1. A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness National Conference on Student Assessment Orlando, Florida June 21, 2011

2. Readiness – the Great Equalizer Ensuring kids are prepared for college by the time they leave high school is the single most important thing we can do to improve college-completion rates. Mind The Gaps (ACT, 2010) http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/MindTheGaps.pdf

3. A First Look at the Common Core

4. A Unique Opportunity Deep Understanding of College and Career Readiness and the Common Core One of three development partners in the Common Core Research-based College Readiness Indicators ACT definition of College and Career Readiness the same as that of the Common Core State Standards Initiative Aligned ACT solutions (e.g., ACT, PLAN, EXPLORE) to the Common Core (http://www.act.org/commoncore/pdf/CommonCoreAlignment.pdf)http://www.act.org/commoncore/pdf/CommonCoreAlignment.pdf Large national sample of students who take the ACT as part of their statewide assessment program – not self selected

5. A Unique Opportunity Large Sample of students taking the ACT: 250,000+ Not self-selected Multiple states Full range of abilities and college aspirations Rural, suburban, and urban schools Standard and accommodated test takers 67% Caucasian, 17% African-American, 11% Hispanic, 6% Other Typical 11 th grade students like youd find in high schools across the country

6. A Unique Opportunity Common Core Proficiency No performance standards related to the Common Core. Looked at performance of college ready students in each of the domains and clusters of the Common Core Coded items from the ACT test to the domains and clusters of the Common Core Analyzed performance of college ready students to determine a proxy performance level for each strand and cluster of the Common Core

7. Findings

8. CCSSO Annual Policy ForumLouisville, KY November 2010 8

9. A First Look at Common Core ELA 29 Too few students (31%) are able to work with complex text – Students need exposure to a wide variety of text – Students need to focus on reading progressively more complex texts as they advance through the early and middle grades

10. Increased focus is needed on language and vocabulary acquisition – Focus on Language Standard 3 (which begins formally in grade 2) and focuses on recognizing the differences between formal and informal English – Students would benefit from direct vocabulary instruction with emphasis on acquiring vocabulary through reading beginning in grades 4-5 A First Look at Common Core ELA 39

11. CCSSO Annual Policy ForumLouisville, KY November 2010 11

12. A First Look at Common Core Math Increased focus is needed on the foundations of mathematics – Low performance on N&Q is particularly concerning – foundational for success in other more complex CCSS categories such as Algebra, Geometry, and Functions – Focus on N&Q from the earliest grades and build on those foundations Early grade hands on experiences with numbers and measurement Middle and high school connections between Number and Quantity and other CCSS mathematical concepts – particularly Algebra 30

13. A First Look at Common Core Math Math interventions are needed for struggling students at the earliest grades Monitor and identify struggling students as early as possible (K-4) Early diagnostic & formative assessment of CCSS math domains at the earliest grades are necessary

14. A First Look at Common Core Math Greater understanding of mathematical processes and practices is needed – Working to solve challenging non-routine math problems – Explaining methods and justifying conclusions – Predicting and conjecturing about things such as unknown numbers, probability of events, and quantitative relations – Looking for patterns in structure and diagrams, number systems, tables, graphs, etc. Mathematical Practices 1.Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them 2.Reason abstractly and quantitatively 3.Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others 4.Model with mathematics 5.Use appropriate tools strategically 6.Attend to precision 7.Look for and make use of structure 8.Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

15. Managing the Change Shifting Expectations – Not a Drop in Student Achievement Challenging but Achievable

16. Shift in Expectations Not a Drop in Student Achievement 2002 – first year implementation of statewide ACT assessment of all students 27,000 52,000 89,000145,000

17. Challenging – But Achievable

18. Alabama Example Schools Red Bay HS - Trend

19. Alabama Example Schools Hillcrest HS - Growth

20. Potential Long-term Success

21. Current U.S. Performance College and Career Readiness Standards College and Career Readiness in Mathematics Increased readiness of students meeting College and Career Benchmark

22. Internationally Competitive 7 th Estimated U.S. rank on PISA if students all students were college and career ready Source: ACT, Affirming the Goal

23. Economic Impact $507B Estimated annual increase to U.S. GDP if U.S. academic achievement rose as expected by meeting a college and career threshold Source: OECD

24. Focus on Implementation A Sense of Urgency – Use the next four years to create, deploy, and align instructional strategies, interventions, and diagnostic tools to best support teaching and learning of the Common Core New Standards – New Opportunities – Begin thinking about new forms of accountability to include student growth toward college and career ready standards – Leverage ESEA Reauthorization Ensure federal programs support College and Career Readiness Empower local districts to better focus resources and strengthen professional development of teachers to support learning of the Common Core Transition to College and Career Ready Standards – Initial results are due to shifting expectations not a drop in student achievement – Moving to higher standards will be challenging for our education systems – but it is achievable

25. Text Complexity States and districts should ensure that students are reading progressively more complex texts at all grade levels but especially in middle grades and high school to ensure they are working at levels that allow them to read college and career level material independently and proficiently by the time they graduate. Language and Vocabulary Acquisition States and districts can begin overcoming this challenge by focusing on the differences between formal and informal language as early as the second grade and building a command of language from the earliest grades through high school. Number and Quantity To increase overall math performance states and districts should ensure that students in the early grades are working with hands on math experiences and solving unique and novel problems. Additionally, middle and high school students should be making connections between numbers and quantity and the more complex categories, particularly Algebra. Mathematical Practices To ensure students have the appropriate conceptual understanding of math principles, ACT recommends states and districts ensure that students at all levels are explain methods and justifying conclusions; predicting outcomes and conjecturing about unknown numbers and measurements; and looking for patterns and structure in a variety of mathematical settings. Summary of Recommendations Instructional Impact Areas

26. For more information, contact: Scott Montgomery, Assistant Vice President, Strategic Initiatives scott.montgomery@act.org or 319-337-1465 scott.montgomery@act.org

27. Alabamas Road Map for Implementation of College and Career Ready Standards National Conference on Student Assessment Orlando, FL June 21, 2011

28. Instructional Services Mission Statement To provide the standards, resources, and support local education agencies need to ensure all students graduate college and/or career ready

29. Establishing College and Career Ready Expectations Adoption of First Choice –May 8, 2008 Adoption of New Assessment System –September 10, 2009 Adoption of College and Career Ready Standards based on Common Core State Standards –November 18, 2010

30. Road Map for Implementation Engage Public Stakeholders Develop Quality Professional Development Align Data Systems with College and Career Ready Efforts Identify and Monitor Indicators of Progress

31. Engage Public Stakeholders Prior to adoption of standards –Development of College and Career Ready Standards included 7 non- educators –4 town hall meetings –Draft of standards posted on SDE website for public review –Public hearing

32. Engage Public Stakeholders After adoption of standards –Presentations at professional conferences throughout state –Publications –Information included on Departments website (www.alsde.edu)www.alsde.edu –Expecting Excellence brochure –Involvement of the 11 college and university in-service centers across the state –Inclusion of education association and leadership association in Implementing the Common Core Standards SCASS team membership

33. Public Resource s Alabama Virtual Library –Provides all students, teachers, and citizens of the State of Alabama with free online access to essential library and information resource including courses of study with lesson plans –Includes Britannica Online and other resources ALEX –Designed to index and share educational materials and information through a time-saving, one-stop resource for educators, parents, and students –Majority of resources (lesson plans, Web links, and interactive activities) are connected to Alabamas college and career ready standards SDE website

34. Develop Quality Professional Development Includes cross-sectional SDE staff in development and implementation –Alabama Reading Initiative –Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative –Assessment and Accountability –Curriculum and Instruction –Federal Programs –Special Education Services –Technology Initiatives Includes feedback from university partners

35. Timeline for Implementation November 2010May 2011 State Professional Development and Resource Development State Collaboration with Participating States June 2011July 2012 Phases of Mathematics and ELA Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators Begin (Inservice Centers & MEGA) Alignment of Local Curricula to State Mathematics Standards Spring 2012 Local Mathematics Textbooks/Resources Adoption School Year 20122013 Implementation of Mathematics Course of Study Phases of ELA Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators Continue Alignment of Local Curricula to State ELA Standards Spring 2013 Local ELA Textbooks/Resources Adoption School Year 20132014 Implementation of ELA Course of Study School Year 20142015 Administer new assessments based on new standards

36. 2010 Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics Professional Development Timeline Phase I Phase II Phase III Components of the Course of Study Analyzing the Standards Continuous Support High School Course Progressions/Pathways Building Capacity of Teachers Standards for Mathematical Practices Differentiated Instruction for RtI Literacy Standards for Grades 6-12 Resources Domains of Study and Conceptual Categories Formative Assessments Learning Progressions/Trajectories Other States Addressing Content Shifts Organizations Early Entry Algebra I Sample Units of Study

37. 2010 Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts Professional Development Timeline Phase I Phase II Phase III Components of the Course of Study,Analyzing the Standards Continuous Support including AppendicesSample Units of Study Strands (Comparison, New Emphases)Sample Lessons/Curriculum Development Vertical Alignment/Learning ProgressionsDifferentiated Instruction for RtI Content MovementResources Literacy Standards, Grades 6-12 Timeline for PD and Implementation Assessment Implications for Special Education

38. Align Data Systems with College and Career Ready Efforts Ensure data system supports longitudinal, comprehensive tracking of college and career readiness –INOW allows standards-based and skills-based reporting (report cards) –INFOCUS allows data mining and creation of dashboards –Data warehouse allows data mining Address issues of moving from current accountability system to new standards –Discussions with congressional delegation –Discussions with State Board of Education –Discussions with local superintendents

39. Identify and Monitor Indicators of Progress Includes monitoring during transition –Implementation of EPAS EXPLORE PLAN ACT with Writing –Implementation of WorkKeys –Establishment of college and career readiness targets for reading and mathematics in grades 3-7 based on EXPLORE results Study and emulate implementation by higher performing schools/districts

40. Implementation of College and Career Ready Standards Means … To a Student A K–12 articulated learning progression based on college and career readiness To Parents Assurance that their children will be prepared for success in college and their chosen careers To a Teacher/Administrator Provision of a clear, explicit, and rigorous guide to move students along their learning progression To Higher Education An opportunity to develop a more clearly articulated relationship with K-12 To Business and Industry Assurance that an Alabama high school graduate is prepared for college and career opportunities