May 18, Academic standards Review committee

Call to order promptly at 1.

Roll call, Approval of minutes, review of the agenda.
Will use time of commission meetings to make progress of work team meetings, progress being made in
work groups, will have some interim reports towards a draft proposal by the end of the year.
April meeting minutes, moved and 2nd, no opposed, approved.
New members of the commission, the staff, since funding secured, introductions of ladies. Tammy
introduces Joselyn Ferrera (Jo) who will be assistant working out of administration offices, 424 D on 4th
floor. Her focus is on 3 things, will be the lead to finalize distribution process, educator feedback survey,
feedback process underway, connecting with work group leads to understand how she can assist, help in
organizing the timeline .
Lisa Mumma introduced, her focus will be on final deliverables, final report to the general assembly,
taking content drafted and managing it completion in final form. Communications aligned with
legislation information. Her focus on 3 things, working with Jo on teacher feedback, connect with team
leads on how to help teams, and assisting in finalizing agenda and deliverables for meetings, pre reads
for work group leads.
Lisa graduate of Meredith, knows her way around education, around state government.
Both ladies have met with some of the commissioners, and have had good reports going back.
Hear from committees: Teds group getting together on the 21st.
Laurie Mc cullum group. moving forward on CA 2007 state standards framework, compare frameworks
to see how they compare with common Core, isolated several states, also looking at MA
Olivia: speaking on the merits of the CA. ELA standards. They include an exemplar, as part of the ELA
framework, she is fascinated with the thoroughness of this document, saying "wow, bet teachers miss
this." She extracted from the framework to illustrate how the developers of the pre common core
provide resources for the teachers that embedded in it, the domain, strand, sub standard and standard.
Developers draw attention to benchmarking around the standard at the sub strand and standard level to
develop their benchmark assessments. Includes instructional resources as a key to curricular and
instructional profiles. Removes portion of the guesswork of the teachers. 3 ways to access the students,
at the entry level for instructional planning, monitoring student progress toward the instructional
objective, and post test assessment toward the standard (handout provided) Laurie stated, "As we look
at recommendations, look to include items to refer to and find a way to have same tools available for
teachers later."
Andre: how do CC standards compare to CA framework,? Olivia: only have the appendixes and the
unpacking documents. Andre: So what teachers need is at hand don't have to look for, point made is

that there is a lack of clarity for the teachers and they have a difficult time being concise, what is
standard asking for. Suggests a framework like CA would help NC, prioritize is clear. Andre; to get our
standards to this framework, would it give us better insight to the quality of the standard, to better see
gaps or identify overlap,? McCullum:, research is put out front, literacy, refer to things current,
Tammy: is each standard individually in this format?
Olivia : You mean what do teachers need as far as professional development? After the in depth intro
to framework, the grade by grade introduction of 3 standards per strand, within that section is the
refining documents that help teacher to deliver those standards. A refinement around them.
Andre: Are we going to talk to someone who used these in CA? Can we get some info from someone
that actually used them. Directs Je to see if she can find someone to talk to them. In absence of this
framework in ours, likes the idea of CA framework. good model on paper. Need to hear how it plays
out in practice.
Olivia: You can take pieces of CA framework and can use to strengthen ANY set of standards, plug in
our current standards (NO WAY) framework sets out the research that sets the basis of how the
standards are derived ,sequenced, organized and assessed.
Ann: what framework was put in place in CA as they adopted CC, what did they do to implement CC,
how are they using their framework today. Dept of instruction, lots of public documents on CA website
trying to marry them to CC.
Tammy: In working with some classroom teachers, has Laurie talked to any classroom teachers?
Laurie: not yet, survey feedback will give snapshot from around the state. Everyone in their group is
currently a teacher, so their perspective is in place and are sharing.
Tammy: We need to have a working applicable document that relates to the teacher for guidance.
Katie: as much as you can embed in the standards in one page, addressing requirements, building in the
benchmarks is very useful. She likes a nod to the disadvantaged and advanced students outlined in the
old CA framework. Universal access to resources embedded in the standards is really good.
Ted. Math working group. had one meeting, kind of sorting things out. Reading K-8 standards and
rating them on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the worst. States that team members have different criteria,
that will be discussed next Thursday, some of people are taking this more seriously than he thought,
trying to rewrite the standards, some are much more intense in looking at the standards and making
comments, he wanted to get a gut level impression of the standards of each grade not a particular
standard, then to make notes of particular standard that was troublesome, that could be discussed later,
so he does not know who is going to do what as there are 7 people. He knows 4 of them will show up
next week. Next step is to look at MN, VA and MS 2000. Just for style,

He is more concerned with clarity of standards, simplicity, can you do the list of standards in one period
of time, he would like to see the commission ensures that the standard algorithms are included that in
Common Core they are not stressed. Said that addition, carry, subtraction, borrow, divide, long division,
fractions, nowhere in cc can he find statement that kids are supposed to learn the "rules" . Not
interested in strands, or writing a framework.
Andre: Is the group focus is to generate a reference model? Look at current CC in NC and other
examples and hope is to come up with what the content should be. Then look at MN VA and MS 2000.
Ted: Look at the benchmarks, mastery of skills. Is not clear in CC. In fractions the CC 4 and 5 grade
doesn't leave any room for the teacher to teach, told "exactly" what is prescribed.
Andre: enable teacher and LEA flexibility. Timetable on how long it takes someone to demonstrate
master is age appropriateness.
Ted: All standards he read are not so different. He said CC seems to gut teacher flexibility, for example
when they teach fractions, they are told how to teach it, and they are not allowed to adapt or deviate.
Andre: military complaint, desire for common standard to address moving.
Tammy, You are looking at maybe 2 % are transient.
Andre; To clarify your immediate goal is to get frame of reference, examples of that. Identify gaps.
Identify best of breed out there.
Ted: refer to MN because it does meet the Natl math advisory standards, clarity and simplicity. Point
out issues they have.
Tammy rating criteria similar to what Oxendine is using for ELA?
Ted: Yes,
Tammy what kind of assistance is he getting from Jeannie and Jeff?
Ted: he has not talked to Jeff, has math education lady from Charlotte, a university person, 2 retired
teachers, 4 or 5 teachers. no one on the commission has been involved yet. He said something about a
personality issue.
Tammy would be helpful to Ted to have another commission members to participate
It is within his authority, as team leader to get the commission members to help.
Math: Olivia, convergence toward a uniform report.
Andre: flip order, timeline: interim checkpoint at the end of June will not happen, need to extend that
out. Looking at the end of July for the preliminary set of recommendations to socialize from
stakeholders to get input from community at large, get something out there to review. In that timeline

each of the committee members has to give co chairs info on what it will take to get there by the end of
July, Jo will be leading the timeline and that process.
May: updating on testing and accountability, testing task force, make a recommendation to the state
board, proposed to pilot an interim testing model. Merge timeline with that group. Generic proposal
that Olivia thinks can wrap around any standards, recommendations have to include how they will be
assessed, so if they eliminate or add, that affects assessments.
Tammy: In terms of pacing information, going to pilot 4 benchmarks through year, they will have to
align curriculum through the year, so be careful not to produce set of recommendations that will not go
along with the testing.
Olivia: Ideally recommendation will meet needs of standards, refinement, and need.
Andre: Timeline, June: stakeholders, we do have business leaders and teachers that we will want
feedback from. we talked about June as a time to bring in chamber of commerce, focus on education
leading to careers, have community colleges come in, contemplating that, want to hear the voice of the
teachers , probably in July, bring in elementary, middle, high, and someone that is from the UNC system
too, want to hear about the challenges they are faced with in ELA and Math, will also get feedback
online.
Andre asked if all the stakeholders were included, The galley yelled out no! parents and taxpayers!
Andre,: needs to hear from everyone, will listen to all that is shared, however they will make the
decision for the people that matter the most, the students.
Chamber question from Ted he wants them to ask what math skills are lacking. Specifically what is
missing and has to be remediated for success in college.
Andre: If we need to adjust, we can.
Andre: Moving on, talked about online feedback, Jo, distribution emails on different superintendents in
all districts, e mail link to survey for ELA and math. Those lists will be done today, will be open to the
public. Link to the Google document will enable people throughout the state to see what is going on.
Ted: in CA standards, do they provide any unpacking documents, auxiliary documents that go along
with the standards, definitions, other info or direction on how to teach>? Would like to see documents
if they exist, and compare to what NC has been using (crosswalks) Denise said, advice and guidance,
rather than unpacking guidance.
Andre: Ted brought out national math standards MN.
Ann: Wants to add to the stakeholder discussion, principles in discussion group,
Cobey: Will be speaking to NC Assoc. Of Principles, are 22 members, maybe where they can get some
testimony from them, they are the leaders of the principles, group is organized and may be helpful.

Tammy: would like to hear substantive things that would help, not that things are great, don't change
anything, we are beyond that. Feels this group would be pro common core. They had a group
statement to that effect. What doesn't work. We want to make a strong statement on what can be
done to improve our standards, want to hear from those that can help formulate that!!
Ted: we have some strong pro CC, want some strong anti CC folks to speak as well, no reason to re
litigate, suggesting find well established group. (were here Ted!!! Wants some critics)
Laurie:, people given time in a school board meeting, sign in, talk for specific time, people express what
they want to for that time. perhaps this will happen in June, and include parents.
Tammy: what is recognized by all of what the problem is, but dont have the insight to offer a workable
solution.
Ted, likes Laurie's idea. 3 minutes each, looking at doing that in June
Andrea will forward video from testimony from legislative study committee.
Olivia: presentation by Rebecca Garland, dept reviewed status report on block scheduling and the effect
on student achievement, Dept. Superintendent. Way courses are scheduled, a student could be 5 or 6
months without any use of that concept, especially in Math. Will bring her in for commission testimony.
Olivia says 800 lbs gorilla, they have to deal with block schedule across the board, this is a local district
issue, rationale for this was a professor from UVA and felt that if a student failed a subject in June, it
would take an entire year to repeat that subject, versus retaking immediately and finish it in the same
year. what happens is there is a compression of the material, and in practice it isnt working. Block
schedule also allowed for 4 classes a day, 90 minutes each. Instead of taking 8 classes, they take 4.
Andre: What is the impact of scheduling on the outcomes, and relate that back to standards, cannot
overreach into the local directions. Has a direct bearing on kids to achieve what is expected out of the
standards as they are sequenced.
New business: None
Break till 2:45
Separate into Work teams
We leave