1. Implementing the New NCSCOS
Common Core State Standards
and the
North Carolina Essential Standards
The Administrator’s Role
2. “In order to positively impact student
achievement, the Common Core State
and NC Essential Standards must be not
just adopted but implemented.”
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3. “The goal is to have content standards that
actually impact what happens in the
classroom. Unfortunately, there are too
many examples where states have fine
content standards that bear little
resemblance to what is actually being
taught and learned in classrooms.”
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4. Principals As Instructional Leaders:
It’s 2011: Do you know where your teachers are?
Do you know what and how your teachers are
teaching? 4
5. Importance of Alignment
Alignment is an even stronger predictor of
student achievement on standardized
tests than are socioeconomic status,
gender, race, and teacher effect.
(Elmore & Rothman, 1999: Mitchell, 1998; Wishnick,1989)
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6. Alignment is:
• Content and skills
• Rigor
• Activities
• Application
• Level/type of questioning (critical thinking,
higher-order vs. recall)
Aligned with the standards
Aligned with what will be assessed
7. “We need to think carefully about what it will
take for the Common Core and NC Essential
Standards to become fully operationalized in
every classroom, every year, from kindergarten
to high school graduation.”
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8. I. Understanding
the
Common Core State Standards
and
NC Essential Standards
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9. Common Core State NC Essential Standards
Standards • Science
(Adopted by 48 states and the • Social Studies
District of Columbia)
• World Languages
• English Language Arts • Arts Education
• Mathematics • Healthful Living
• Career & Tech Ed
• Exceptional Children
• English as Second Language
• English Language Development
(approved 2008)
• Information & Technology
NOTE: English Language Development and Information & Technology Essential Standards
must be delivered by classroom teachers through ALL content areas, in appropriate grade
levels– in collaboration with AIG, EC, ESL, media coordinators and tech facilitators. 9
11. What do the Common Core State and
NC Essential Standards look Like?
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12. Common Core Big Picture
1. Aligned with college and work expectations
2. Focused and coherent
3. Includes rigorous content and application of
knowledge through higher-order skills
4. Internationally benchmarked – prepares
students for global economy & society
5. Based on evidence and research
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13. Rationale for Implementation
• EQUITY – Expectations the same
regardless of where students live
• School/College/Career Readiness –
Students need to be more than just
proficient at the current grade
• Comparability – State results will be
comparable through common
assessments
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14. Rationale Cont…
• Shared Resources – Ability to share and
team across district and state lines
• Economies of Scale – Possible savings
due to sharing of resources and
assessments
• Student Mobility – Students encounter
same standards wherever they go
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15. Common Core MATHEMATICS
Elementary
• Kindergarten number core
• K-5 math foundation
• Continuous progression through
grades
• Procedural skills + conceptual
understanding
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17. High School
• High School mathematics applications solve
messy, real world problems
• High school students apply mathematics to novel
situations, as college students and
professionals do – unexpected
problem solving
• Mathematical modeling in physical,
economic, public policy, social and
everyday situations – integrates mathematical
and statistical methods and reasoning
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18. Common Core ELA
Reading
• Staircase of increasing
complexity in reading
• Diverse array of literature and
informational “sample” texts
• Critical content “types”
mandated
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19. Writing
• Begins in kindergarten
• Logical arguments
(opinion writing)
• Research writing featured
prominently
• Includes student writing
samples
Speaking & Listening, Language, Media & Tech
• Each are integrated throughout the ELA
standards
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20. What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of the
Common Core, that Educators need to be aware of?
http://www.leadandlearn.com/multimedia-resource-center/video-library?video-topic=355
See “Doug Reeves discusses the Common Core State Standards”
Min: 6:35 – 16:05.
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21. NC Essential Standards Big Picture
• Narrower and deeper
• Clear articulation of skills, understandings, and
learning experiences critical at each grade level
• Infusion of writing; 21st century content;
thinking and learning skills; and life skills
throughout the content standards
• Reflection of rigor, relevance, and relationships
(integration) between and among subject
areas.
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22. • Developed for readiness – elementary, middle,
high school, college, workforce, and beyond.
• Mindful of 21st Century skill requirements
• Measurable and concise
• Integrated with other content areas
• Driven by Revised Blooms Taxonomy (RBT)
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23. A Sample of 21st Century Skills
• Strong base of knowledge in core disciplines
• Global awareness, social & cross-cultural skills
• Financial, economic, business, entrepreneurial skills
• Civic, health, & environmental literacy
• Creativity, innovation, & problem solving
• Speaking, writing & presenting
• Communication & collaboration
• Information, media, & technology—literacy & use
• Effective work in teams
• Initiative & self direction
• Adaptability & flexibility
• Leadership, responsibility, & accountability
25. “Principals need to get to know the
standards. A critical principal role in
implementing the standards change process
is to facilitate powerful conversations
regarding what the new standards indicate
students should know and be able to do by
the time they enter and leave each grade
level. To do this, principals need to become
intimately familiar with the organization,
scope, depth and purpose for the new
Common Core and Essential Standards.”
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26. Principals Are Responsible For:
• Explaining rationale and getting “buy in”
• Creating teacher collaboration opportunities
• Helping teachers find common ground
(w/old standards)
• Ensuring informational writing in all subjects
• Helping identify “Power Standards”
• Locating and reallocating resources
• Ensuring Common Formative Assessments
• Encouraging teachers and students to exceed
the standards
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27. Key Management Structures Support
Implementation
1. Department Head/Lead Teacher
Role—rethink???
2. Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs)
3. Shared Decision-Making &
Distributed Leadership
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28. Management Structures Cont…
4.Evaluation Considerations
- How do principals know good instruction for
the Common Core and Essential Standards
when they see it?
- How do principals incorporate a standards-
based lens during classroom walk-throughs
and formal evaluations— in so many different
subject areas?
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30. Standards Implementation Tool:
Areas to Address
• Teachers’ knowledge of the Standards
• Teachers’ understanding of the Standards
• Communicating w/ all stakeholders about the
Standards
• Resources & tools (for teacher understanding)
• Adoption of resources & tools (for instruction)
• Ongoing professional development support
• Assessment (formative & summative, online)
• Data & Evaluation
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33. Tips on working with the
Transition Plan
1. Highlight District Implementation and
Transition Process activities that are directly
relevant to you in your school.
2. Think about how the District activities impact
what you will do in your building.
3. Consider the amount and kind of support you
will require from your district & NCDPI.
4. Be mindful of the State’s goals and be sure to
address each of these at the school level.
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35. Accountability and Curriculum
Reform Effort (ACRE)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/
http://commoncore.org/maps
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36. • District Implementation Team
1. Know who they are
2. Read the District Plan
• DPI Staff & Other Resources
1. Common Core Summer Institutes
2. PD Leads & NERESA
3. Professional Development Cycle
4. Online modules
https://center.ncsu.edu/nc/login/index.php
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