Frequently Asked Questions
1.
What
are educational standards?
Educational standards define the knowledge
and skills students should have at each grade level. California first adopted a set of standards
in 1997 and then adopted the Common Core Standards in 2010.
2.
How
are Common Core Standards different than the 1997 standards?
The 1997 standards were unique to
California and were so extensive that they were impossible to teach with
fidelity. The Common Core Standards have
been adopted by 45 states and while they are not perfect, they are clearer and more
concise. These standards are evidence-based,
aligned with other top-performing countries, and are more realistic and
practical for the classroom. Common Core
Standards are rigorous and emphasize depth of instruction.
3.
Will
TUHSD curriculum change in response to Common Core?
Our teachers used the Mathematics and
English Language Arts Common Core Standards as the basis for the development of
“Program Goals.” The “Program Goals”
were collaboratively created by all district teachers and they define what
students should know or be able to do as the result of taking a course or
series of courses. In other words, our
teachers have spent the last two years working together to ensure that our
rigorous curriculum is aligned with the new Common Core Standards.
4.
Will
“Program Goals” be made available to parents and students?
Yes.
The first draft of the Program Goals was made public at a recent Board
of Trustees meeting. Some departments
are working on final edits of their program goals and then they will be posted
on the district and school websites shortly.
5.
What
is different in Common Core in English and literacy skills?
The Common Core includes several shifts
from the previous standards, including:
·
A balance between reading informational and
literary texts
·
Student engagement in rich and rigorous
evidence-based conversation about the texts they read
·
Emphasis on the use of evidence from sources to
inform or make an argument
·
Focus on constantly building vocabulary that is
used across grades and courses
6.
What
is different in Common Core in Mathematics?
There are also shifts in the area of
mathematics which include:
·
Deeper instruction in essential skills
·
Connection of learning across grades to build on
ideas previously learned
·
Building understanding of the ideas behind the
math as opposed to “just getting the answer right”
·
Application of math to real world problems
7.
How
will state testing change to measure Common Core?
With the implementation of Common
Core, our students will no longer take the paper and pencil, multiple-choice
STAR tests. The new testing system will
be computerized and adaptive, which means that all tests will be taken on a
computer or tablet, and the test will automatically adjust to the skill level
of the student. The types of questions
on the new tests, which will start in 2014, are also quite different:
·
Selected-response items - resemble a traditional multiple choice question.
·
Technology-enhanced items - capitalize on the computerized test to collect evidence
through a non-traditional response type, such as editing text or drawing an
object.
·
Constructed-response items - prompt students to produce a text or numerical response to
a question.
·
Performance tasks - measure a student’s ability to integrate knowledge and
skills across multiple standards--a key component of college and career readiness.
Performance tasks will be used to better
measure capacities such as depth of understanding, research skills, and complex
analysis, which cannot be adequately assessed with selected- or
constructed-response items.
For more information about CA Common Core Standards:
For more information about Smarter Balanced Assessments
including sample test questions:
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