Coming Together to Raise Achievement: New Assessments for the Common Core State Standards
This guide focuses on the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), which formally began in June 2009 as a collaborative effort among nearly all U.S. states and territories. Forty-five states subsequently adopted the CCSS in mathematics and English language arts (ELA) and joined one of two consortia of states to develop and implement common assessments. The guide poses and addresses the following questions about the CCSS and other new assessments to measure student achievement: Why are so many states transitioning to shared standards and assessments? What do they hope to gain? And how much flexibility will they retain to customize these shared standards and assessments for their constituencies?
This timely and comprehensive guide addresses the Common Core States Standards (CCSS) and other new assessments. The information provided in the guide applies to all states and districts, whether or not they have adopted the CCSS or joined one of the two consortia. The guide provides insight into the elements of the CCSS and current development from the two consortia. The guide may therefore serve as a valuable resource to the current state of development for educators and other stakeholders.