Richville Public Schools

March 17, 2014

Administrative Center, 10101 Shamrock Dr., St. Patrick, Michigan 48777

Volume 21
555.77 7.1000

Issue 1

The Common Core State Standards

This year, students in Richville Public Schools, in Michigan, and across the nation are taking part in an important transition designed to increase academic success at an international level. RPS and other statewide school districts are in the process of implementing new national standards in English language arts and mathematics known as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The standards, adopted by the Michigan State Board of Education in 2010, with full implementation planned in 2014-2015, will have a greater impact on our schools this year and on how we assess student success in the future.

Development of CCSS
The CCSS were developed by a diverse group of educators and parents in cooperation with the nations governors. They establish clarity about what students should know and be able to do when completing each grade, K-12, in math and English language arts in order to be on track for readiness for college and careers. The CCSS were designed to advance several important objectives:

The Common Core State Standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. corestandards.org

Implementing a thinking curriculum based on proven research and educational experiences Building upon current state standards as a foundation for acquiring deeper research, writing and problem-solving skills Preparing students for success in college and careers Providing students with increasingly rigorous, internationally-based content expectations Ensuring U.S. students are as academically successful as their peers in other top-performing nations Preparing students to compete successfully in the global economy.

Page 2

Common Core State Standards/RPS

Our Commitment to Exemplary Teaching and Leaning

Richville Public Schools has a long established commitment to exemplary teaching and learning. RPS administrators and teachers welcome the Common Core State Standards as an extension of what we are already doing. Our leadership in college and careerready preparation that begins in kindergarten not only makes it possible for every child to achieve, but also positions our teachers and students to readily embrace the new standards.

Building on the excellent foundation of standards states have laid, the Common Core State Standards are the first step in providing our young people with a high-quality education. It should be clear to every student, parent, and teacher what the standards of success are in every school.
corestandards.org

Students are expected to do more than learn the content of English language arts and mathematics. How they experience the content matters. Students will be expected to interact with peers during class. These interactions will help students learn the skill of collaboration. Engaging in discourse will be the norm. For example in mathematics, one of The Mathematical Practices states that students will construct viable arguments and critique the work of others. Students who meet the Standards in ELA develop the skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are the foundation for any creative and purposeful expression in language.corestandards.org

Our staff has engaged in professional development specific to the CCSS and has been and will continue to make instructional changes in line with the new standards. As stakeholders in our childrens education and Michigans economic future, it is important for the community to learn how they can support their children through the transition.

Common Core State Standards/RPS

Page 3

Parent Support
We are asking parents to become aware of important changes in their childs education. These changes will result in deeper learning. The CCSS emphasize higher-order problem-solving skills that will lead students to apply their content knowledge to realworld challenges.

The new instructional practices and higher expectations will require a period of transition before proving successful. As we move to fully implement the Common Core State Standards and assessments in the coming months and years, Richville Public Schools will always embrace and advance higher learning standards. With your support, we will continue to enable every child to achieve.

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. corestandards.org

Common Core State Standards Criteria

The standards were developed with attention to the following criteria: o Alignment with expectations for college and career success o Clarity o Consistency across all states o Inclusion of content and the application of knowledge through higher-order skills o Improvement upon current state standards and demands of top-performing nations o Reality based, for effective use in the classroom o Evidence and research based With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy. http://www.corestandards.org/

The Standards set requirements not only for English language arts (ELA) but also for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. corestandards.org

Page 4

Common Core State Standards/RPS

Links to Resources
More about the Common Core State Standards can be found at the following links: Implementing the Common Core State Standards: http://www.corestandards.org/ Frequently Asked Questions-Common Core State Standards:
http://www.corestandards.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions

MathematicsGrade Level Common Core State Standards:

http://www.corestandards.org/Math

English Language ArtsGrade Level Common Core State Standards:

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

Graduation requirements: http://www.misd.net/HSGraduation/HSgradbook.pdf Parent guides by the National PTA: http://www.pta.org/common_core_state_standards.asp Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium www.smarterbalanced.org/parents-students/

Future Support
There will be monthly newsletters devoted specifically to the Common Core State Standards. In addition to information that is provided by Richville Public Schools, look for information provided in each schools newsletter as well as information provided by classroom teachers. Working together provides the best opportunity for a smooth transition as we move forward with the Common Core State Standards.