CUSD Math Transition from California State Standards to Common Core State Standards

California's Transition from California State Standards (STAR Test Assessments and CAHSEE) to the Common Core State Standards (Smarter Balanced Assessment) actually began in 2012- 2013. Implementation is underway and will be fully implemented by 2014-2015. With full implementation by next year- why have 2/3 of the American public never heard of the Common Core State Standards? 
A recent Gallup poll found:

"slightly more than one-third of Americans have ever heard of the Common Core; among Americans with children in public schools, fewer than half recognized the Core. 

The majority of those who said they have heard of the Common Core selected the “somewhat knowledgeable” option. 

Among the third who had heard of the Common Core, only four of 10 said the standards can help make education in the United States more competitive globally; a majority said the standards will make the U.S. less competitive or have no effect.

Of those Americans who had heard of the Common Core, many said — erroneously — that the standards are based on a blending of state standards, that the federal government is insisting that all states adopt the standards, and that there is a plan to create standards in all academic areas"

Sources: (See http://cusd.capousd.org/edusupport/Common%20Core/Common%20Core%20Overview.htm). 
(see: http://pdkintl.org/noindex/2013_PDKGallup.pdf)

In the Capistrano Unified School District it seems like the transition from California State Standards to Common Core State Standards is being written as we go. There has been no parent education until Jan 2012, and no opportunity for public input at all. Math Placement criteria, for this year (2013- 2014) was a moving target leaving many parents a bit confused about their students math placement. The Capistrano Common Core Math Standards Transition Plan was also changed several times this year. 

Transition Plan Update 9-18-13 
capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/file/1260515440215/1325750607253/6876708399279260461.doc

Transition Plan Update 9-19-13 
capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/file/1260515440215/1325750607253/7013840397657137743.doc

Transition Plan Update 11-6-13
http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/file/1260515440215/1325750607253/1144914219077025405.pdf

The Math Placement Criteria has also been changed several times this year (examples for 6th and 7th grade math placement).

6th Grade

• Date 1/4/11: 2011 Math Course Placement Info Entering 6th Grade Students
• Date 9/3/11: 2012 Math Course Placement Info Entering 6th Grade Students
• Revised 9-2-12
• Revised 3-13-13
• Revised 3-14-13
• Revised 3-25-13

• Math 7 Acc Placement Test Info Revised 3-13-13
• Math 7 Placement Criteria Revised 3-13-13
• Math 7 Acc Placement Test Info Revised 3-14-13
• Math 7 Placement CriteriaRevised 3-14-13
• Math 7 Acc Placement Test Info Revised 3-25-13
• Math 7 Placement Criteria Revised 3-25-13
• Math 7 Placement Criteria Revised 4-2-13
• Math 7 Placement Criteria Revised 4-3-13
• Math 7 Placement Criteria Revised 4-4-13
• Math 7 Placement Criteria Revised 5-1-13 

What efforts has CUSD made to include Parents and the Public in the discussion of Common Core? 

• 1980's - early 1990's - No State Standards and Algebra 1 was the "accelerated" Grade 8th math course
• 1992 - California developed New Math framework- "performance- based" testing
• Mid 1990's - TIMSS (Third International Math and Science Study report) - US students not able to compete with peers around the world- Math curriculum a mile wide- inch deep. CUSD developed its own CORE (Capistrano Objectives for reaching Excellence) giving students leveled CORE tests and computer adaptive MAP tests.
• Late 1990's -  "California Math Wars" - Project based/inquiry based or back to basics.
• 1997- State Board of Education adopts State Standards - Goal Algebra 1 for all 8th grade students.
• Late 1990- early 2000s- STAR Testing and California High School Exit Exam implemented. No Child Left Behind Passed
• Mid 2000s to late 2000s - 10% - 15% of CUSD 8th grade students enroll in Geometry.
• Early 2010 - Common Core State Standards developed - goal to adopt the new standards in 2014- 2015. Smarter Balanced and PARCC are funded to develop testing for new CORE standards.
• July/August 2010 - California adopts Common Core Math and English Language Arts standards. Most were removed by State Board of Education 1/2013.
• Fall 2010 - CUSD begins the process of how to transition to Common Core.
• California adopts "Smarter Balanced" testing not PARCC. 
• 2012-2013 - CUSD transitions to Common Core Math Content Standards in Grades K-5 and in Math 6- fewer topics per grade- topic taught at a deeper level.
• 2013-2014 - CUSD transitions to Common Core Math Content Standards in Grades K-8. Pre-Algebra removed. Replaced by Math 7 Accelerated (a combination of Grade 7 & 8 Common Core Math)
• November 2013 - CUSD will receive the New California Math Framework from the State.  Question: If the Framework is not complete- what has CUSD been implementing and where was the opportunity for public input?
• 2014-2015 - CUSD transitions to Common Core Math Content Standards in Grades K- 12. Algebra 1A removed in 9th grade, lowest "entry level" high school math course will be Algebra 1. New Smarter Balanced testing begins. NO TESTING 2013-2014- STAR Testing Suspended.
• CUSD Data- (See Chart Above)
• CUSD has been raising the requirement for students to take Pre-Algebra in 6th grade in order to reduce the incoming group of kids from the top 15% down to the top 10%. CUSD data shows that the kids who barely made the old cut off score were struggling with math by the time they got to 10th grade.

• Professional Development $5 million (3 Days of Staff Development CUEA 2013-2014 Oct 4, 2013 - January 6, 2014 and April 21, 2014)
• Instructional Materials $500,000 (for bridge materials- curriculum is not written yet) 
• Technology: $4 million to evaluate and purchase technology tools that will enable students to access digital information and complete Smarter-Balanced Assessments. 

• 2012-2013 Awareness
• 2013-2014 Exploration
• 2014-2015 Implementation

• $5 million on staff development on three days of training (Can you learn to teach a whole new way in three days?).
• $.5 million on "Bridge Materials" since new curriculum are not written yet, and (where is the money for the new curriculum when it is written?)  
• $ 4 million on technology (not nearly enough to provide all the technology devices and softwear needed to participate in the online testing).