Thursday 13 March 2014

Examining How Common Core and Indiana's Draft Standards Differ

Examining How Common Core and Indiana's Draft Standards Differ - State EdWatch - Education Week _hbEvent = function(param){}; function _hbSend(){} function _hbLink(p1, p2){} function _hbPageView(p1, p2){} Education WeekTeacherDigital DirectionsIndustry & InnovationTopSchoolJobsShop Annual ReportsBooksBack IssuesEdweek SpotlightsSubscriptionsSite LicensesReprintsAdvertise Recruitment AdvertisingDisplay AdvertisingWhite PapersProfessional Development DirectoryAdvanced Search March 4, 2014 Login | Register | Subscribe Get 2-Week Free Trial
Sign Up for FREE E-Newsletters Current Issue Topics   Assessment and TestingBudget and FinanceBullyingCharter SchoolsCommon StandardsCurriculum and InstructionE-Learning English-Language LearnersFederal PolicyHigh SchoolsLaw and CourtsLeadership and ManagementNo Child Left BehindProfessional Development Race to the TopResearchSpecial EducationState News by StateTeaching ProfessionTechnologyUnionsSee All TopicsBlogs  Reports & Data   Leaders to Learn FromQuality CountsDiplomas CountTechnology CountsSpecial Reporting SeriesState Highlights Reports EdCounts DatabaseEdWeek MapsEPE Research CenterERS Practical Tools for District TransformationEvents   PD WebinarsWebinarsChatsLeaders to Learn FromLive EventsLive Events VideosCalendarDiscussions   ForumsChatsTeacher Book ClubWebinarsOpinion  Multimedia   VideosInfographicsPhoto GalleriesAudio Galleries

State EdWatchEducation Week's blogs > State EdWatchSee our States news coverage State EdWatch
Andrew Ujifusa

Andrew Ujifusa covers state education policy for Education Week, from new legislation and trends to eye-catching political battles. He previously worked at newspapers in Maryland and Mississippi, and taught high school English in Japan. 3769437694 « Calling Common-Core Implementation 'Botched' NEA Calls for Changes |Main| Bipartisan Support Clear for Early Education at Governors' Gathering »

Examining How Common Core and Indiana's Draft Standards DifferBy Andrew Ujifusa on February 20, 2014 11:25 AM Tweet

Now that Indiana has released the draft version of English/language arts and math standards intended to replace the Common Core State Standards, we can try to discern where the standards actually differ.

As a sample, let's look at the youngest students—kindergarteners—and see how the two sets of standards handle the teaching of measurement and data. I chose this area in part because the language and concepts will be as basic (and therefore, hopefully, as clear) as possible. Here's a screenshot of the standards in the Indiana College and Career Ready Standards:

IndianaKMeasurementStds.PNG

In those draft Indiana standards, the three standards above the grey bar are for measurement, the three below are for data.

Now, here's how the Common Core State Standards deal with measurement and data for kindergarteners:

CCSSKMeasurementStds.PNG

Some initial, superficial observations are that there are only three discrete standards in the common core in this area, while there are a total of six in Indiana's draft standards. This isn't surprising, since one of common core's main selling points is that it requires teachers to address fewer content standards across the board, but allows them to address each standard that is included in more detail in their classrooms. 

One other thing that jumps out quickly is that the third standard from Indiana is the same, word for word, as the first standard from common core: "Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object."

Now, look at the first standard from Indiana. It asks students to make direct comparisons between two objects and recognize the differences between them. It specifies a number of ways the two objects can be distinguished, such as length, weight, and temperature. Now contrast it to the second standard from common core, which also asks students to compare two objects, but doesn't ennumerate the different categories through which the objects can be distinguished. It provides an example and asks students to describe the difference, which the Indiana standard doesn't explicitly do. The common core standard also seems to leave more latitude in terms of how the objects can be compared.

One notable contrast is the second Hoosier standard, which requires students to understand concepts of time, such as morning and afternoon, and also to recognize that calendars and clocks measure time. You won't find the concept of time addressed in the common core standards in question. This is in the same vein as something I wrote about recently, when the Florida state school board altered the common core to require that basic and practical financial concepts be taught. There's an emphasis on every-day life in the shifts Florida has made and that Indiana is now considering. Here's the new Florida standard on money that was added:

FloridaDecimalStandard.PNG

Another Indiana standard not found in common core standards is having students formulate questions that they must answer by organizing data using pictures, graphs, and objects. And a separate standard requires Indiana student to "record and organize information using objects and pictures." (CLARIFICATION: The common core does contain these two standards regarding pictures and organizing information, but in later grades and not in kindergarten.) So the authors of these draft Indiana standards have taken pains to spell out some specific examples of how the standards could actually be taught in classrooms.

Now, that's just one comparison of one area of the standards in one grade. But perhaps some of the differences and similarities identified are instructive. 

I asked Marc Porter Magee, a supporter of the common core standards and the president of 50CAN, a nationwide K-12 advocacy group, how important the gap between the Indiana standards and the common core is for the state's public schools. He said that while states can make some alterations or additions to the standards and still keep them essentially at the same level of quality, at some point, major deviations from the common core will make the new standards into a lesser product overall.

"If Indiana went back to their old standards, that would be a step backwards," he said. 

Categories:Standards State Boards State PolicyTags:common core common-core pushback indiana kindergarten mathPrint PrintEmail EMail entryBookmark and Share TweetYou must be logged in to leave a comment. Login | Register Ground Rules for Posting
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.

Get 10 free stories, e-newsletters, and more!Email
Password

Select your primary connection to education District Superintendent, Deputy/Asst. Superintendent District Leadership - Technology District Leadership - Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, PD District Leadership - Business, Communications, HR District Personnel - Other (Admin., Specialist, etc.) School-based Leadership (Principal, Asst. Principal) Teacher - Early Childhood/Elementary Teacher - Middle School Teacher - High School School-based Technology Coordinator School-based Personnel - Other (Admin., Specialist, etc.) Library Personnel/Media Specialist University or College Faculty/Administration Federal Government Personnel State Government Personnel Education Product/Service Provider (including Consultants) Investment Community Association/Advocacy Organization Philanthropy Education Research/Analysis Media Education Services Agency School Board Member Student Parent/Community Member

Send me Edweek Update e-newsletter (Daily)

By clicking "Register" you are agreeing to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Follow This Blog Subscribe to RSS feed via Email Follow us on Twitter Follow This Blog Recent Entries Draft Indiana Standards Get Chilly Response at Public Hearing Bipartisan Support Clear for Early Education at Governors' Gathering Examining How Common Core and Indiana's Draft Standards Differ Calling Common-Core Implementation 'Botched' NEA Calls for Changes Indiana Releases Draft of New Academic Standards to Replace Common Core Advertisement

Most Viewed on Education Week Categories--- Select a Category ---Academic Achievement (80)Arne Duncan (39)Budgets (130)Charters (52)Elections (112)Foundations (8)Governors (475)Lawsuits (62)Legislatures (341)Misconduct (23)Race to the Top (88)School Choice (62)School Finance (138)Standards (132)State Boards (102)State Policy (465)State superintendents (218)Stimulus (24)Taxes (39)Teachers unions (119)Title One (3)Turnarounds (29) Archives Select a Month... February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 Recent Comments Principal School District of Clayton, Clayton, MO Superintendent Ridgefield Public Schools, Ridgefield, CT Director of Bilingual Programs and Instructional Equity Verona Area School District, Verona, WI Middle School Director of Curriculum & Instruction Cornerstone Preparatory School, Memphis, TN Superintendent of Schools Community Consolidated School District 181, Hinsdale, IL Principal - Landrum Middle School: District-Charter Collaboration SKY Partnership - School Year 2014 Spring Branch ISD, Houston, TX 77024, TX MORE EDUCATION JOBS >> Post a Job >> Powered by Movable Type Pro Account Management •Register or Subscribe •Online Account •Print Subscription •Manage E-Newsletters/
Preferences •Site Licenses Contact Us •Help/FAQ •Customer Service •Editor Feedback •Letters
to the Editor Policies •User Agreement •Privacy •Reprints Advertise with Us •Display Advertising •Recruitment
Advertising EPE Info •About Us •Staff •Work@EPE •Mission and History Education Week Publications •Education Week •Teacher •Digital Directions •Industry & Innovation •PD Directory •TopSchoolJobs

© 2014 Editorial Projects in Education

6935 Arlington Road, Bethesda MD 20814 1-800-346-1834 (Main Office) 1-800-445-8250 (Customer Service)

[MESSAGE]

UserID:

iCustID:

IsLogged: false

IsSiteLicense: false

UserType: anonymous

DisplayName:

TrialsLeft: 3

Trials:




Tier Preview Log:

Exception pages ( /edweek/state_edwatch/2014/02/examining_how_common_core_and_indianas_draft_standards_differ.html ) = NO

Internal request ( 39.55.57.158 ) = NO

Open House ( 2014-03-04 12:16:50 ) = NO

Site Licence : ( 39.55.57.158 ) = NO

ACL Free A vs U ( 2100 vs 0 ) = NO

Token Free (NO TOKEN FOUND) = NO

Blog authoring preview = NO

Search Robot ( unknown ) = NO

Purchased ( 0 ) = NO

Monthly ( : 0 / 3 ) = NO

Can add to monthly ( /edweek/state_edwatch/2014/02/examining_how_common_core_and_indianas_draft_standards_differ.html ) = YES

Add to monthly ( ) = NO

Access granted ( 7 ) = YES





View the original article here

No comments:

Post a Comment