Get It Right

JD Bowman, who was recently named 2015 Arizona Teacher of the Year, shares his perspective on assessment policy and practice. Bowman teaches US history at Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona.

Suzanne Mulcahy, Assistant Superintendent of Hawaii's Office of Curriculum Instruction and Student Support, shares the challenges and opportunities of implementing college- and career-ready standards across islands and a huge geographic distribution. 

Sandy Boyd, chief operating officer at Achieve, discusses the organization's research around the "honesty gap" – comparing state test results to NAEP scores to reveal gaps in student proficiency levels.  

Rhea-Claire Richard and Bailey Debardelen, fourth-grade teachers at SJ Montgomery Elementary School in Lafayette Parish, LA, share how the Common Core has encouraged deeper learning in their classrooms.  

Barbara Haeffner, director of curriculum and instructional technology at Meriden Public Schools in Meriden, CT, discusses how her district integrates technology into the classroom to prepare more students for college and careers. 

2016 NASSP Principal of the Year Alan Tenreiro discusses Common Core implementation and the multifaceted process of building a culture of high expectations that emphasizes college and career readiness for all students.

Matthew Miller, professor at the Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University; Jessica Cohen, associate professor of mathematics education at Western Washington University; and Charisse Berner, Director of Teaching and Learning for the Bellingham Public Schools in Bellingham, Washington share how their professional development partnership has helped teachers effectively implement math curricula based on the Common Core State Standards and contributed to a learner-focused culture of continuous improvement.

Debbie Tidwell, past president of the Ohio PTA, and Sue Grodek, first grade teacher in the Brooklyn City School District in Brooklyn, Ohio, discuss the importance of parent communication and engagement in effective Common Core implementation.

Nate Jensen, a member of the research team at the Northwest EvaluationAssociation, discusses the value of assessments aligned to the Common CoreState Standards and the misconceptions that accompanied the implementation of new assessments in some states. Jensen explains how comparisons of student scores on the old and new assessments can distort the real picture of student learning under the Common Core State Standards.

Mark Baumgartner, Director of Professional Issues at the Cleveland Teachers Union; Deborah Paden, teacher on assignment for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Resident Educator Program and the AFT/CTU Innovation Fund; and Sara Baldassar, second grade teacher at Memorial Elementary School, Cleveland Metropolitan School District discuss how the Common Core State Standards promote more rigorous learning. The group worked together to develop teacher-created lesson plans that have been vetted by national experts and are now being used by teachers nationwide.

Aaron Thiell, principal of Latham Ridge Elementary School in Latham, New York, answers questions from Melissa Fraley, a parent and PTA member at the school, about how teachers and school leaders have worked together to implement the Common Core State Standards at Latham Ridge Elementary.

Alicia Proulx, a parent and teacher in West Warwick, Rhode Island, speaks with Audra McPhillips, a mathematics specialist and pre-K-12 instructional coach for the district. Together, they explore what the shift to Common Core-aligned math means for students and parents.

Dane Linn, Vice President of Education and Workforce for the Business Roundtable, discusses the principles and objectives guiding the development of the Common Core and why the business community supports higher standards. During his 16 years at the National Governors Association, Linn co-led the development of the Common Core State Standards. 

Dr. Summer Stephens, superintendent of Westin County School District #7 in Upton, WY, shares her perspective on implementing the Common Core in a small rural district and the role of thoughtful assessments in deeper learning.

Jayne Ellspermann, principal of Westport High School in Ocala, FL, discusses how her school implements the Common Core and drives improvement through a focus on personalized learning and college readiness initiatives. Ellspermann was recently recognized as the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ 2015 National Principal of the Year.

Felicia Cumings Smith reflects on the importance of coalition building and professional development in Kentucky’s systemic Common Core implementation process. Smith is former associate commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education, and is currently the director of Kentucky Rising at the National Center on Education and the Economy.  

In this podcast, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce CEO David Adkisson discusses why Kentucky’s business community supports college- and career-ready standards and how they have partnered with schools and community organizations to support thoughtful implementation. 

  Maryland PTA President Ray Leone shares his perspective on building parent understanding and support of the Common Core by engaging families and communities at the local level through public forums and open lines of communication.

Listen to Dr. Dorie Combs, professor in the School of Clinical Educator Preparation at Eastern Kentucky University, share her perspective on preparing future educators for understanding and teaching to the Common Core.

  Dallas Dance, superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, tells us how open communication with stakeholders and approaching the process as a "lead learner" can ease Common Core implementation.