Common Core: An Educator’s Perspective
In a blog post from The Whole Child (a website by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and a partner of the College, Career, and Citizen Readiness (CCCR) coalition), school principal Steven Weber presents several reasons why states should embrace the Common Core State...
Let's Hear it for Proficiency
In this blog article, the author argues against the elimination of proficiency standards as recommended by others. He concludes that “properly implemented—and worked into modern-style accountability systems for students, educators, schools, districts, even states—that seems to me the right formula...
Ready Kentucky: Building Employer Support for Student Success
The Kentucky Chamber Foundation, in partnership with the Kentucky State Department of Education, developed this publication to raise employer awareness of and support for the Common Core State Standards and the positive impact that the Standards will have on preparing students for success in both...
What States can Learn about State Standards and Assessment Systems from No Child Left Behind Documents and Interviews with Central Region Assessment Directors
The purpose of this study is to describe the No Child Left Behind requirements for state standards and assessment systems. The authors examined official documents and peer review decision letters and included interviews with state assessment directors in the Central Region to highlight the...
Test Security and Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of States’ 2013-14 Test Security Policies
This report describes how accommodated tests for students with disabilities, alternate assessments, and other related issues were addressed in states’ test security policies in 2013-2014. The researchers asked: (1) What information do states’ test security policies contain about students with...
Prepare for More Realistic Test Results
In this article from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the authors say that the potential drop in reported state proficiency rates when the new CCSSM assessments are implemented will require adjusted expectations. The authors provide evidence from NAEP, TIMSS and NCLB to support...
PARCC College- and Career-Ready Determination Policy in English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics & Policy-Level Performance Level Descriptors
This document, adopted by PARCC after extensive public feedback from K-12 educators, higher education faculty, parents, and community members, has been used to guide the development of items and tasks for the PARCC assessments in ELA/literacy and mathematics. It will also serve to guide the...
Year 3 of Implementing the Common Core State Standards: An Overview of States’ Progress and Challenges
This report provides an overview of state efforts to implement the Common Core. It discusses state views of the rigor of the CCSS, their impact on learning, and necessary changes in curriculum and instruction; state timelines for teaching curricula aligned to the CCSS; state activities to implement...