PA COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Over the next two years, our curricular work will be focused on implementing the Common Core State Standards. Pennsylvania joined numerous other states and territories in formally adopting the Common Core the summer of 2010. These standards will eventually replace all of Pennsylavania's current state standards. There is a strong degree of alignment between our current standards for language arts and math and the new Common Core standards.
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.
Teachers have already begun to make the transition in some of their lesson and unit planning for next school year. The Keystone exams, end of course exams for graduation, are already aligned with the Common Core standards. Some of our secondary students have taken the first Keystone exams last May in order to see how effectively our current courses are aligned with the Common Core standards.
I have included a link for you to explore the Common Core initiatiative. This one will take you to our Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System. Go to "Clear Standards" then the "Common Core" tab on the far right. Be sure to contact me if you have questions or concerns as we move forward with this important work for the continued success of our students.
Pennsylvania Department of Education will call our new standards the PA Common Core. These newly revised standards have been released and shared with all schools districts in order to faciliate alignment with curriculum and eligible content in the core subject areas for all grade levels.
To access the new PA Common Core Standards, go to the SAS link: http://www.pdesas.org
then open Standards, Common Core to view the new standards in draft form for language arts and math.
