Role of the School Counselor in Utah Core

Role of the School Counselor in Utah Core Implementation

You are often the first line of defense in honoring the validity of the Utah Core State Standards. “The Common Core State Standards are an example of states recognizing a problem, then working together, sharing what works and what doesn’t. ” - Former Governor Jeb Bush June, 2011

What are Standards? Standards define what students should know and be able to do in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Technical Subjects. Content Standards impact every course from Science to CTE to Fine Arts. Standards help teachers organize and prepare for instruction. Standards provide a “target” against which student achievement can be measured. Standards are determined at the state level. In 1984, the Utah State Board of Education (USBOE) established policy requiring the identification of specific core standards to be met by all K-12 students in order to graduate from Utah’s secondary schools. The USBOE updates the Standards regularly, while parents, teachers and local school boards control curriculum. Stakeholder input was gathered from superintendents, curriculum directors, legislators, higher education reps, PTA members and community/business leaders in 2009 prior to the adoption of the Standards.

Common Myths vs. Facts Myth: The Federal government developed the Common Core State Standards. Fact: The Federal government played NO role in the development of the Common Core State Standards. The desire to develop higher, shared standards was spurred by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA).

Common Myths vs. Facts Myth: The Common Core prevents teachers from teaching literature. Fact: The Standards do not limit reading to nonfiction, but promote a balance between literature and non-fiction works to help students build knowledge and broaden their perspectives. The Standards don’t prescribe reading lists and only describe what students are to learn. Teachers retain the capacity to design instruction to suit the needs of their students.

Common Myths vs. Facts Myth: Implementation of the Standards requires the collection and retention of personally-identifiable student data. Fact: There is no data collection requirement of states adopting the Common Core State Standards simply define what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade, but implementation requires no collection of data. All assessment data is completely secure.

Helpful Talking Points State-Led Effort The Standards have been adopted by more than 45 states and the District of Columbia. Spearheaded by governors and school chiefs. Developed by teachers, principals, parents, educational experts and from feedback from the public, not by politicians. Internationally Benchmarked The Standards incorporate the best and most rigorous state standards in the U. S. and are internationally benchmarked to the top-performing nations around the world. It is imperative that American students have the skills and knowledge needed for success in today’s workforce to ensure a strong, competitive presence in the global economy.

Helpful Talking Points College, Career and Real-World Readiness The Standards are designed to be relevant in the real world and to ensure students graduate high school with the skills and information they’ll need to be successful. The collaborative process is key to effectively teaching the Standards. Clear and Consistent Expectations and Goals The Standards provide stakeholders with a clear idea of what students are expected to know and be able to do at each grade level in a quality educational system. Promote working together (teachers, parents, students and community) toward shared goals. There is consistency across the states to facilitate a more mobile society.

Helpful Talking Points Local Decision-Making on Implementation (Always Student-Centered) The Standards establish what students are expected to learn, but doesn’t specify how teachers should teach. Implementation decisions will remain a local issue. Procedural and Conceptual Understanding The Standards stress conceptual understanding of content, but also include attention to the procedural skills students need to be fluent in the various disciplines.

Helpful Talking Points Combination of both Informational and Literary text is required. Includes, but not limited to, fiction, poetry, non-fiction, historical documents, etc. There is no required reading list attached to the Standards. Weber School District receives no Federal funds for the implementation of the Utah Core State Standards.

College and Career Ready Standards The Standards delineate the characteristics of a literate person in the 21 st Century (not just with respect to ELA). Promotion of close, attentive and critical reading and writing skills across the disciplines. Students are encouraged to seek out the engagement of high-quality literary and informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges experiences and broadens the overall world view. The Standards emphasize reasoning and the use of evidence to support claims in order to be responsible citizens. Focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening as the foundation for purposeful expression. Testing (ACT/PLAN/EXPLORE) demonstrates the rigor and challenge of college and college-preparatory work.

What Counselors Can Do… A strong offense is the best defense. Be aware and be prepared. Encourage students to take advantage of rigorous, challenging, high-level courses. Keep students in Mathematics courses through Secondary Math III in order to ensure college readiness – resources. Encourage students to stay the course through the sometimes challenging implementation. Use the strategies that promote the standards as you have instructional opportunities in front of students. Ask questions. Share the brochure (printed and Curriculum webpage).