Common Core Changes in Teaching

According to a report from RAND Corporation, since the introduction of Common Core State Standards, math and English-language arts teachers have increased their use of standard-aligned online resources. About 60% of math teachers and 55% of English teachers used Teacherspayteachers.com for online materials in 2017, up from 41% of math teachers and 42% of English teachers in 2015. Findings also indicate that teachers' use of standards-aligned and content-focused online materials appeared to rise even though their use of published textbooks change little. Although most aspects of mathematics and ELA teachers' knowledge about their standards did not change, ELA teachers were less likely to regard the use of complex, grade-level texts as aligned with their standards in 2017 than in 2016. While researchers observed no changes in mathematics teachers' practices overall, mathematics teachers of low-vulnerability students reported that their students engaged less in some standards-aligned student practices in 2017 than in 2016; similar changes were not observed in reports of teachers serving more vulnerable students. ELA teachers reported that their students engaged less in several standards-aligned practices in 2017 than in 2016. More research is needed to consider whether teachers' instruction is changing over time and, potentially, in response to Common Core State Standards. 

Kaufman, J. H., Opfer, V. D., Bongard, M., & Pane, J. D. (2018). Changes in what teachers know and do in the Common Core era – American teacher panel findings from 2015 to 2017. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR2600/RR2658/RAND_RR2658.pdf

Common Core Reading and Writing Status

Nationally, teachers in grades 4-10 have shifted practices dramatically on vocabulary and assigning nonfiction, but they've struggled with some of the other shifts in those standards—most notably the tenet of having students of all reading abilities to grapple with grade-level texts. Most teachers now teach new words in the context of reading and conversation.Teachers continue to choose reading-level, not grade-level, texts. Evidence-based reading is common, but writing lags. Fiction reading is on the decline. To help ELA teachers, the report recommends organizing lessons around "text sets," or groups of texts on a theme or topic that are scaffolded in difficulty for students and help build background knowledge.
Griffith, D., & Duffett, A. (2018). Reading and writing instruction in America's schools. Washington, DC: T. B. Fordham Institute. https://edexcellence.net/publications/reading-and-writing-instruction-in-americas-schools

Common Core Standards – Teacher vs. Public Awareness

According to a report by the DC-based Achieve, although 46 states and Washington, D.C. have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), less than a quarter of the general public knows about the academic standards for K-12 education that are designed to prepare students for college and the workforce. A whopping three fourths of the voting public say they’ve heard nothing or not much about the standards in math and English.

Other key findings include:

-       Voters and teachers strongly support common standards and assessments. Voter support remains strong regardless of age, education level, race, ethnicity, or party affiliation.

-       There has been a significant increase in awareness of the Common Core State Standards among teachers since August 2011, while awareness of the CCSS continues to be very low among voters.

-       The more teachers know about the CCSS, the more positive impression they have of the standards. Similarly, voters who are aware of the Common Core hold a net favorable view of the standards.

-       A majority of both voters and teachers support the CCSS assessments and support holds when more information on the assessments is provided.

-       However, there are mixed reactions to some specific components of the new assessments, although voters and teachers are fairly consistent in their views on the highest and lowest rated assessment components.

Achieve (2012). Growing awareness, growing support: Teacher and voter understanding of the Common Core state standards & assessments. Washington, D.C.: Achieve. https://www.achieve.org/files/GrowingAwarenessGrowingSupportreportFINAL72012.pdf

Status of Common Core and Research

One study written by Morgan S. Polikoff discusses the status of the Common Core initiative over the last five years. This study emphasizes how researchers and the general public are interested in assessing whether and how the standards are “working.” This study examines the state of the literature on these questions and offers suggestions for important work moving forward. The author, Polikoff, hopes that through training and modeling, we can develop a new generation of educational researchers who work to bring their important research to bear on policy and practice problems of the day.

Polikoff, M. S. (2017). Is common core “working”? And where does common core research go from here? AERA Open, 3(1), 1-6. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2332858417691749

Common Core and Career Readiness study

A new report that surveys curriculum nationally found that many people in education and the workplace don’t think some of the English Language Arts and math standards — which are being used in most states — are what students and workers need to be successful in college and career. Employers say that important skills that ensures success include conscientiousness, ethical use of information, face-to-face oral communication.  In addition, gaps appear between some Core standards and what college instructors consider important for students to succeed — especially in the area of writing. 

ACT. (2016). National curriculum survey. Iowa City, IA: Author.

http://www.act.org/content/act/en/research/national-curriculum-survey.html

Pole: public's attitudes about schools

This poll captures the public’s perceptions of public schools, including the Common Core State Standards. Some of the findings deal with testing, local control, and government role.

Gallup. (2014). PDK/Gallup poll of the public's attitudes toward the public schools.
http://pdkpoll.pdkintl.org/#1
http://pdkintl.org/programs-resources/poll/

Teacher librarian-teacher collaboration survey

Teacher librarians and teachers have experienced more collaboration as school libraries become centers for research and technology-based learning. Librarians' evolving roles include 55% of librarians saying they teach students skills needed for the Common Core State Standards, and 60% of librarians reporting they recommend and/or obtain common-core-aligned instructional and resource materials. "Their role has really evolved, based on the inclusion of technology and the focus of the curriculum and the Common Core," said Kathleen Brantley, director of EdNET Insight. Shelton, CT: Market Data Retrieval.
EdNet Insight. (2014). School libraries in the digital age.  

Common Core and exit exams report

The Common Core State Standards and high-school exit exams are at odds, according to a report by the New America Foundation. Researchers recommend that states take action steps such as aligning exit exams with college- and career-readiness standards or considering alternatives to exit exams.
Hysloop, A. (2014). The case against exit exams.  New American Foundation.
http://education.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/ExitExam_FINAL.pdf

Common Core and parent support survey

Sixty-two percent of parents with school-aged children support the Common Core State Standards, according to a new survey. Only 22 percent of parents who responded to the survey told researchers they were opposed and 17 percent said they had no opinion.

The most commonly cited reason for supporting the standards, at 34 percent, was that they ensure all children learn from a uniform curriculum. Those in opposition were most likely to say, at a rate of 33 percent, that they opposed the standards because they "do not address all student needs or allow students to learn at different rates,"

Carman, B. (2014). Who supports the Common Core, Part Two. School Improvement Network.
http://www.schoolimprovement.com/who-supports-the-common-core-part-two/

Popular reading study

In reviewing what Accelerated Reader books that children are reading, a national study found that:
The number of books that students read peaks in second grade, at an average of 55.
The number of words students read in books peaks in sixth grade, when they average 16.2 books containing a total of 419,121 words.
In 12th grade, students are averaging 5.2 books a year, containing 304,252 words.
The gender gap in the average number of words students read peaks in eighth grade – with boys reading 340,515 words and girls reading 446,771.
The Common Core State Standards, adopted by the majority of states in recent years, are encouraging more reading of informational texts. But the balance of books kids read is still heavily in favor of fiction. Fifteen percent of books read by 12th-graders are nonfiction. For earlier grades, books about animals and various historical figures are the most popular.

Renaissance Learning. (2014). What kids are reading. Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Author.
http://www.renaissance.com/whatkidsarereading

Common Core, Teachers, and Literacy

A new report reveals that educators across the US feel ill-prepared to help their students achieve the new Common Core State Standards in literacy. The report, , investigates the extent to which the professional expertise of educators working together is driving standards implementation. AASL members helped provide the data used in creating this report.
National Center for Literacy Education. (2013). Remodeling Literacy Learning Together: Paths to Standards Implementation. Urbana, IL: Author.
 www.literacyinlearningexchange.org.