Which Common Core?

It's official. Forty-five states have agreed to adopt the Common Core State Standards. Texas, Virginia, Alaska, and Nebraska have opted out completely. Minnesota is halfway there; It has adopted the Common Core English Language Arts standards but not the math standards.

It's important to note that the adopting states have agreed to base at least 85% of their state standards on the Common Core. This means they can add 15% of their own standards onto Common Core. For this reason it's important to check out exactly how your state  is implementing the standards.

Also, there are two major testing bodies associated with the Common Core State Standards. There is the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. This consortium will offer computer adaptive tests. That means that the test will respond to the student's answers to offer questions at a higher or lower level. This would allow high achieving students to answer more difficult questions. Smarter Balanced will provide mandatory accountability tests to be given during the last twelve weeks of the school year. It will also offer optional interim tests.

There is also the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC. PARCC will provide schools with two mandatory assessments: a performance based assessment to be given after 75% of the school year and an end of the year assessment to be given after 90% of the school year. These assessments will be computerized, but they will not be computer adaptive. In addition, PARCC will also offer optional diagnostic and mid-year assessments.