The new Common Core Standards for math and language arts are scheduled to be rolled out in the 2014-2015 school year, and 44 states plus the District of Columbia are starting to shape how the Common Core will play out in their education systems.\u00a0 Teacher preparation programs, professional development, and instruction\/instructional materials all need to be aligned with the objectives of the Common Core; even more complicated is the need to develop standardized assessments to replace those currently existing in each state.<\/p>\n
Many states are struggling with this process, in part due to the mind-boggling number of moving parts that are included in adopting the Common Core.\u00a0 However, some states have found ways to begin reforming their systems in order to transition to the common core.\u00a0 Here are some shining examples: Utah.<\/strong>\u00a0 During summer 2010, Utah created the Utah Common Core Academy for more than 5,000 teachers and principals to help districts and charter schools effectively redesign curriculum and implement the Common Core.\u00a0 Sessions were held in 14 locations across the state, ensuring that each district and charter school had the chance to participate in the discussion.\u00a0 The state recognizes that \u201cthe failure in the past to get teachers on board and on the front line has destroyed confidence.\u00a0 We are building confidence through the academy\u201d said Larry Shumway, Utah\u2019s superintendent of public instruction.<\/p>\n Indiana.<\/strong>\u00a0 Indiana was the first state to align its teacher-preparation standards with the Common Core and require colleges to incorporate them into their pre-service preparation programs.\u00a0 Hundreds of teachers and education professionals across the state were involved in developing the new teacher preparation standards.\u00a0 The revised teacher preparation standards \u201creflect the content pedagogy that teachers must have to effectively implement\u2026the Common Core State Standards,\u201d said Dr. Tony Bennett, Superintendent of Public Instruction for Indiana.\u00a0 Schools also began teaching the Common Core this school year, and are on track to have the program fully implemented by the 2014 deadline.<\/p>\n Kentucky.<\/strong>\u00a0 Kentucky was the first state to provisionally adopt the Common Core, which partially explains how the state was able to roll it out in the classroom this school year.\u00a0 Starting in 2010, schools and districts began transitioning to the Kentucky Core Academic Standards for math and English, which are based on the Common Core.\u00a0 To help them through this process the state department of education created a \u201ccrosswalk,\u201d or comparison tool, between Kentucky\u2019s previous standards and the Common Core.\u00a0 This helped teachers plan their instruction and determine appropriate materials, and also to inform professional development planning.\u00a0 One of Kentucky\u2019s key goals in adopting the Common Core was reducing the number of high school graduates who need remediation before moving on to college or careers.\u00a0 This goal has helped bring together educators at both the high school and college level, who meet regularly.\u00a0 \u201cThere was quite a gap between what high school teachers and secondary faculty expected,\u201d says Dr. Terry Holliday, Kentucky\u2019s commissioner of education.\u00a0 Collaboration between the two groups enables teachers to \u201calign their expectations in accordance with the [Common Core].\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMassachusetts<\/strong>.\u00a0 Massachusetts has been working on standards (or frameworks) since 1993 that had associated assessments.\u00a0 After adopting the Common Core, not only were education professionals engaged in revising the frameworks to support the Core, but business leaders were included as well to give their perspective on what skills should be tested in order to promote college- and career-readiness.\u00a0 The state is in the process of incorporating the Core into their assessment system for some grades, to be launched next school year.\u00a0 The reason they are able to move so fast is the work they did this past summer:\u00a0 the state department of education \u201csupported 200 teachers who were involved in developing curriculum resources in products,\u201d which will act as models for districts working to align their curricula with the Common Core.\u00a0 This type of state support is critical for implementation of the Core.<\/p>\n