This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Anne E. Adams, Lena Phalen, Lori Fulton, Afterschool Alliance, Rachel Stumpf, Catherine Jacques, Haiyan Zhang, Sigrid Hartong, Amy Potemski, and Meg S. Bates.
(2017). Using Generic Examples to Make Viable Arguments, Teaching Children Mathematics. The twenty-first century has seen an increased call to train students to craft mathematical arguments. The third of the Common Core's (CCSS) Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP 3) (CCSSI 2010) calls for all mathematically proficient students to "construct viable arguments" to support the truth of their ideas and to "critique the reasoning" of others. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) recognize that students in the elementary school grades "can construct arguments using concrete referents such as objects, drawings, diagrams, and actions" (CCSSI 2010, p. 6). In particular, elementary school students often use examples when they make an argument. In this article, the authors offer a framework for helping teachers determine when such an example-based argument should be considered "viable" or not. They illustrate this framework with arguments they collected from a fifth-grade classroom and conclude by offering ideas that may help teachers support their students in making viable, example-based arguments. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Persuasive Discourse, Teaching Methods, Common Core State Standards
(2016). New Structures of Power and Regulation within "Distributed" Education Policy–The Example of the US Common Core State Standards Initiative, Journal of Education Policy. This article focuses on the growing development towards new forms of '"distributed" governance within current large-scale educational reforms. The emphasis is on so-called "governance through standards" as a transformative reform complex which manifests itself in a simultaneous process of regulative destabilisation and (global) reconstruction of policy control. This newly emerging regulative policy "ensemble" is found to be directly related to the growing collaborative activity of cross-field networks between governmental, non-governmental and private actors. Empirically, this article refers to the so-called "Common Core State Standards" (CCSS) Initiative which has fundamentally reshaped US education policy since 2001. The initiative comprised the negotiation, implementation and controlling of supra-state core skill standards for K-12 education as the benchmark for other regulating instruments such as assessments, monitoring and teacher training. In the context of the CCSS, the aforementioned new structures of regulation can then be located within an entrepreneurial alliance around the non-profit organisation Achieve, Inc. Through its function as a core policy network manager, Achieve generated simultaneous practices of collaboration and distinction, discourse initiation and (invisible) norm stabilisation. [More] Descriptors: Common Core State Standards, Educational Policy, Power Structure, Governance
(2012). Implementation of Common Core State Standards: Roles for Advocates, Policy Innovators in Education Network. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia have committed to fully implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by the fall of 2013, and members of the two CCSS-aligned assessment consortia have committed to roll out an aligned assessment the following year. With less than a year until the CCSS must be in place in all classrooms, most states have at least some implementation activities already underway. But if these standards are to provide true game-changing leverage, advocates need to step up their involvement on at least two fronts. They need to make sure that the standards are implemented in effective and equitable ways. And they need to help parents and other stakeholders understand and support the standards. This brief guide is designed to help advocates who are new to standards work. It provides basic information on matters that are critical to common core implementation, including: (1) Transition Planning; (2) Communication; (3) Educator Training and Instructional Materials; (4) High School Curriculum and Graduation Policies; (5) Catch-Up Strategies; (6) English Language Learners; (7) Technology; and (8) Policy Alignment. [More] Descriptors: Academic Standards, State Standards, Stakeholders, Parents
(2017). American PARCC and SBAC and Their Implications on the Construction of English Assessment System in China, International Education Studies. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and Smarter Balanced Assessment Systems (SBAC) started in the 2014-2015 academic year and has been regarded by many in the field as a radical effort to improve the American English Language Art (ELA) educational standards. These two consortia, being aligned with Common Core State Standards, aim to fulfill Common Core's purpose of preparing students for college and career readiness. With the support of computer technology, diverse forms of testing are introduced into the new assessment systems, making the standard-based test comprehensive enough to evaluate academic literacy and deep learning capacity in an authentic way. This paper mainly discusses similarities and differences between the two assessment systems in terms of ELA standards. The similarities appear in the construction of well-balanced assessment structure, the application of advanced computer technology, adherence to an evidence-based design principle and emphasis upon educational equity. The key differences are presented in aspects of test forms and accommodation options. The analysis of PARCC and SBAC assessment systems also provides China with various thought provoking aspects to develop a sound English Language assessment system. [More] Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Language Tests, English (Second Language), College Readiness
(2014). Linked Learning: Using Learning Time Creatively to Prepare Students for College and Career, Center for American Progress. American public education is in a constant state of experimentation, with new waves of reforms and education initiatives unveiled routinely–many recycled and some reinvented. Yet few are truly innovative. The newest and most promising reform thus far are the Common Core State Standards, which are rigorous standards in English language arts and mathematics implemented in elementary through high school. These standards require new approaches to teaching and learning that ensure all students are adequately prepared for postsecondary education and careers without the need for remediation. New standards certainly offer new challenges; but they also provide new opportunities to fundamentally change the American public education system. A California-led initiative called Linked Learning offers a promising systemic approach to reform that is designed to address the challenges and has been touted as a suitable complement to implementing the Common Core State Standards. This report highlights the efforts of high schools implementing multiple Linked Learning pathways in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, Porterville Unified School District, and Sacramento Unified School District. Each of these pathways has reconfigured the use of time in order to provide students with a more effective learning experience. Building on the lessons learned from these districts, as well as their collective expertise in high school reform and high-quality increased learning time, the Center for American Progress and the Alliance for Excellent Education provide a number of recommendations including: (1) Districts should give schools the flexibility to redesign their master schedules so that teachers and students have the necessary time to implement effective approaches to high school reform such as Linked Learning; (2) Learning from the California experience, states should enact high school reform policy to provide effective college and career pathways for students; and (3) Congress should increase funding and flexibility for 21st Century Community Learning Centers. An appendix provides supplemental tables. [More] Descriptors: Public Education, Common Core State Standards, College Preparation, Career Development
(2017). Supporting Excellent Teaching of Common Core Content and Practices with Video Clubs, Teaching Children Mathematics. Teachers face many challenges helping students meet the expectations set forth in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010). CCSSM content standards not only introduce new concepts at each grade level but also require teachers to learn new terminology for old concepts and consider how students' understanding of concepts builds across grades. The Common Core's Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) pose an even greater challenge, as these "habits of mind," or processes for doing mathematics, will be assessed in many states for the first time. CCSSM expectations demand such effective teaching practices as those outlined in "Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All" (NCTM 2014). This article describes how using video clubs for professional development can help teachers effectively implement CCSSM. The authors provide an overview of video clubs and why they are useful, share key experiences from their own work conducting video clubs with practicing teachers, and provide recommendations for others who wish to start video clubs. [More] Descriptors: Common Core State Standards, Mathematics Education, Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods
(2014). 21st Century Educators: Developing and Supporting Great Career and Technical Education Teachers. Special Issues Brief. Revised Edition, Center on Great Teachers and Leaders. This Special Issues Brief from the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) offers insight into three human capital management policies that are critical for career and technical education (CTE) teachers: certification, performance evaluation, and professional development. CTE teachers are uniquely positioned to improve college and career readiness for all students, and yet major federal and state education reforms, such as the Common Core State Standards, teacher evaluation, and ESEA flexibility have paid insufficient attention to direct supports for CTE teachers. This brief is a first step in addressing these policy gaps by offering state education leaders an overview of the current policy landscape, its implications for CTE teacher effectiveness, and next steps for creating aligned and coherent human capital management policies. Specifically, this brief helps states do the following: (1) Develop an understanding of the national policy landscape on certification, evaluation, and professional development for teachers in CTE fields; (2) Review and assess current state policies for all teachers in addition to policies specific to CTE teachers so as to help (a) recruit and retain more CTE teachers, (b) improve CTE teacher effectiveness, and (c) properly support CTE teachers in implementing new standards such as the Common Core State Standards and the Common Career Technical Core; and (3) Recognize the importance of creating CTE human capital management policies that promote systems thinking rather than an "initiatives" approach. A systems mindset to improving educator effectiveness ensures greater coherence and comprehensiveness in addressing educators' needs, for both CTE teachers and educators overall. The brief is intended for regional centers, SEA policymakers and staff (including state educator effectiveness leads and state directors of CTE), CTE advocacy groups, CTE professional organizations, and educator quality organizations. These stakeholders can build awareness about the importance of CTE in realizing federal and state policy priorities and work together to ensure that human capital management policies promote CTE teacher effectiveness. A glossary of terms is included. A list of additional resources are appended. [More] Descriptors: Career Education, Technical Education, Capacity Building, Vocational Education Teachers
(2014). Afterschool Supporting Students with Disabilities and Other Special Needs. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 64. The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second in their latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This series explores afterschool and: the Common Core State Standards, students with disabilities and other special needs, data utilization to improve programming, and keeping children safe and supported. Based on the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics' most recent report, 13 percent of public school students, approximately 6.4 million students were identified as having a disability or other special need and served by a federally supported special education program. Research shows that, compared to students without disabilities, students with disabilities and other special needs face additional challenges as they move through school and into adulthood. Afterschool programs create a safe space where students of all abilities can learn and grow side-by-side, respecting and appreciating one another's similarities and differences. This issue brief highlights the valuable source of support afterschool programs offer to students of all abilities and presents examples of programs that provide an inclusive environment that fosters a sense of belonging and promotes the overall success of every student. [For the related reports, see "Afterschool and the Common Core State Standards. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 63" (ED546845); "Keeping Kids Safe and Supported in the Hours after School. MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 65" (ED546850).] [More] Descriptors: After School Programs, Middle School Students, Disabilities, Special Needs Students
(2017). Methods and Strategies: Science Notebooks as Learning Tools, Science and Children. Writing in science is a natural way to integrate science and literacy and meet the goals set by the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") and the "Common Core State Standards" ("CCSS"), which call for learners to be engaged with the language of science. This means that students should record observations, thoughts, and data as scientists do, but more important, they should engage in the practices of making and defending claims, engaging in argument based on evidence, and communicating what they have learned. Science notebooks are one means to engage students with the scientific practices and the language of science. Notebooks serve as a means to record observations, collect data, and summarize investigations; however, they should also be used to explain thinking, to develop arguments that demonstrate understanding, and to connect ideas across concepts. These latter tasks are associated with higher student learning. This is what the K-5 teachers the author worked with came to realize as they analyzed their students' notebooks within a professional study group, with some participating over a four-year period. The teachers met once a month to discuss science notebooks and professional literature related to writing in science in order to improve their practice. This article highlights the teachers' progress over time as they moved from mechanical to insightful use of science notebooks. [More] Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Elementary School Science, Science Education, Writing Instruction
(2017). Reducing Achievement Gaps in Academic Writing for Latinos and English Learners in Grades 7-12, Journal of Educational Psychology. This study reports 2 years of findings from a randomized controlled trial designed to replicate and demonstrate the efficacy of an existing, successful professional development program, the Pathway Project, that uses a cognitive strategies approach to text-based analytical writing. Building on an earlier randomized field trial in a large, urban, low socioeconomic status (SES) district in which 98% of the students were Latino and 88% were mainstreamed English learners (ELs) at the intermediate level of fluency, the project aimed to help secondary school students, specifically Latinos and mainstreamed ELs, in another large, urban, low-SES district to develop the academic writing skills called for in the rigorous Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. The Pathway Project draws on well-documented instructional frameworks that support approaches that incorporate strategy instruction to enhance students' academic literacy. Ninety-five teachers in 16 secondary schools were stratified by school and grade and then randomly assigned to the Pathway or control group. Pathway teachers participated in 46 hr of training to help students write analytical essays. Difference-in-differences and regression analyses revealed significant effects on student writing outcomes in both years of the intervention (Year 1, d = 0.48; Year 2, d = 0.60). Additionally, Pathway students had higher odds than control students of passing the California High School Exit Exam in both years. [More] Descriptors: Reading Achievement, Randomized Controlled Trials, Program Effectiveness, Faculty Development
(2017). Quality Matters: Content Literacy for English Language Learners, TESOL Journal. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) require students to read and comprehend complex content texts. They specify three dimensions of a text that simultaneously contribute to text complexity across the curriculum: qualitative dimensions, quantitative dimensions, and reader and task considerations. In literacy instruction, recognizing and analyzing the qualitative dimension of a content text is the most challenging for teachers (Frey, Fisher, & Lapp, 2012). This article describes a TESOL course project to target the qualitative analysis of complex texts assigned to in-service content teachers pursuing a TESOL endorsement. Building on the definition of text complexity specified in the CCSS and drawing on the text analysis tools of systemic functional linguistics, the project requires the teachers to conduct a comparative qualitative analysis of two quantitatively comparable content texts to enhance their own understanding of text complexity in order to design effective teaching strategies to support content literacy development of English language learners. An analysis of two literary texts is presented to illustrate the breadth and depth of this project, with suggestions of teaching strategies. [More] Descriptors: Second Language Learning, English Language Learners, Common Core State Standards, Reading Comprehension
(2012). Understanding the Skills in the Common Core State Standards, Achieve, Inc.. As defined on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) website, "the Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn… reflecting the "knowledge" and "skills" that our young people need for success in college and careers." While the "knowledge" defined within the CCSS is apparent–the content itself–the "skills" that are imparted by the standards may be less apparent. What specifically should students be able to "do" as a result of mastering the CCSS in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA/literacy)? Beyond the mastery of concepts and content, with what skills–and even more important, what "transferable" skills–will students leave high school? To answer these questions, Achieve commissioned an analysis to identify the types and range of skills reflected in the CCSS in mathematics and ELA/literacy, using two sets of skills statements as benchmarks–the Deeper Learning Standards and the Career Cluster Essential Knowledge and Skills Statements. Based on this analysis, Achieve found that: (1) Many skills are reflected throughout the CCSS in either or both subjects–skills such as communications, teamwork/collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking and research skills; (2) The CCSS articulate a set of skills that require an academic foundation in ELA/literacy or mathematics but have technical elements or applications–such as work-based communications and job-seeking skills–that are outside the scope of the CCSS; (3) The CCSS include skills that could be reflected in CCSS-aligned instruction, such as adaptability and motivation/self-discipline, even though they are not explicitly required or called out in the CCSS; (4) Finally, some skills–mostly technical or work-based in nature, such as career planning, ethical reasoning and conflict resolution skills–are simply outside the scope of the mathematics and ELA/literacy CCSS. Appended are: (1) Standards and Skills Statements Coding; and (2) Commonly Identified CCSS. (Contains 6 tables and 8 endnotes.) [Contributions provided by Jason Weedon, Chad Colby and Rebecca Wittenstein.] [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, State Standards, Communication Skills, Job Skills
(2013). The Common Core State Standards and Reading: Interpretations and Implications for Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities, Learning Disabilities Research & Practice. The K-5 reading standards within the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards provide guidance to teachers about grade level expectations for students. Though the authors of the standards acknowledge that some students may experience difficulty reaching the rigorous expectations, they explain that the standards outline a pathway to proficiency for all students, including those who struggle with literacy. Students with learning disabilities, who often have significant literacy difficulties, may face particular challenges when their instruction is framed by these standards. This article unpacks the complex K-5 reading standards and provides a discussion of the implications for students with learning disabilities and their general and special education teachers. Examples from K-5 lessons and recommendations for teachers and researchers are provided. [More] Descriptors: Learning Disabilities, State Standards, Guidance, Special Education Teachers
(2013). 5 Tips for Creating Independent Activities Aligned with the Common Core State Standards, TEACHING Exceptional Children. Promoting independence in all students is one important part of education. It can be difficult for educators to identify meaningful tasks that students with severe disabilities can complete with full independence. By incorporating visual supports into a student's independent work, the teacher is providing the student with an opportunity to practice previously mastered skills while promoting independence, task completion, and increasing response chain length. Teachers can utilize a base of readily available materials in order to individualize a student's independent work based on their individualized education plan. This article provides a variety of tasks to be used for independent work that use readily available items in schools, grocery stores, and craft stores. Tasks range in difficulty to meet the needs of a variety of students; corresponding Common Core State Standards are provided. Fine motor skills are incorporated into every task. Photographs of actual tasks are included. [More] Descriptors: Independent Study, Academic Standards, State Standards, Disabilities
(2013). EJ Extra: Mathematical Language and the Common Core State Standards for English, English Journal. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) urge English language arts teachers to assume responsibility for teaching technical reading, along with literature, poetry, and composition. Ideally, each teacher assumes a share in developing reading proficiency within his or her content area, but state assessments may implicitly compel school districts to place this burden disproportionately on English teachers. In response to the challenges imposed by the CCSS, this note endeavors to support those English teachers who might initiate collaboration with math faculty to teach mathematical reading and writing. Mathematical language is distinct from everyday language, and English language arts teachers could team with mathematics teachers to provide specialized support to students transitioning to more formal mathematical reading and writing. In this article, the author contrasts the use of language, vocabulary, and symbolism in mathematics to that of everyday English, hoping to motivate interdisciplinary discussion. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Teacher Collaboration, English for Special Purposes, Mathematics Education