Common Core

Page Contents

1 Welcome to PUSD’s Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Webpage
- 1.1 Where can I see the standards?
  - 1.1.1 An Overview of the Common Core ELA/Math – Common Core FAQ
2 General Resources for Families
- 2.1 Common Core – Math
- 2.2 Common Core – English Language Arts
3 Smarter Balanced Assessment
4 Assembly Bill 484
5 Common Core State Standards Resources
- 5.1 Grades TK-5
6 Common Core State Standards Resources
- - 6.0.1 Grades 6-12 | Grades TK-5
7 Common Core State Standards Resources
- - 7.0.1 English Language Learners
8 CCSS Articles
- 8.1 Math Common Core Articles
- 8.2 General Common Core Articles

Welcome to PUSD’s Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Webpage

The Common Core State Standards describe the knowledge and skills in English Language Arts and Mathematics that students will need when they graduate, whatever their choice of college or career. These sets of standards define the knowledge and skills students should have to succeed in entry level, credit-bearing, academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards are based on the best national and international standards, giving students a competitive advantage in the global economy. This state-led effort is coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). California, along with 48 other states, has adopted the Common Core Standards. The California Department of Education, along with school districts across the state, is in the process of rolling out the standards to educators and policy-makers.

Where can I see the standards?

You can find the standards and all related official documents on the official CCSS website. For a direct link to the standards, see below:

An Overview of the Common Core ELA/Math – Common Core FAQ

Common Core Infographic – What Everyone Needs to Know About the Common Core Standards

To learn more about the Common Core State Standards, the Piedmont Unified School District is hosting educational workshops for parents throughout the 2014-15 school year. Parent Education Nights will provide opportunities for parents and community members to learn more about the CCSS, as well as the new assessment systems.

General Resources for Families

California Department of Education (CDE) – Common Core State Standards – CA Dept of Education CCSS

The Common Core State Standards – Parents and Guardians – ccssandparents

Handbook for Parents (K-8) – CCSSParentHandbook_2011

Common Core – Math

Last year, the PUSD Board of Education approved a plan for the multi-year implementation of Common Core (CC) Math, starting with new middle school math courses in 2014/15. PMS is now offering three new courses: CC 6, CC7 and CC8. Students who were enrolled in Intro to Algebra through Calculus AB during the 2013/14 school year are continuing in the 1997 California Math Standards pathways, and are not affected by the implementation of Common Core Math. (Please refer to the District’s Common Core Math FAQ for more background information)

Later this school year, the Board will adopt the next phase of Common Core math implementation. To inform decisions around this next phase, the Board created a Math Task Force (MTF) consisting of math teachers, parents, students, and administrators. The MTF is charged with considering and recommending options for math courses and math pathways in middle and high school. The MTF published a November Progress Report highlighting their efforts.

Additionally, PUSD has developed a timeline for future parent engagement opportunities on Common Core Math.

Math Task Force Recommended Math Course Pathways – FAQ
Middle & High School Pathways to College, Careers, and Citizenship, A Report for the PUSD Mathematics Task Force, Cheryl Holzmeyer, Ph.D.
PUSD Board of Education Presentation- Integrated Math – 1/14/15
Jan. 7th Parent Education Night – the key concepts behind Traditional Math and Integrated Math at the middle and high school levels
Integrated and Traditional Math FAQ – January 7, 2015
PMS Parent’s Club Presentation on Common Core Math – 12/12/14, Randall Booker – PUSD Asst. Superintendent
Common Core Mathematics Options: Assessing Traditional & Integrated Curricular Possibilities, A Report for the PUSD Mathematics Task Force, Cheryl Holzmeyer, Ph.D.
“Why Students in US Need Common Core Math.” Presented by Stanford Math Professor, Dr. Jo Boaler
Common Core Math − A Grade by Grade View for Parents, developed by Tricia Bevans and Dev Sinha of the University of Oregan Department of Mathematics – November 2014.
Dec. 1st Parent Education Night – Presentation By David Foster, Executive Director – SVMI
PUSD Common Core Math FAQ – Updated March 31, 2014
Summary of May 28, 2014 – Math Pathway Decisions – PUSD Board of Education Meeting
Math Pathway Options 5-14-14 Board of Education meeting

Highlights of the Mathematics Standards – CCSS – Mathematics Highlights
Common Core Math Practice Standards
Illustrated Mathematics – K-12 Math Standards Illustrated
State Board of Education-Adopted Appendix A: Course Placement and Sequences Recommendations
CC – Math – Where to Focus: Kindergarten
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 1st Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 2nd Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 3rd Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 4th Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 5th Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 6th Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 7th Grade
CC – Math – Where to Focus: 8th Grade

CC – Math Parent Road Map: Kindergarten
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 1st Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 2nd Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 3rd Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 4th Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 5th Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 6th Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 7th Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: 8th Grade
CC – Math Parent Road Map: High School

Common Core – English Language Arts

Highlights of the English Language Arts Standards – CCSS – ELA Highlights
English Language Arts – Anchor Strands: Reading (Foundational); Reading (Informational); Reading (Literature); Writing; Language; Speaking & Listening – K-12 Anchor Standards
Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects – Anchor Strands: Reading; Writing – K-12 Anchor Standards

Common Core Venn Diagram

Relationships and Convergences Found in the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (practices), Common Core State Standards in ELA/Literacy*(student portraits), and A Framework for K-12 Science Education (science & engineering practices).

Smarter Balanced Assessment

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is one of two multistate consortia awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Education to develop an assessment system based on the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). To achieve the goal that all students leave high school ready for college and career, Smarter Balanced is committed to ensuring that assessment and instruction embody the CCSS and that all students, regardless of disability, language or subgroup status, have the opportunity to learn this valued content and to show what they know and can do.

To learn more about the Smarter Balanced Assessment, visit the following links:

Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium – Website

SBAC Sample Questions & Performance Tasks – FAQ

SBAC Sample Questions – ELA/Literacy

SBAC Sample Questions – Mathematics

SBAC – Practice Test – for teachers/students/community members

Smarter Balanced Assessment Summary for Parents – SBACSummary2010

Smarter Balanced Assessment Fact Sheet – Smarter-Balanced-Parents-Factsheet

Assembly Bill 484

Signed into law on October 2, 2013, AB 484 (Bonilla) establishes the California Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (CalMAPP) assessment system. The CalMAPP system replaces the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. The primary purpose of the CalMAPP system is to assist teachers, administrators, and pupils and their parents by promoting high-quality teaching and learning through the use of a variety of assessment approaches and item types.

California Department of Education – Assembly Bill 484 – Q&A and Additional Resources

Common Core State Standards Resources

Grades TK-5

This first link is a general introductory overview of the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The video is three minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGD9oLofks

The video below is an overview of the math standards and how they were developed. The video is eight minutes long. It was done by the Hunt Institute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnjbwJdcPjE&list=UUF0pa3nE3aZAfBMT8pqM5PA&index=5&feature=plcp

The video is an overview of the English/language arts standards and how they were developed. The video is seven minutes long and was done by the Hunt Institute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDzTOyxRGLI&list=UUF0pa3nE3aZAfBMT8pqM5PA&index=6&feature=plcp

The video below from the Teaching Channel is a 14 minute overview of the ELA and literacy standards for grades K-12.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/common-core-standards-ela?fd=1

The video below discusses literacy in other subject areas like science, history/social studies and technical areas. This video is four minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zHWMfg_8r0&list=UUF0pa3nE3aZAfBMT8pqM5PA&index=11&feature=plcp

The link below will take you to all of the Hunt Institute videos for CCSS.

http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Digital_Resources/Common_Core_Implementation_Video_Series.html

The link below will take you to all of the Teaching Channel videos for CCSS.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos?page=1&categories=topics_common-core&q=common%20core

The link below will take you to the California Department of Education resource page for CCSS. The actual standards can be found on this page. The first two links provide the Literacy and math standards by grade level.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cc/

The link below will take you to the Sacramento County Office of Education website which has, in addition to the common core standards, the “Crosswalk” documents which line up the old standards with the new ones and show similarities and differences.

http://www.scoe.net/castandards/index.html

Common Core State Standards Resources

Grades 6-12 | Grades TK-5

This first link is a general introductory overview of the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The video is three minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGD9oLofks

The video below is an overview of the math standards and how they were developed. The video is eight minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnjbwJdcPjE&list=UUF0pa3nE3aZAfBMT8pqM5PA&index=5&feature=plcp

The video is an overview of the English/language arts standards and how they were developed. The video is seven minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDzTOyxRGLI&list=UUF0pa3nE3aZAfBMT8pqM5PA&index=6&feature=plcp

OR, below is a link to a different video on ELA and literacy. It is 14 minutes long. It was done by the Teaching Channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmLElb7yHDU