Delaware Department of Education
www.DelExcels.org
Sample principal letters to staff and parents on
Common Core State Standards
Dear colleagues,
I would like to share a quick update on the status of some of the major implementation efforts and
preview the work we will be embarking on in the coming months. While I fully realize that this is a lot of
work – new standards, assessments, and evaluations – it is important to remember that each element is
an integral part of a cohesive system designed to better prepare students for success after high school.
New academic standards
We continue to move forward with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS),
and I want to thank you for your leadership during this period of transition. I am excited about the new
standards and believe they reflect the critical-thinking, problem solving and effective communication
skills students need to be truly prepared for success after high school. The new standards also allow
parents, students, and teachers to be on the same page and set high expectations together for student
learning. Our community will need to continue to work together to successfully transition to the new
standards, and I appreciate your patience and continued dedication to this process.
Aligned assessments
Good instruction based on standards and assessment of student learning cannot occur in isolation of
one another. Each informs the other, and together they guide measurable student learning and
achievement. Transitioning to challenging new standards requires implementing quality assessments
that measure students’ knowledge of the new expectations. Delaware assessments are changing in
order to accurately assess student mastery of English language arts and mathematics standards as set
forth by the CCSS.
It is important to note that these assessments, known as “Smarter ELA” and “Smarter Mathematics,”
will establish a new baseline of expected student learning. With the field-testing of questions for these
new assessments underway at some selected schools this spring, it is important to realize that when the
new assessments are implemented next year, they will bring a new benchmark for understanding how
our children are performing. We do not expect to see the same level of proficiency on the new tests that
students demonstrated on previous assessments because, quite simply, the bar has been set higher. The
new assessments measure deeper knowledge and skills that are particularly important for students’
futures, including problem-solving, writing, and critical thinking. The new scores associated with the new
assessments will be a more accurate reflection of what students know and can do. I encourage you to
check out the sample questions and other information available online at
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/.
Educator evaluations
As announced by Secretary of Education Mark Murphy in January, pending approval by the U.S.
Department of Education, the state has developed a path forward for the educator evaluation system
for the 2014-2015 school year as we transition from our current statewide assessment (DCAS). As
Murphy explained, the approach is true to our principles, continues the momentum that we have built
together, meets our legal requirements and incorporates the feedback the state has heard.
Delaware Department of Education
www.DelExcels.org
In short, the new assessments ("Smarter"), which have been developed by a consortium of states over
the past three years and Delaware is on path to adopt, will not be utilized as educators' official
"Measure A" as part of Component V in 2014-2015. Instead, it will be utilized as an "informational
measure" to be provided to individual educators, schools and districts after their official DPAS-II ratings
have been determined. In will return as a utilized measure for the 2015-16 school year.
Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions on any of these efforts. Thank you again,
your involvement and continued dedication is critical to our success!
Sincerely,
Dear parents,
I would like to thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to ensure your children
are learning and being challenged each day. So much is changing in our state’s schools as we work to
ensure we are preparing every child to be successful for college or career when they graduate from our
school system. I want to share a quick update on the status of some of the major implementation efforts
and preview what is ahead in the coming months. As we implement new standards, assessments and
educator evaluations, it is important to remember that each element is an integral part of a cohesive
system designed to better prepare students for success after high school.
New academic standards
We continue to move forward with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). I
am excited about the new standards and believe they reflect the critical-thinking, problem solving and
effective communication skills students need to be truly prepared for success after high school. The new
standards also allow parents, students, and teachers to be on the same page and set high expectations
together for student learning. Our community will need to continue to work together to successfully
transition to the new standards, and I appreciate your patience and continued dedication to this
process.
Aligned assessments
Good instruction based on standards and assessment of student learning cannot occur in isolation of
one another. Each informs the other, and together they guide measurable student learning and
achievement. Transitioning to challenging new standards requires implementing quality assessments
that measure students’ knowledge of the new expectations. Delaware assessments are changing in
order to accurately assess student mastery of English language arts and mathematics standards as set
forth by the CCSS.
It is important to note that these assessments, known as “Smarter ELA” and “Smarter Mathematics,”
will establish a new baseline of expected student learning. With the field-testing of questions for these
new assessments underway at some selected schools this spring, it is important to realize that when the
new assessments are implemented next year, they will bring a new benchmark for understanding how
our children are performing.
We do not expect to see the same level of proficiency on the new tests that students demonstrated on
previous assessments because, quite simply, the bar has been set higher. The new assessments measure
Delaware Department of Education
www.DelExcels.org
deeper knowledge and skills that are particularly important for students’ futures, including problemsolving, writing, and critical thinking. The new scores associated with the new assessments will be a
more accurate reflection of what students know and can do. I encourage you to check out the sample
questions and other information available online at http://www.smarterbalanced.org/.
I also invite you to learn more about these new assessments first-hand by joining me for a special parent
night at our school on XXX. You’ll learn more about Common Core, the new assessments and how you
can support your child at home.
More resources are available online at www.DelExcels.org, a site supported by the Delaware Parent
Teacher Association and other key partners of the Delaware Department of Education. Please let me
know if you have any questions or suggestions on any of these efforts. Thank you again, your
involvement and continued dedication is critical to our success!
Sincerely,