For schools in search of a a viable plan for transitioning to the Common Core standards, look no further.
Beyond Textbooks is Common Core Ready.
Whether you are a current BT partner or a prospective partner, we hope that you will take time to review the below information on some of our Common Core implementation efforts to date.
Common Core Transition Update Webinar:
We recently provided BT Partners with a Webinar to provide information on our transition to the Common Core Standards for the 13-14 school year. This is very important information on how the BT Wiki will reflect these changes for the upcoming school year. If you would like to view this Webinar, please click HERE for the recorded version.
Important Math and ELA Common Core Transition News:
Please click HERE to learn about some important updates regarding Common Core Transition Items impacting next year’s (13-14) Curriculum Calendars and planning resources on the wiki.
Common Core Lesson Planning Through Beyond Textbooks:
We recently provided a free Webinar to all Beyond Textbooks partners about some new Common Core planning tools available on the site. If you were unable to tune in live, you can watch the recording by clicking HERE.
ELA Common Core Changes & Updates:
On September 24-27, 2012 60 teachers from elementary, middle and high school gathered at Vail School District’s office. The purpose was to start preparing for the English Language Arts (ELA) transition to Common Core.
Teachers met for four days. The tasks that teachers completed included:
- Day 1: Identify reading and writing “GAPS” from current standards to Common Core standards
- Day 2: Begin unwrapping ELA Common Core standards
- Day 3: Continue unwrapping ELA Common Core standards
- Day 4: Finish unwrapping ELA Common Core standards. Calendar reading and writing Common Core “GAPS” throughout the year and begin calendaring process for Common Core standards
For more information on these changes and the work that was completed CLICK HERE.
Important Common Core Galileo/ATI Testing Information:
If you are a district or charter school that contracts with Galileo/ATI for your Benchmark Testing, we have some information for you regarding some new assessments that we are using in Vail that you will have access to as BT partners.
We have created a separate assessment to test mastery of the Common Core “GAP” standards in math and reading. As a reminder, these standards are Common Core standards that we found are not covered in our current Essential Standards, and therefore are being taught as Essentials to ensure that there are no content gaps between the two sets of standards.
If a grade level did not have any GAP standards during a Benchmark time period, we chose Common Core standards that correlated to an Essential Standard to use for this separate assessment.
We will be assessing students on these standards during our Benchmark weeks, but these test questions will be on a separate test and students will take the assessment during a separate testing period. We will be using this data as information on how our students are doing with the Common Core standards and as a check-in to make sure we are preparing them for 2014-15 when they will be assessed formally by the State on these concepts.
If you would like to administer these assessments as well, you will just need to let Galileo know, and they will open the test bank for your district or charter school. We would encourage you to take advantage of these test questions, as they will provide valuable information on how your students are doing as you continue to prepare them for the shift to the Common Core standards.
CLICK HERE for a list of the math and reading Common Core standards that will be assessed during our second and third Benchmark testing weeks.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact, Megan Kapp, Assistant Director of Beyond Textbooks, at kappm@vail.k12.az.us
Important Common Core Correlation Information:
Please CLICK HERE to view an important update regarding added Common Core information on the Curriculum Calendars.
Free Common Core Ready Implementation Workshops
We hope that you will attend one of our free Common Core Workshops. For locations and times of these events, please CLICK HERE.
The purpose of these workshops is to:
1 – Remind BT Partners of the Common Core Implementation Timeline and progress toward completion of timeline goals.
2 – Help BT partners increase their understanding of Common Core Shifts in Content and Rigor within the seven key BT starting points: Essential Standards, Unwrapped Standards, Curriculum Calendars, Specific Materials, the BT Wiki, Common Formative Assessments, and Reteach and Enrich.
September 2012 Common Core Transition Webinar
If you can not make one of our Free Common Core Ready Implementation Workshops, we encourage you to watch our recent Common Core Ready Implementation Webinar that outlines transitions BT has made with regard to Common Core shifts in Rigor and Content.
August 2012 Common Core Special Edition BT Newsletter
Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our August 2012 Newsletter.
In this newsletter you will find:
**12-13 BT Partner Common Core Facilitation Priorities
** Common Core Implementation Webinar Dates & Times
** Common Core Implementation: ELA Changes
** Common Core Implementation: Math Changes
** BT Common Core Implementation Timeline
