Nationwide assessment program’s goal is to establish conformity
Published in the November 27, 2013 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Dr. Norma Martinez-Palmer
Parents and students of the Morgan Hill Unified School District are going to hear a lot in the near future about the Common Core Standards Initiative, a nationwide assessment program measuring what students from kindergarten to twelfth grade should know in English and math skills at the end of each grade. The initiative’s goal is to establish conformity in education standards across the United States.
Morgan Hill Life asked Dr. Norma Martinez-Palmer, assistant superintendent of educational services with the MHUSD, to explain Common Core’s goals and what the district is doing to implement the new program.
What exactly is Common Core and what standard assessment program is it replacing?
Common Core State Standards were conceived to develop a set of consistent, voluntary, internationally-benchmarked academic standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics that would be implemented across the nation so students in every state would be prepared with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in college or a career. Since we have new standards, we need a new assessment. The new assessments will be implemented in the 2014-15 school year. These assessments will replace the California Standards Test.
Why did the state legislature decide to go with this new student testing standard?
The State of California had to align the new tests with the Common Core State Standards. The assessments will require students to use 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and global citizenship using technology. Students will have to demonstrate their knowledge by showing evidence to support their answers.
What is the Morgan Hill Unified School District doing to prepare for Common Core?
District staff is implementing a three-year plan to support full implementation. Teachers and administrators will be trained by June 2014. Teachers are writing lessons and units of study and using classroom techniques that will help students apply what they have learned. Staff is revising course descriptions and adapting existing materials to be able to teach the Common Core.
What is the response by principals and teachers in the district to preparing for Common Core?
MHUSD staff has embraced the Common Core. Principals and teachers are excited about providing students with a more rigorous curriculum and designing ways for students to see connections to what they are teaching to real life experiences. The staff believe that the Common Core State Standards and the new assessments will support all students to achieve more.
