Common Core Chronicles

Monterey Peninsula Unied School District

A Guide to the Common Core State Standards

What is the Common Core?
Common Core is a set of standards that were developed to prepare students to be college and career ready by the end of 12th grade. Nearly all states have adopted the Common Core, including California. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) provide a practical way to prepare children for the challenges of a constantly changing world by learning step-bystep the real-world skills they need for career and college. The Common Core standards are important because they create consistency across the state, so students within our educational system are all afforded the same instructional targets and expectations for what high school graduates know and are able to do academically. This will ensure that we maintain Americas competitive edge, so that all of our students are well prepared with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete with not only their peers here at home, but with students from around the world. With the goal of all students graduating from our public school system as life- long learners who will have the skills and knowledge necessary to assume their positions in the 21st century global economy.

MPUSD: What are we doing to prepare?

We have done the following things since learning of the CCSS. Developed a Common Core Implementation Plan during the 2011-12 school year Trained staff to learn how to transition from the current standards to the Common Core standards, and deepen their understanding of how student learning will be tested using the Smarter Balance assessment Held District wide collaborative activities within our Professional Learning Communities model to discuss the new requirements and create action plans

Will there be new tests for the new standards?

Yes, California students will be taking the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) that will measure student progress toward career and college readiness. You may learn more about the new tests and Californias participation in the SBAC at http://www. cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/smarterbalanced. asp. The Smarter Balanced assessment adjusts the difficulty of questions based on student responses. For example, a student who answers a question correctly will receive more challenging questions, while an incorrrect answer generates an easier question. By adapting to the student as the assessment is taking place, these assessments present an individually tailored set of questions to each students and can quickly identify which skills students have mastered. School districts will have the option of taking a paper version of the test as a transition for the first 3-5 years.

Which grades are using it, and in which subject areas?

Our Professional Learning Communities have begun collaborating on the transition to Common Core State Standards in the areas of writing and math. For the first phase of implementation, teachers will assess students on a set of Common Core Standards for writing and written language. Students will take math performance tasks, based upon the CCSS.

What does the district need to be able to apply computer testing in 2015?
MPUSD stakeholders are currently updating the district Education Technology Plan and assessing what will be required throughout the district to support teaching and learning. A primary goal of the Technology Plan committee is to ensure that students have the basic computer skills required to take the Smarter Balance assessment.

Transitioning to the CCSS: What Parents and Guardians Can Do Now

Parents and guardians are crucial partners in laying the groundwork for a smooth transition to the new standards. Parents and guardians can: Learn about the CCSS and the districts transition plan. Talk to the principal about the schools plans for the transition to learn what will be different about these new standards and what will remain the same for children. Attend a board and/or community meeting to discuss district goals and timelines. Play an active role in your childs education at home. If you notice your child is struggling in a certain area, consult with his or her teacher to identify strategies and resources that might be helpful. Explore opportunities to become actively involved in the Common Core transition through your state and local Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). English: Provide more challenging texts AND provide texts they WANT to read and can read comfortably Know what is grade level appropriate Read challenging text with them Math: Ask your child to explain why the answer is what it is Provide TIME for your child to work hard with math at home

How many computers per child do you have in the district?

Currently, MPUSD has approximately 3,800 computers available for student use. At a minimum, every school site has two laptop cart classroom sets available for students. MPUSD has developed a team of Common Core Teacher Leaders from every school site who attend quarterly meetings which will provide training regarding the Common Core State Standards and their impact on the classroom. Resources will be shared at the quarterly district wide collaboration, where all MPUSD teachers will meet. Teachers will also share ideas, best practices and resources on Google Sites.

MPUSD: Real World Testing

Performance tasks challenge students to apply their knowledge and skills to respond to realworld problems. Students in MPUSD are currently practicing the performance task assessments in English and Math. MPUSD teachers meet in weekly Professional Learning Community groups to discuss student learning, and many teams have elected to use performnace tasks as part of their lessons on a regular basis. Last year, a group of teachers participating in the California Math and Science Project (CaMSP) piloted a math performance task assessment by MARS (Math Assessment Resource Service). Upon review of the assessment one teacher commented, When they have to write and explain, I can see exactly where the student is and its a much better assessment. Kids have to think and justify their answers rather than simply following steps to get the right answer. When I read their answers, I learn not only whether they got it right or wrong, but also how they were thinking. MARS (Math Assessment) performance tasks will be included in the math benchmarks this upcoming school year.

Resources for Parents and Guardians

California Department of Education CCSS Web Page: http://www. cde.ca.gov/re/cc/ (select Students/Parents tab) SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium Information: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/smarterbalanced.asp K-8 Californias Common Core Standards Parent Handbook: http://www.ccsesa.org/sysadmin/documents/ CCSParentHandbook_020411.doc The PTA Parents Guide to Students Success (in English and Spanish)