"CDE (Colorado Department of Education) recommends that districts use the 2011-12 school year to design curriculum based on the CAS (Colorado Academic Standards) and 2012-13 school year to begin phasing in the standards-based curriculum. By using the two school years to design and begin implementation of a standards-based curriculum, districts can support a thoughtful standards transition process.
The recommendations are well coordinated with the state’s assessment transition plan. The state will replace the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) with a transitional assessment during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, which will be called the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP). The TCAP will assess, where blueprint flexibility allows, only content that is shared by the Colorado Model Content Standards and the Colorado Academic Standards. The TCAP will provide Colorado with uninterrupted growth data and support districts in transitioning to the Colorado Academic Standards by the 2013-14 school year."
CDE webinar April 18, 2011
Cherry Creek Transition to New State Standards
With increasing awareness of the knowledge and skills that students must exhibit in order to thrive in this 21st century world, the governors and chief school officers in 48 states have led a reform movement to bring clarity and precision to this thinking by establishing the Common Core Standards in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics. While state standards have been in place in the past, this national level work enhances our ability to communicate in a clear manner about our students’ performance in the context of international benchmarks. Additionally, adoption of these Common Core Standards means that all stakeholders can clearly note expectations for performance per grade level regardless of the home state.
Concurrently, the state of Colorado in its CAP4K (Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids) strategically followed a rigorous process to improve public education by defining and adopting new state standards that reflect an adherence to school readiness, 21st century skills, and post secondary and work force readiness markers. The existence of these two documents brings an opportunity for rich dialogue related to serving the needs of the students in the state of Colorado and specifically the Cherry Creek School District. As noted, Common Core Standards do not exist in all areas.
Below is more information on additional standards:
Colorado Department of Education P-12 Academic Standards
Technology Standards
Colorado Standards for Information Literacy
Standards for Staff Development from the National Staff Development Council