Common Core
and the Utah
Education
Transformation Plan
(College, Career, and Citizenship Ready)
Utah State Board of Education
July 16, 2013
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

 Debra
Roberts
◦ Chair, Utah State
Board of Education
◦ Chair, Audit
Committee, USBE
◦ BA, English, BYU
Overview of the State
Board of Education
◦ Dave Crandall
◦ Jennifer Johnson

Utah Core Standards
◦ Tami Pyfer
◦ Dave Thomas

What is Next
◦ Heather Groom
◦ Jefferson Moss
OVERVIEW OF THE STATE BOARD
 David
Crandall
◦ Vice Chair, Utah State
Board of Education
◦ Software Engineer
◦ MS, Mechanical
Engineering,
University of Utah
 Jennifer
Johnson
◦ Chair, School Trust
Investment Task Force
◦ CFA Charterholder
◦ Investment Fund
Manager
◦ MBA, BYU
UTAH PUBLIC EDUCATION GOVERNANCE
The general control and supervision of public
education shall be vested in a Board of
Education. The membership of the board shall
be established and elected by statute. The
State Board of Education shall appoint a State
Superintendent of Public Instruction who shall
be the executive officer of the board.
Article X, Section 3, Utah Constitution
UTAH PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
Federal Government
NCLB, Reduced Lunch, Title I & IDEA
Utah State
Legislature
School system, budget,
& programs
Veto
Power
Utah
Governor
Board
Election
Process
Funding & Programs
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Establish
School
System
District School
Boards
State Charter
School Board
Executive Authority
General Control &
Supervision
(Educational
standards, licensing,
programs & fiscal
administration)
State
Superintendent
District
Superintendents
District
Schools
Utah State Board
of Education
Executive Officer
Charter
Schools
Utah State Office
of Education
Staff
WHAT DOES THE STATE BOARD DO?
Appoint State
Superintendent
Establish minimum
standards for all
public schools
Define, Establish and
Implement a Core
Curriculum
(Standards)
School Trust
Lands and Trust
Fund
Adopt
Graduation
Requirements
Administer federal
programs (Special Ed
& Title I)
Career & Technical
Education
Prepare annual Budget
and approve
disbursements to local
districts and charter
schools
Adopt Administrative
Rules to implement
statutes & policies (151
Rules)
Approve
Charter
Schools
Audit the Public
School System
Utah State Office of
Rehabilitation
(Adult Education)
Utah School for the
Deaf and Blind
Implement the Utah
Performance
Assessment System
Licensure of
educators
WHAT IS THE STATE BOARD DOING?
Appoint State
Superintendent
Establish minimum
standards for all
public schools
Define, Establish and
Implement a Core
Curriculum
(Standards)
School Trust
Lands and Trust
Fund
Adopt
Graduation
Requirements
ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
Administer federal
programs (Special Ed
& Title I)
Career & Technical
Education
Administrative rules implementing Utah
statute and board policies
Prepare annual Budget
Adopt Administrative
and approve
Rules to implement
are written, reviewed or updated
disbursements to local
statutes & policies (151
districts and charter
Rules)
at almost every Board meeting (151 rules)
schools
Approve
Charter
Schools
Audit the Public
School System
Utah State Office of
Rehabilitation
(Adult Education)
Utah School for the
Deaf and Blind
Implement the Utah
Performance
Assessment System
Licensure of
educators
WHAT IS THE STATE BOARD DOING?
Appoint State
Superintendent
Establish minimum
standards for all
public schools
Define, Establish and
Implement a Core
Curriculum
(Standards)
School Trust
Lands and Trust
Fund
STATE SUPERINTENDENT
Career & Technical
Education
Prepare annual Budget
and approve
disbursements to local
districts and charter
schools
Adopt
Graduation
Requirements
Administer federal
programs (Special Ed
& Title I)
Full Board participation in the evaluation
Adopt Administrative
Rules to implement
of the State Superintendent this year. statutes
& policies (151
Rules)
Approve
Charter
Schools
Audit the Public
School System
Utah State Office of
Rehabilitation
(Adult Education)
Utah School for the
Deaf and Blind
Implement the Utah
Performance
Assessment System
Licensure of
educators
WHAT IS THE STATE BOARD DOING?
Appoint State
Superintendent
Establish minimum
standards for all
public schools
Define, Establish and
Implement a Core
Curriculum
(Standards)
School Trust
Lands and Trust
Fund
Adopt
Graduation
Requirements
LICENSURE OF EDUCATORS
Career & Technical
Education
Prepare annual Budget
and approve
disbursements to local
districts and charter
schools
Task force studying
improvements to
licensure discipline
for misconduct
Administer federal
programs (Special Ed
& Title I)
Adopt Administrative
Rules to implement
statutes & policies (151
Rules)
Approve
Charter
Schools
Audit the Public
School System
Utah State Office of
Rehabilitation
(Adult Education)
Utah School for the
Deaf and Blind
Implement the Utah
Performance
Assessment System
Licensure of
educators
WHAT IS THE STATE BOARD DOING?
Appoint State
Superintendent
School Trust
Lands and Trust
Fund
Establish minimum
standards for all
public schools
Define, Establish and
Implement a Core
Curriculum
(Standards)
SCHOOL TRUST LANDS AND TRUST FUND
Career & Technical
Education
Prepare annual Budget
and approve
disbursements to local
districts and charter
schools
Task force studying the
investment oversight of the
permanent State Trust Fund
with appointees from the Senate,
House, Treasurer, and Governor
(reports on August 2, 2013)
Audit the Public
School System
Adopt
Graduation
Requirements
Administer federal
programs (Special Ed
& Title I)
Adopt Administrative
Rules to implement
statutes & policies (151
Rules)
Approve
Charter
Schools
Utah State Office of
Rehabilitation
(Adult Education)
Utah School for the
Deaf and Blind
Implement the Utah
Performance
Assessment System
Licensure of
educators
WHAT IS THE STATE BOARD DOING?
Appoint State
Superintendent
Establish minimum
standards for all
public schools
Define, Establish and
Implement a Core
Curriculum
(Standards)
School Trust
Lands and Trust
Fund
Career & Technical
Education
Prepare annual Budget
and approve
disbursements to local
districts and charter
schools
CORE STANDARDS
Every five to seven years the
Utah Core Standards
are reviewed and updated
Adopt
Graduation
Requirements
Administer federal
programs (Special Ed
& Title I)
Adopt Administrative
Rules to implement
statutes & policies (151
Rules)
Approve
Charter
Schools
Audit the Public
School System
Utah State Office of
Rehabilitation
(Adult Education)
Utah School for the
Deaf and Blind
Implement the Utah
Performance
Assessment System
Licensure of
educators
BOARD MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVES
•
•
•
•
•
Increase proficiency in reading and math
Increase high school graduation rates
Implement the Utah Core Standards
Computer Adaptive Assessments
Implement the ACT assessments
• EXPLORE–8th grade
• PLAN–10th grade
• ACT–11th grade
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
College
ACT/SAT
Assessments
Curriculum
Standards
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
College
ACT/SAT
Assessments
Curriculum
Standards
UTAH CORE STANDARDS
 Tami
W. Pyfer
◦ Chair, Communication
Committee, USBE
◦ Clinical Instructor, College of
Education, Utah State
University
◦ Program Specialist, Utah
Commission on Character and
Civic Education
◦ MEd, Early Childhood Special
Education, Utah State
University
 David L. Thomas
◦ Chair, Accountability and
Finance Committee, USBE
◦ Chief Civil Deputy Summit
County Attorney
◦ JD Law, College of William
& Mary
UTAH CORE STANDARDS
English
Language
Arts
Mathematics
Fine Arts
Science
Social Studies
Financial
Literacy
Health
Education
Physical
Education
Educational
Technology
CTE
Standards
Pre-K
World
Languages
UTAH CORE STANDARDS
English
Language
Arts
Mathematics
Fine Arts
Science
Social Studies
Financial
Literacy
Health
Education
Physical
Education
Educational
Technology
CTE
Standards
Pre-K
World
Languages
COMMON CORE STANDARDS INITIATIVE
What it is

State partnership for reform of education standards
◦ English Language Arts
◦ Math

Partnership of 48 states
◦ National Governors Association (elected)
◦ Council of Chief State School Officers (elected & appointees)

Led by the data and experts
COMMON CORE STANDARDS INITIATIVE
What it is not

Not federal standards
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
No federal funds
No involvement of the US Department of Education (US ED)
Not a curriculum
Not a student database
Not part of FERPA (privacy law)
Not part of No Child Left Behind
Not part of Race to the Top
COLLABORATIVE WORK OF EXPERTS
Math Work Team
Math Feedback Team
52 Math & educational professionals
22 Math & educational professionals
18 University mathematics/statistics
9 University mathematics/statistics
professors
professors
English Work Team
English Feedback Team
50 English & educational professionals
11 University English and education
12 English & educational professionals
professors
5 University English and education
professors
Participating schools: Yale, Arizona State, UC Berkeley, Georgia, Missouri, Minnesota, Vermont, LSU,
Arkansas, Maryland, Arizona, Florida, Harvard, Texas, Johns Hopkins, Cal Poly, Arizona State, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Northwestern, Stanford, North-western, Ohio State, Illinois, UC Davis, Michigan, Georgia,
Pittsburg, Brown, Emory, Oregon, Florida State, Illinois, Wyoming
UTAH LITERACY AND MATH EXPERTS
SUPPORT THE STANDARDS
• Dr. Peter E. Trapa, Chair, Department of Mathematics, University of Utah
• Dr. David Wiley, Director of Research, Center for Improvement of Teacher Education,
Brigham Young University
• Dr. Hugo Rossi, Director of the Center for Science and Math Education, University of Utah
• Dr. Emina Alibegovic, Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah
• Dr. James Cangelosi, Professor of Mathematics, Utah State University
• Dr. Janice A. Dole, Professor of Literacy, University of Utah
• Dr. D. Ray Reutzel, Distinguished Professor of Early Literacy Education, Utah State
University
• Dr. Gary Dohrer, Professor of English, Weber State University
• Liz Herrick, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Westminster College
• Christine Walker, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Utah Valley University
• Keith White, Associate Professor, Developmental Mathematics, Utah Valley University
• Utah Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• Utah Board of Regents
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS (ACT/SAT)
ALIGNED WITH THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS
ACT, Inc., Alignment of Common Core
and ACT’s College & Career Readiness
System (June 2010)
College Board, Research Report 2010-5A,
Common Core State Standards Alignment:
ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, and SAT
(November 2010)
COMMON CORE MYTHS
• National experts don’t support the standards.
• Only 4 of 28 experts on the validation team disagreed.
• This is just the unsuccessful “Investigations Math” approach.
• Standards don’t define how to teach or what to use to teach.
• This will kill the reading of classic literature.
• Choices of materials are local
• Informational text is part of all other classwork (e.g. – social studies,
science, math, etc.).
• Utah won’t be able to change these standards – or only 15%.
• Utah can change any or all of the standards.
COMMON CORE MYTHS
• The State Board rushed to adopt the standards with no public notice or input.
• All Board actions were in public meetings where public input is taken.
• Utah public input was received during three 30-day comment periods
throughout the process.
• Public input is still accepted, analyzed, and used (e.g. – handwriting).
• Utah’s new Core Standards are an example of federal overreach.
• NCLB is federal overreach. Common Core adoption allows a waiver.
• The Common Core is a new federal, high stakes assessment system.
• The assessment system is entirely within Utah’s control.
• Common Core standards obligate the collection of personal student.
• No new data will be collected as a result of the Common Core adoption.
COMMENTS OF CONSERVATIVE
THINK TANK FORDHAM INSTITUTE

Old Utah Core Standards
◦ C in English
◦ A- in Math

Common Core received
◦ B+ in English
◦ A- in Math
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute
found that the Common Core State
Standards were comparable or
superior to the existing standards
in 48 states, including Utah.
(Carmichael, “The State of State
Standards—and the Common
Core—in 2010,” Fordham Institute
[July 2010]).
“The Common Core provides admirable focus and explicitly
requires standard methods and procedures, enhancements
that would benefit Utah’s standards.”
WARNING: NAEP IS FEDERAL
NAEP is part of the Institute of Education Sciences,
of the federal Department of Education.
Its board is appointed by the US Secretary of Education.
States are required to participate in NAEP federal assessments as
part of NCLB and as a condition to receiving Title I monies. In the
past, many states realigned their state education standards to the
federal NAEP standards, such as in the case of Massachusetts in
2001.
According to a recent “white paper” released by the National
Center on Education Statistics, the Obama Administration
wants to use the 13-question survey that eighth-grade
students customarily fill out during NAEP tests to ask more
probing questions in order to determine a student’s
socioeconomic status.
STUDENT PRIVACY—DATA MINING
On May 2, 2013, the Utah State Board of Education enacted Resolution 2013-03,
which provides the Board’s position against the release of identifiable student data.
The Common Core Initiative does not require
the release of any student data information.
Utah is not associated with any of the testing consortiums which may require
student data information. Current federal law (FERPA), prohibits the release of
identifiable student data. However, it does allow for the release of aggregated, nonidentifiable data.
There is some confusion over Utah statutes, which appear to be
contradictory as to the release of identifiable student data.
The State Board has encouraged the Utah Legislature
to appropriate changes to ensure the privacy
of public school students.
WHAT IS NEXT?
 Jefferson
Moss
◦ Legislative Liaison,
USBE
◦ Investment Specialist,
Key Private Bank
◦ MBA, BYU
 Heather
Groom
◦ Chair, Charter School
Committee, USBE
◦ Executive VP of Sales,
MojaWorks
◦ BA, Spanish, BYU
IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS
• Need for more communication – especially on sensitive
issues like Common Core
www.utahpublicschools.org
• Board resolutions in 2013
•Creation of the School Trust Investment Task Force (2013-01)
•Utah Core Standards (2013-02)
•Data Sharing and Privacy Protections (2013-03)
•Role of Proper Assessments (2013-04)
• Legislative communications – more engagement
PARTNERING ON EDUCATION POLICY
• Role of the State Board for the Utah Legislature
• Partnering with the legislature
• Resource – utilize diverse board member expertise
• Education policy initiatives
• Board priorities for legislation
• Administrative rule can be more responsive to needs