Table 1. Change in Teachers’ Perceptions of CCSS, Teacher Involvement and Teaching Conditions 2013-2015

Views on the Common Core State Standards / Agree / Disagree
2013 / 2015 / Difference / 2013 / 2015 / Difference
The CCSS are an improvement on the state frameworks used previously in Arkansas. / 67.47% / 50.76% / -16.71% / 13.00% / 33.54% / 20.54%
The CCSS are more rigorous than the state frameworks used previously in Arkansas. / 77.61% / 67.74% / -9.87% / 8.20% / 18.58% / 10.38%
I have a better idea of what I am supposed to teach because of the CCSS. / 43.45% / 33.89% / -9.56% / 34.20% / 45.59% / 11.39%
CCSS has increased focus on student test scores. / 45.37% / 51.45% / 6.08% / 20.33% / 23.97% / 3.64%
I anticipate significant improvement in student achievement as a result of CCSS. / 48.46% / 33.13% / -15.33% / 24.75% / 47.72% / 22.97%
The implementation of CCSS has allowed me to teach subjects in greater depth. / 52.58% / 37.90% / -14.68% / 23.27% / 42.47% / 19.20%
The CCSS have significantly changed the way that I teach. / 54.26% / 51.13% / -3.13% / 18.46% / 25.49% / 7.03%
Implementation of CCSS has improved teaching at my school. / 39.26% / 33.28% / -5.98% / 21.79% / 39.75% / 17.96%
The pacing of instruction is appropriate under the CCSS. / 45.67% / 34.32% / -11.35% / 22.98% / 43.48% / 20.50%
I believe that my school will be better off in 10 years due to implementation of CCSS. / 58.93% / 41.88% / -17.05% / 13.53% / 36.94% / 23.41%
Teacher Collegiality and Involvement / Better / Worse
2013 / 2015 / Difference / 2013 / 2015 / Difference
Teacher cooperation now compared to pre-CCSS / 46.73% / 31.71% / -15.02% / 7.13% / 16.10% / 8.97%
Teacher collegiality now compared to pre-CCSS / 42.13% / 27.90% / -14.23% / 7.87% / 17.29% / 9.42%
Teacher involvement in school governance and mission now compared to pre-CCSS / 35.14% / 22.51% / -12.63% / 7.63% / 17.61% / 9.98%
Your impression of student stress level now compared to pre-CCSS / 18.94% / 11.44% / -7.50% / 34.27% / 63.24% / 28.97%
Your impression of students' enjoyment of learning now compared to pre-CCSS / 35.37% / 23.03% / -12.34% / 17.59% / 45.11% / 27.52%
Change in Teaching Conditions / More / Less
2013 / 2015 / Difference / 2013 / 2015 / Difference
Your overall instructional autonomy and flexibility now compared to pre-CCSS / 37.82% / 23.15% / -14.67% / 24.58% / 37.11% / 12.53%
Your autonomy & flexibility in selecting instructional materials now compared to pre- CCSS / 38.51% / 25.61% / -12.90% / 26.24% / 36.12% / 9.88%
Your autonomy and flexibility in selecting teaching methods now compared to pre-CCSS / 38.88% / 25.28% / -13.60% / 22.54% / 33.67% / 11.13%
Your job related stress level now compared to pre-CCSS / 69.00% / 71.87% / 2.87% / 4.86% / 6.74% / 1.88%
Your overall job satisfaction now compared to pre-CCSS / 28.10% / 18.65% / -9.45% / 28.20% / 46.70% / 18.50%
Your feeling of professionalism now compared to pre-CCSS / 30.19% / 21.79% / -8.40% / 16.77% / 29.38% / 12.61%
Your enjoyment of teaching now compared to pre-CCSS / 26.97% / 18.67% / -8.30% / 28.09% / 44.95% / 16.86%

Table 2. Classroom and Teacher Time Allocated for PARRC Preparation and Administration

Average number of instructional CLASS PERIODS used for the PARCC exam / Overall / Elementary (P-5) / Middle (6-8) / High (9-12)
Number of instructional class periods used for PARCC exam preparation / 9.49 / 10.11 / 9.39 / 9.08
Number of instructional class periods used for PARCC test administration (giving the test) / 9.05 / 8.29 / 10.23 / 8.72
Total / 18.54 / 18.4 / 19.62 / 17.8
Average number of instructional MINUTES used for the PARCC exam / Overall / Elementary (P-5) / Middle (6-8) / High (9-12)
Number of instructional minutes used for PARCC exam preparation / 530.98 / 580.81 / 568.87 / 452.91
Number of instructional minutes used for PARCC test administration (giving the test) / 577.78 / 519.66 / 676.99 / 545.92
Total / 1108.76 / 1100.47 / 1245.86 / 998.83
Breakdown of how instructional time was spent preparing for the PARCC / Average % / Minutes
General test preparation skills (i.e. how to take a test) / 19.20% / 102
PARCC specific test preparation skills (i.e. how to take the PARCC) / 22.63% / 120
Practice taking PARCC practice questions on paper / 12.02% / 64
Practice taking PARCC practice questions on the computer / 21.07% / 112
Testing the school's network capacity / 10.25% / 54
Remediation for skills tested on the PARCC that are primarily taught outside your content area / 6.84% / 36
Other / 7.22% / 38
Average percentage of teachers' professional time spent preparing for the PARCC exam this school year / Overall / Elementary (P-5) / Middle (6-8) / High (9-12)
Percentage of planning time spent preparing for PARCC / 25.99% / 26.55% / 23.96% / 23.61%
Percentage of professional development time spent preparing for PARCC / 31.82% / 30.23% / 34.84% / 30.95%

Contact Dr. Jason Endacott () for more information.

Draft submitted to the Arkansas Common Core Panel on 5-6-2015

Full report to follow.