Implementing the Public Agenda for College and Career Success: 90 Day Goal Plan for Improving College Readiness through Implementation of the Common Core Bob Blankenberger, Ph. D. Deputy Director for Academic Affairs

The Goal The 90 day plan goal – To improve college readiness through curriculum alignment in the implementation of the new Common Core learning standards. The criteria for evaluation of this goal: – Prepare a presentation that justifies the need for college and university faculties to be equal partners with public high schools in determining steps required so that high school seniors can be college ready – Draft several paragraphs about the role faculty and administrators must play to achieve this goal – Visit with five faculty and administrative college readiness stakeholders to explain the presentation and win their support to be leaders representing higher education during this process

Why is this important? Source: The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success Full Report

Why is this important? An average of 50% of first-time, full-time Illinois community college students are required to take at least one remedial course; the figure rises to 80% in some college districts. Community Colleges spent $120.8 million on remedial/developmental education in fiscal Public universities spent $5.2 million (Source: Public Agenda for College and Career Success retrieved September 19, 2010 from Better alignment between secondary education and higher education is critical to improving readiness for college and reducing the need for remediation (Source: Achieve, 2009; Callan, Finney, Kirst, Usdan, and Venezia, 2006; Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2008).

Illinois Learning Standards and the Common Core The Common Core State Standards Initiative origin – State-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and – The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)

Common Core Development Process College and career readiness standards developed in summer 2009 Based on the college and career readiness standards, K-12 learning progressions developed Multiple rounds of feedback from states, teachers, researchers, higher education, and the public Final Common Core State Standards released on June 2, 2010 ISBE introduced these into the Illinois Learning Standards late June 2010 (Source: Common Core Standards website

The Four Dimensions of Career and College Readiness Key Cognitive Strategies – Problem formulation – Interpretation – Research – Reasoning – Precision/Accuracy Key Content Knowledge – Overarching Academic SkillsReading, Writing – Core Subject Knowledge and Skills Academic Behaviors Contextual Skills and Awarenessinformation about how college operates (Source: EPIC presentations for the Common Core College Readiness Standards Workshops, 2010) 7

The 90 Day Plan Goal: To improve college readiness through curriculum alignment in the implementation of the new Common Core learning standards. Presentations, meetings and workshops – Academic Leadership – Faculty Advisory Council – Proprietary Advisory Council – Illinois Articulation Initiative Committees and Panels – Regional Common Core College Readiness Workshops

Meetings with Stakeholders Public Academic Leadership Support for implementation Dissemination of information to faculty Attendance at Regional Workshops Community College hosts of the Workshops

Meetings with Stakeholders Faculty Advisory Council Panel Discussion on Remediation and Articulation Attendance at Regional Workshops Developing a policy statement paper on programs for P-16 Vertical Alignment

Meetings with Stakeholders Proprietary Advisory Committee Presentation at January meeting Faculty attendance at Regional Workshops

Meetings with Stakeholders Illinois Articulation Initiative Committees and Panels Implementation Advisory Council Steering Panel GECC Communication and Mathematics Panels Gap analysis and alignment of courses based on common core career and college readiness

Meetings with Stakeholders Regional Common Core College Readiness Workshops – Convened by the Board of Higher Education, Community College Board and State Board of Education – Build on success of Career and College Readiness Pilot sites

Meetings with Stakeholders Regional Common Core College Readiness Workshops – Designed to develop a shared understanding of college and career readiness among secondary and postsecondary educators around the Common Core Standards – Facilitated by the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) Director David Conley, Co-chair of the Common Core State Standards Initiative Validation Committee Has worked with Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington

Meetings with Stakeholders Regional Common Core College Readiness Workshops – EPIC staff to share research-based tools and techniques for fostering partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions. – Initiate regional college and career readiness action planning to build on as a model for statewide implementation Develop partnerships Build on partnerships already in place

Meetings with Stakeholders Regional Common Core College Readiness Workshops – April 4, 2011 John A. Logan College – April 5, 2011 Southwestern Illinois College – April 7, 2011 Lincoln Land Community College – April 8, 2011 Parkland College – April 18, 2011 Joliet Junior College – April 19, 2011 Elgin Community College – April 20, 2011 Illinois Valley Community College – April 21, 2011 Moraine Valley Community College – Nearly 1000 registrants

Southwestern Illinois College Workshop April 5, 2011

Lincoln Land Community College Workshop April 7, 2011

EPIC Principles of College and Career Readiness 1)Create and Maintain a college-going culture in the school 2)Create a core academic program aligned with readiness 3)Teach key self-management skills and expect students to use them 4)Prepare students for the complexity of applying to college 5)Align assignments and grading policies with college expectations 6)Make the senior year meaningful and challenging 7)Build partnerships with and connections to postsecondary education

Parkland College Workshop April 8, 2011

Next Steps Continue coordination between ISBE, ICCB and IBHE on implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards and the Common Core Teacher programs Remediation Curriculum alignment Foster ongoing local curriculum alignment work Continue IAI alignment and gap analysis work Continue work on Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)