Common Core State Standards and Catholic Schools

Mary Jane KrebbsKathy Mears

Dale McDonald, PBVMLorraine Ozar

Agenda

State of Common Core Standards: the national picture Implementation progress in the states Politicization of standards and assessments

Common Core Catholic Identity Initiative Progress on implementation in Catholic schools

The Living Common Core

New and Improved CCCII Website

State Adoption of Common Core

Green=adopted

Gray=not adopting

Blue=ELA only

Impetus for Developing Common Core State Standards

Equity imperative: All students deserve a high-quality education regardless of where they attend school

Global competition: workforce requires different skills and education for economic growth

Current curriculum standards vary greatly across states and achievement is calculated differently

Overview of the CCSS Initiative State-led effort under direction of National Governors

Association (NGA) and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

Development of common core standards for K-12 in English/language arts and mathematics under direction of educational professionals.

Teachers, parents, school administrators and experts from across the country, together with state leaders, provided input into the development of the standards.

Focus on learning expectations and outcomes for students – not on how to teach content.

Implementation of Common Core State Standards

Standards have been implemented in schools for three years

Professional development programs are being developed to assist teachers and administrators with the implementation and application of standards to teaching and learning practices

Curricula are being developed locally to align with standards

New textbooks, software and instructional materials are being produced

State assessments are being developed and piloted to measure student progress with new standards

CCSS: Develop Skills Necessary for Success in Work and Life

Traditional academic knowledge and skills: strong math and English skills

Real world application, or applied literacies --the ability to apply learning to meet real-world challenges.

Broader competencies. Solve new problems and think critically Strong interpersonal skills necessary for communication and

collaboration Creativity and intellectual flexibility Self sufficiency and ability to plan independently

National Controversial Issues

Data collection and warehousing of student information

Cursive writing

Elimination of Shakespeare

Algebra in 8th grade

Race to the Top: federal mandate to adopt

Textbook alignment

Politicization of Standards

Political activity: Opposition on political grounds: local v. federal control Federal takeover of education: Race to the Top Data collection and national student databases

Political Actions: (next slides)

Opposition to Assessments: Costs Required technology for testing Time on testing Double testing for AYP requirements

Challenges to CCSS Implementation

Unsuccessful attempts to delay or roll back the standards in several states: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota.

Michigan and Indiana have halted funding for CCSS implementation.

Indiana and possibly Illinois will withdraw from participation in national assessments

Challenges to CCSS Implementation

In the vast majority (37) of the CCSS-adopting states participating in the survey, officials considered it unlikely that their state would reverse, limit, or change its decision to adopt the standards during 2013-14.

Center on Education Policy Survey: 2013

Common Core Assessments

Catholic Schools and Common Core: Some Considerations

Adopt and/or adapt standards

Participation in national assessments Impact on curriculum, instruction and teaching materials

Perceptions of a national curriculum and impact on school independence

Access to commercial materials: tests, media teaching tools aligned to CCSS

Professional development and ability to use new media materials

Impact on students’ future Transfers across systems College acceptances Workforce readiness

Catholic Schools and the Common Core

Over 400 teachers and administrators attended applied Catholic professional development this summer

Over 1000 teachers and administrators participated in webinars focused on the Common Core

Catholic leaders have provided professional development in 18 states, 32 (arch)dioceses

Where are Catholic Schools in the adaptation process?

Reviewing and analyzing the standards

Working on instruction that meets the needs of students

Looking for ways to be better reading teachers

Looking for ways to improve math instruction

Looking for additional resources to build even stronger Catholic identities in our schools

Reviewing resources

Improving parent and stakeholder communication

Moving Forward… Continue to build resources

Continue to provide applied Catholic professional development

Continue to review our practices and materials

Continue to monitor student progress

Continue to communicate with parents and other stakeholders

The Living Common Core

K-12 Education: Workforce Preparation

Every young person will continue to need basic knowledge – but, he/she will need skills and motivation even more. Of the three educational goals, to motivate is the most critical. Young people who are intrinsically motivated – curious, persistent, willing to take risks – will learn new knowledge and skills continuously; they will be able to find new opportunities or create their own.

Tony WagnerCreating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who

Will Change Our World

Current Thinking About Creativity

Creativity, not knowledge, has become the fundamental factorof production. Our economy uses technology; its motive forceis creativity.

Robots Aren’t the Problem: It’s Us

Richard FloridaThe Chronicle Review - March 23,

2013

Creativity is not synonymous with art or beauty. The value is in the thought process itself… such patterns of thinking train people to metaphor and analyze, to reframe problems, break them down to component parts to view them from different perspectives, and work iteratively – that is, revising again and again – to find answers.

Dan BerrettThe Chronicle of Higher Ed - April 5,

2013

Thinking About Creativity

Today’s students will need such tools (of creativity) to tackle the problems they stand to inherit… Knowledge will need to be combined across disciplines, and juxtaposed in unorthodox ways.

Dan BerrettThe Chronicle of Higher EdApril 5, 2013

Twenty – first Century Skills (sample)

Creativity and Innovation

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Communication and Collaboration

ICT Literacy

Initiative and Self-Direction

What could this look like in the classroom:

Brainstorming in every subject

Changing the Environmentexploration centersdiscussion corners…

Broadening perspectives (new cultures)

Thinking visually

Encouraging creative synthesis

Using technology

Drawing Connections adapted: Education Update ASCD October 2013

Instruction is the heartbeat of the Common Core (David Coleman)

A learning goal or standard is only as good as the instructor’sability to imagine what it would look like when it is being met.

Sarah Fine

Education Week -10/28/10

 

An excellent Catholic school has a clearly articulated, rigorous curriculum aligned with relevant standards, 21st century skills, and Gospel values, implemented through effective instruction.

#7 National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary

and Secondary Schools 2012

CCCII Online

www.cccii-online.org

Benefits for New Site More stylistic freedom to extend the site to our needs

(including blogs and other add-ons)

Ability to track and monitor site traffic with more granularity 

Securing the top-level domain name rather than being appended (catholicschoolstandards.org/common-core)

Greater ease in promoting the site using social media and other resources

Forestalling uninformed site visitors from equating the National Catholic School Standards with the CCCII and/or the common core.

Decision to Transition Steering Committee – universities, NCEA, corporate

sponsors

Desire to expand support of Catholic schools and the common core

Desire to “shape” the message

Desire to increase transparency for unit development and review

Desire to use proactive rather than reactive strategy

Expanded Features

• Easier Navigation

• Stronger, clearer Home page

• In Support…FAQs, Links, Rationale

• Blog

• Forum coming too

CCCII Moving Ahead CCCII Constitution and By-Laws

Planning for CCCII 2014 national conference

CCCII Unit Review Criteria and Unit Review Committee

Review of CCCII 2013 national units for posting on web

Continued PD

Take a look… http://www.cccii-online.org/