PDE Update

Superintendents: February 23, 2010

Curriculum Coordinators: March 16, 2010

Revised by Jarol DeVoge: February 20, 2010

Core Standards - Jean Dyszel

What will be the Impact on Pennsylvania?

  • The Race to the Top Application that PDE submitted garnered more points if adopting Core Standards by a certain date - PDE agreed to this.
  • After looking at our newly revised Math and LA standards - PDE seems to think there is a strong connection to College and Career Ready Standards.
  • The work that is currently being done - there is some real effort to have it look and feel similar to the current way the new Pa Standards have been written in strands - like fluency, comprehension, etc... in language arts.
  • Currently the core standards are in their 4th iteration - will be up for public comment prior to the final release
  • Forspecifics, see details, below:

What are Common Core standards?

Currently, each state has its own academic standards – meaning that students across the country are learning at different levels. Common Core standards in English-language arts (ELA) and math will help ensure that all students are prepared for college and career in core subjects.

This initiative is being led by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA) with the participation of 48 states (including Pennsylvania), two territories and the District of Columbia. The main goals for this consortium are to create standards that are “research and evidence-based, aligned with college and work expectations, include rigorous content and skills and are internationally benchmarked”.

The Common Core will be developed in two phases and result in K-12 standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The first phase included the development and validation of college and career-readiness standards (completed in November 2009) which outlined the expectations for students upon completion of high school. The second phase is the development of standards from kindergarten through grade 12. These will be released in March 2010. A state and public comment and review process will precede the final release.

What process will Pennsylvania use for adoption of the Common Core standards?

Along with the other 48 states, 2 territories and D.C., Pennsylvania has agreed that the Common Core will represent at least 85 percent of academic standards in reading and math.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Education plans to adopt Common Core academic standards in ELA and math conditioned on two assumptions: (1) the State Board will be provided ample opportunity to conduct a thorough and public vetting of the Common Core that will support successful implementation; and (2) the Common Core will be no less rigorous than the revised state-level standards the State Board was in the process of adopting.

To meet the August 2, 2010 target for adoption of Common Core identified in Pennsylvania’s Race to the Top (RTTT) application, the Board must pursue an expedited regulatory promulgation. This process will begin in March with a thorough, independent study that compares Common Core with the state’s existing standards framework in reading and math. The results of this study will be presented at a public meeting of the Board and posted on its website.

Following completion of the alignment study, the Board’s Academic Standards Committee will hold a series of public roundtables across the Commonwealth to gather feedback on the Common Core and suggestions for successful implementation should the Board adopt the Common Core. In addition, the Board will invite written comment from education stakeholders, policymakers and the public. Any action on adoption will be preceded by two weeks of written public notice.

Where can I go for additional information?

The Pennsylvania Department of Education will continue to provide updates on its website.

In addition, the Common Core website – – maintained by CCSSO and NGA provides information regarding the standards review and validation process, work and feedback group members, as well as drafts of the standards, summaries and presentations.

The college- and career-readiness standards are available at

PVAAS – Kristen Lewald

  • Handouts: Grade 8 to Grade 11 PVAAS Projections for each of your high schools - colored copies along with direction sheet on how to read the report and what to do with it.
  • Directions on how to save student projection reports so they can be used in future years as the data is not archived.
  • do this now... when new data entered - current reports will be gone

 PVAAS Projections to SATs - on hold... release in the future when SAS resources are available to support use

 PVAAS Projections to AP Exams - SAS, Inc. is assessing AP data to determine feasibility to yield this reporting to PA ***PDE has approved release once SAS, Inc. gives the green light

High growth documents in consecutive years will be distributed electronically to each IU Executive Director and IU PVAAS contact via email. * I will need a sign off from Superintendents to share these across districts.

School Improvement:

Feedback to Schools: letters to go out this week

Keystone Exams - Rich Maraschiello

  • The following exams are being developed and will be field tested this fall:
  • Biology
  • Literature
  • Algebra 1
  • They are to operational May 2011.
  • Five Page document that includes time lines and FAQ's - see handout
  • Intermediate Units are discussion joint development of local assessments for school districts: IUs can't move forward without knowing the validity criteria. As soon as validity criteria is available more discussion can occur.
  • Diagnostic tests will be field tested this spring. More schools can participate.
  • Language for Board Policy: Graduate by PSSA, Keystone, or Local Assessments

Additional Information

  1. Benedum/Grable STEAM Education Grant Applications: See handout sample: Districts will receive official letters and applications soon.
  1. Ed Summit: April 24, 2010 – Registration at on Feb 25 - Parent Registration? Parent Payments?
  1. Cyber Services: Study completed. Information at ccc.iu1.wikispaces.net – Resources – Technology – IU 1 Cyber Services Tentative Date for Brainstorming for Guidance for IU about future of Cyber Services: March 23: 8:30 – 10:30 at IU 1. Other date suggestions.
  1. SASReminder SAS is not a curriculum – It is a resource that includes a curriculum framework and resources to guide the curriculum. Districts will still need to develop their own curricula for each content area. It is expected that there will be a curriculum mapper as part of the SAS portal in fall 2010. SAS does provide learning progressions which enables districts to use the progressions to place students on a learning continuum. It is critical that districts plan how they will use the SAS resource.
  1. From Sue Conrady: EETT Funds: All districts were funded. Some not full amount. Some districts have ARRA funds (quarterly reports required), some have NCLB funds, and some have a combination. See Sue Conrady or Jarol DeVoge for list.

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