Pelham Memorial High School

THE COMMON CORE AND NEW STATE

EXAMINATIONS

In July, 2010, The Board of Regents adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts & Literacy, and Mathematics.

In January, 2011, New York-specific additions were incorporated into the NYS Common Core Leaning Standards (CCLS).

As a result, New York State has been engaged in a revision of the current State assessment program to measure the New York State P-12 CCLS.

In the summer of 2011, NYSED articulated the 12 instructional shifts necessary for alignment with the CCLS. These are:

THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

Common Core Shifts in ELA/Literacy

Shift 1 Pre-K-5, Balancing Informational & Literary Texts

Shift 2 6-12, Knowledge in the Disciplines

Shift 3 Staircase of Complexity

Shift 4 Text-based Answers

Shift 5 Writing from Sources

Shift 6 Academic Vocabulary

6 INSTRUCTIONAL SHIFTS IN ELA

Students read non-fiction, essays, and speeches in addition to stories.

Students learn through reading rather than other activities.

Reading gets harder each year, leading towards college-level.

Classroom experiences should be rooted in text. Students use evidence from texts in discussions and

written arguments.Students complete short, focused research writing. Students build the vocabulary they need to read

complex texts at each level.

IN LAYMAN’S TERMS, THIS MEANS . . .

An important focus of the CCLS is on students’ ability to independently access texts.

In order to do this, they must develop a wide reaching vocabulary that can be used across all of their subject areas.

We are therefore engaged in an interdisciplinary focus on vocabulary including: Direct instruction via vocabulary textbooks 6-12 study of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes Collaborative focus on “Tier 2” (general academic) words

(calibrate, itemize, periphery, faltered, unabashedly) Subject specific focus on “Tier 3” (domain specific) words

(legislature, circumference, aorta, metonymy) Alignment of classroom language to CCLS terms (argument,

claim, evidence, synthesize, tone, rhetoric)

VOCABULARY ACQUISITION

A Lexile score is one measure through which the complexity of a particular text can be measured.

The CCLS set target bands for each grade level to “stretch” to if students are to stay on track for college readiness.

For 6th grade it’s 925L to 1070L. For 11 th grade it’s 1185L-1385L.

The Hunger Games is 810L. Moby Dick is 1200L.

Most non-fiction texts have a higher Lexile level than fiction texts.

WHAT’S A “LEXILE”?

Common Core Shifts in Mathematics

Shift 1 Focus

Shift 2 Coherence

Shift 3 Fluency

Shift 4 Deep Understanding

Shift 5 Application

Shift 6 Dual Intensity

6 INSTRUCTIONAL SHIFTS IN MATH

Students will be instructed in fewer standards in order to gain a deeper understanding.

Content will spiral each year in order to provide building blocks for new content.

Computational Fluency is stressed. Students can explain “why”, not just the

“how,” of mathematics.Students must apply his/her math knowledge

to a given application or scenario.Both PROCESS and CONTENT are stressed as

key aspects of learning in the math classroom.

IN LAYMAN’S TERMS, THIS MEANS . . .

In Spring 2013, New York State administered the first ELA/Literacy and Mathematics Common Core tests in grades 3-8.

According to NYSED, these tests were created to provide families and educators with better measures of student proficiency in the knowledge and skills students need to succeed in college and careers.

The tests differed from previous exams in a number of key ways:

THE COMMON CORE 3-8 EXAMS

2010 2013

ELA 8 – 2010 VS. 2013 MULTIPLE CHOICE

2010

2013

ELA 8 – 2010 VS. 2013SHORT RESPONSE

2010

2013

ELA 8 – 2010 VS. 2013EXTENDED RESPONSE

20102013

2010

2013

MATH 8 – 2010 VS. 2013MULTIPLE CHOICE

2010

MATH 8 – 2010 VS. 2013EXTENDED RESPONSE

2013

MATH 8 – 2010 VS. 2013EXTENDED RESPONSE

All students first entering Grade 9 in the 2013-14 school year or thereafter must pass the new Regents Exam in ELA (Common Core) to meet graduation requirements.

All students who first entered Grade 9 prior to the 2013-14 school year may meet the requirements for graduation by passing the new Regents Exam in ELA (Common Core) or the Regents Comprehensive Exam in English (2005 Learning Standards), while that exam is still being offered.

ELA REGENTS IMPLEMENTATION

ELA REGENTS IMPLEMENTATION

All students first entering an Algebra program in the 2013-14 school year or thereafter must pass the new Regents Exam in Algebra (Common Core) to meet graduation requirements.

All students who first entered an Algebra program prior to the 2013-14 school year may meet the requirements for graduation by passing the new Regents Algebra Exam (Common Core) or the Integrated Algebra Regents Exam (2005 Learning Standards), while that exam is still being offered.

MATH REGENTS IMPLEMENTATION

MATH REGENTS IMPLEMENTATION

PART 1 - READING COMPREHENSION 60 minutes

2 – 3 texts Up to approximately 2,600 words total Each test will contain at least one literature and one informational

text. Students will perform a close reading of the texts and answer 24

multiple choice questions.

PART 2 – WRITING FROM SOURCES 90 minutes

2 – 5 texts Up to approximately 2,600 words total Each test will contain at least two informational texts and, in

addition, may contain graphics or one literature text. Students will perform a close reading of the texts and write a source-

based argument, as directed by the task.

TEST BLUEPRINT –CCLS ENGLISH REGENTS

PART 3 – TEXT ANALYSIS 30 minutes

1 text Up to approximately 1,000 words Each test will contain one literature or one

informational text. Students will perform a close reading of the text and

write a two to three paragraph response that identifies a central idea in the text and analyzes how the author’s use of one writing strategy (literary element or literary technique or rhetorical device) develops this central idea.

TEST BLUEPRINT –CCLS ENGLISH REGENTS

Emphasizes the use of specific text-based evidence and a demand for close reading of the text. 

Multiple-choice questions may involve multiple steps to arrive at a correct answer.

More complex literary and informational texts. Students write an evidence-based argument using a

collection of authentic texts that relate to a specific event, topic or issue.

Students write a 2-3 paragraph response that identifies a central idea in a text and analyzes how the author’s use of one writing strategy (literary element or technique or rhetorical device) develops this central idea.

No listening section. No Critical Lens essay.

WHAT’S “NEW” ABOUT THE NEW ENGLISH REGENTS?

2013 2014

CCLS ELA REGENTS – 2013 VS. 2014

MULTIPLE CHOICE

2013

2014

CCLS ELA REGENTS – 2013 VS. 2014

SHORT RESPONSE VS. TEXT ANALYSIS

CCLS ELA REGENTS – 2013 VS. 2014

CRITICAL LENS VS. WRITING FROM SOURCES

20132014

TEST BLUEPRINT – CCLS MATH REGENTS

WHAT’S “NEW” ABOUT THE NEW MATH REGENTS?

Multiple-choice questions may involve multiple steps to arrive at a correct answer.

Questions ask students to compare graphs, functions, or situations that are presented in separate ways (ex: words, graph then table);

Assessments will include more questions that require students to take multiple steps in order to solve them;

Change from 30 to 24 multiple choice questions

Integrated Algebra: 3 2-point, 3 3-point, and 3 4-point questions

Common Core Algebra: 8 2-point, 4 4-point, and 1 6-point questions

2013 2014

CCLS MATH REGENTS – 2013 VS. 2014

2013 2014

Donna wants to make trail mix made up of almonds, walnuts and raisins. She wants to mix one part almonds, two parts

walnuts, and three parts raisins. Almonds cost $12 per

pound, walnuts cost $9 per pound, and raisins cost $5 per

pound.

Donna has $15 to spend on the trail mix. Determine how

many pounds of trail mix she can make.

CCLS MATH REGENTS – 2013 VS. 2014

The difference between two numbers

is 28. The larger number is 8 less than two timesthe smaller

number. Find both numbers.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Parent Links: • http://www.engageny.org/parent-and-family-resources • http://

www.engageny.org/sites/default/files/resource/attachments/parent_workshop_common_core_resources_for_parents_to_learn_more.pdf

Sample Questions:• http://

www.engageny.org/resource/sample-student-work-from-the-2013-nys-ela-common-core-test

Information about the New Regents:• http://www.engageny.org/resource/regents-exams

QUESTIONS?