CCSS implementation: Progress, but still more to do
November 2013
More than 90 percent of school districts in a recent statewide survey on preparations for the Common Core State Standards have “integrated the new standards into existing leadership structure,” reported the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association and the Sacramento County Office of Education.
Nearly all districts responding said they had implementation plans for developing Common Core curriculum, providing staff training, designing formative assessments to guide instruction, and integrating technology into classroom teaching.
However, just 18 months before California schools are scheduled to officially transition to new computerized Common Core assessments, only a quarter to a third of districts reported having a formal communications plan to educate students, parents and the local community about the new standards and the dramatic changes in teaching and testing on the horizon.
And just over a third of districts have updated their technology plans to include information about the Common Core and the computerized Smarter Balanced assessments that will test critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A total of 809 school districts provided information for the Common Core State Standards Implementation Survey, conducted in September and October at the request of the State Board of Education.
Sacramento COE Deputy Superintendent Sue Stickle and Shasta County Assistant Superintendent Judy Flores presented survey findings at the State Board of Education’s Nov. 6-7 meeting. Also involved in the survey was the Consortium for the Implementation of the CCSS, a group that includes the CSBA.
Teri Burns, CSBA’s senior director for Policy and Programs, said the survey points out just how much work lies ahead for local educational agencies that have been underfunded and understaffed for years.
“While the survey results are not surprising, they are concerning,” Burns said. “There is much work to be undertaken by already under-resourced school districts in a very short time. In an ideal world, we’d have 100 percent of districts well into preparations by now.”
Guide outlines implementation steps
The presentation to the State Board also included CCSESA’s new Leadership Planning Guide, which includes specific strategies for implementing 10 key Common Core components like curriculum and instruction, professional development, capacity building and leadership development. Authors called the guide a “dynamic document that will continue to change and grow” as research continues and LEAs gain more real-world experience with the new standards.
“The new leadership guide is really a concise list of the first steps districts should be taking to effectively implement the Common Core,” said Burns, who joined CSBA Executive Director Vernon M. Billy in providing a local governance perspective to the writing team. “It gives important tips about key questions to ask and pitfalls to watch for.”