February 1, 2013

ASCD and the Common Core State Standards

Status Check on the Common Core Assessments (Part II)

As the clock ticks closer to the 2014–15 deadline for the Common Core assessments from PARCC and SBAC, the scramble for information and guidance is becoming more apparent. In part one of this article, we highlighted many of the updates from PARCC and SBAC that have been released to date. In part two, we will highlight a report (PDF) released by the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).

In the report, CRESST summarizes its current findings regarding PARCC and SBAC’s assessment development efforts, indicating that they are on track to support deeper learning, complex thinking, communication, and problem solving. However, the report also notes the technical, fiscal, and political challenges that the two consortia still face in implementing their assessments.

Educators should pay attention to three major takeaways from this report: 

1. The shift in rigor from current state assessments to the Common Core assessments will be significant. The report used Norman Webb’s depth of knowledge (DOK) scheme to classify levels of rigor. It is commonly accepted that DOK3 and DOK4 are aligned to deeper learning and 21st century skills.

• DOK1: Recall of a fact, term, concept, or procedure; basic comprehension. 
• DOK2: Application of concepts and/or procedures involving some mental processing. 
• DOK3: Applications requiring abstract thinking, reasoning, and/or more complex inferences. 
• DOK4: Extended analysis or investigation that requires synthesis and analysis across multiple contexts and non-routine applications. 

Overall, the PARCC and SBAC assessments will have many more questions at the DOK3 and DOK4 levels, and the majority of questions on current state assessments are at the DOK1 and DOK2 levels.

2. Based on the sample items released by both PARCC and SBAC, the CRESST report states that technology and language could pose potential problems by adding irrelevant demands, but that SBAC is currently developing an accessibility framework and will conduct cognitive lab, accessibility, and bias reviews to alleviate such problems. Although there is currently sufficient time between now and the assessments’ administration in 2014–15 to identify and correct any problems, these types of challenges are significant and tend to have a deeper impact on disadvantaged students.

3. The Common Core assessments are developed within a “funnel” mentality in which each stage of development affects the next. For example, the Common Core State Standards are distilled into a set of claims and assessment targets that then inform the subsequent levels’ development. This is important because any issues or errors that occur in the beginning stages then affect the subsequent stages, which could lead to a “further down the rabbit hole” scenario.

Consider these major takeaways as you continue to understand and plan for these coming assessments. Another major point that educators need to be aware of is that although using a cross-state collaborative to develop large-scale assessments presents many potential pitfalls, the potential benefits in common comparisons, cost savings, and increased quality tend to outweigh any downsides. The key for both consortia will be to adhere to their stated goals and design elements even when the political, financial, and logistical pressures continue to rise on the way to 2014–15. Please be sure to follow ASCD as we continue to share relevant information on the happenings of the assessment consortia to educators across the nation.

Updates from Around the Nation

Districts in California Collaborate to Implement the Common Core Standards

Eight districts in California (including Los Angeles Unified School District) have joined forces to implement the Common Core State Standards and design new teacher evaluations based in part on student performance. These districts are also currently seeking their own No Child Left Behind waiver from the U.S. Department of Education.

Illinois Raises the Bar on Achievement to Prepare for Common Core Standards

The Illinois State Board of Education voted to raise the cut score on their state assessment, the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, to be comparable to the demands of college and career readiness that will be tested with the PARCC assesments.This shift was recommended by State Superintendent Chris Koch and will prepare Illinois students, schools, and parents for the rigor of the PARCC assessments that will come to the state in 2014–15.

Districts Pilot New Common Core Unit for English Language Learners

Three districts are piloting a new five-lesson unit for English language learners that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The unit, titled Persuasion Across Time and Space, uses historical texts such as Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, and Robert F. Kennedy's "On the Death of Martin Luther King" speech.

Report Outlines the Current State of Common Core Implementation in Urban Districts

The Council of the Great City Schools released their report (PDF) on the current status of Common Core implementation in the nation’s largest school districts. The report says that over half of their member districts have already begun implementation and that these districts have made adjustments to many areas, such as professional development, curriculum, and communications to the public.

Core Connection Call for Content

Practitioners, we are looking for short essays—no more than 1,000 words—on the topic of Common Core implementation; specifically, on how you are using the recommendations from our report Fulfilling the Promise of the Common Core State Standards: Moving from Adoption to Implementation to Sustainability for upcoming editions of Core Connection. E-mail efrain.mercado@ascd.org if you have any questions, and be sure to send us your submission by February 15, 2013.

Common Core State Standards Resources

Upcoming Common Core Webinar from ASCD

Implementing the Common Core: Understand and Plan for the Coming Common Assessments

The assessments being developed by PARCC and SBAC have been on the minds of many educators since the two consortia were announced in fall 2010. Since then, there have been a lot of updates; changes; and to a certain extent, confusion. Recommendation #7 from ASCD’s report Fulfilling the Promise of the Common Core State Standards: Moving from Adoption to Implementation to Sustainability, states that educators need to understand and plan for the coming Common Core assessments.

Join ASCD staff member Efrain Mercado as he provides an overview of Recommendation #7 and the assessments for the Common Core State Standards. Audience members will have their questions answered live during the session.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. eastern time

Core Quote

"Teaching is about people, not paper, [and] children, not numbers."

—Rebecca Mieliwocki, National Teacher of the Year, at ASCD's Legislative Conference, January 28, 2013

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ASCD's Common Core State Standards work is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.