel who are
prepared and qualified to deliver high-quality, evidence-based,
individualized instruction and support services. Promoting a
culture of high expectations for all students is a fundamental goal of
the Common Core State Standards. In order to participate with
success in the general curriculum, students with disabilities, as
appropriate, may be provided additional supports and services, such
as: 
•Instructional supports for learning― based on the principles of
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)2 ―which foster student engagement
by presenting information in multiple ways and allowing for diverse
avenues of action and expression.
1
According to IDEA, an IEP includes appropriate accommodations that are necessary to
measure the individual achievement and functional performance of a child
2 UDL is
defined as “a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that (a) provides
flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or
demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (b) reduces
barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges,
and maintains
 Instructional accommodations (Thompson, Morse, Sharpe & Hall, 2005)
―changes in materials or procedures― which do not change the
standards but allow students to learn within the framework of the
Common Core. 
 Assistive technology devices and services to ensure access to the general
education curriculum and the Common Core State Standards. 
 Some students with the most significant cognitive disabilities will require
substantial supports and accommodations to have meaningful access
to certain standards in both instruction and assessment, based on
their communication and academic needs. These supports and
accommodations should ensure that students receive access to
multiple means of learning and opportunities to demonstrate
knowledge, but retain the rigor and high expectations of the
Common Core State Standards. References Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 34 CFR §300.34 (a). (2004).
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 34 CFR §300.39
(b)(3). (2004). Thompson, Sandra J., Amanda B. Morse, Michael
Sharpe, and Sharon Hall. “Accommodations Manual: How to Select,
Administer and Evaluate Use of Accommodations and Assessment for
Students with Disabilities,” 2nd Edition. Council for Chief State School
Officers, 2005
http://www.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/AccommodationsManual.pdf .
(Accessed January, 29, 2010). 
From http://www.corestandards.org/
In order for students with disabilities to meet high
academic standards and to fully demonstrate their
conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills in
mathematics, reading, writing, speaking and listening
(English language arts), their instruction must
incorporate supports and accommodations, including:
• supports and related services designed to meet the
unique needs of these students and to enable their
access to the general education curriculum (IDEA
34 CFR §300.34, 2004). • An Individualized Education Program (IEP)1 which
includes annual goals aligned with and chosen to
facilitate their attainment of grade-level academic
standards. • Teachers and specialized instructional support
personnel who are prepared and qualified to deliver
high-quality, evidence-based, individualized
instruction and support services. Promoting a
culture of high expectations for all students is a
fundamental goal of the Common Core State
Standards. In order to participate with success in
the general curriculum, students with disabilities, as
appropriate, may be provided additional supports
and services, such as: • Instructional supports for learning― based on the
principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)2
―which foster student engagement by presenting
information in multiple ways and allowing for
diverse avenues of action and expression.
• Instructional accommodations (Thompson, Morse,
Sharpe & Hall, 2005) ―changes in materials or
procedures― which do not change the standards
but allow students to learn within the framework of
the Common Core. • Assistive technology devices and services to ensure
access to the general education curriculum and the
Common Core State Standards.
Resources:
http://commoncoreil.org/real-learning/
http://www.corestandards.org/
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/common_core/default.htm